Food · Fermented foods

Ikanago Shōyu (Sand Lance Fish Sauce)

いかなごしょうゆ (Ikanago Shōyu)

Also known as: Ikanago shōyu, Sand lance fish sauce, いかなご醤油

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At a glance

CategoryFood
Japanese labeling nameいかなごしょうゆ
Common Japanese notationsいかなごしょうゆ, いかなご醤油
OriginSand lance fish sauce; specialty fermented condiment based on sand lance (ikanago) fish; principal regional production Hyogo (the established home of sand lance fish sauce production)
Typical functionsHeritage regional fish sauce — distinctive umami profile, Specialty cuisine ingredient
Regulatory status in JapanStandard food labeling. Hyogo regional brand. **Fish allergen recommended disclosure.**

Ikanago-shōyu (いかなごしょうゆ) is sand lance fish sauce, a Japanese gyoshō (fish sauce) regional specialty from Hyogo Prefecture. Distinctive umami profile.

Classification

Tags below link to other ingredients sharing the same attribute, so you can pivot from one ingredient to its peers.

Used in (typical product categories)

Finished-product categories that commonly include this ingredient in Japanese-market formulations.

  • Bottled ikanago-shōyu retail (Hyogo regional)

What it is

Fermented fish sauce from sand lance (ikanago).

Typical uses in Japanese products

Heritage regional cuisine.

For OEM: regional Hyogo specialty retail.

Regulatory classification in Japan

Standard food labeling. Hyogo regional. Fish allergen recommended.

Regulatory classification in other markets

EUNiche specialty fish sauce market.
USANiche specialty positioning.
ChinaNiche specialty positioning.
KoreaKorea has its own gganari fish sauce tradition.

Example products

Example finished products will be added after verification.

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References

  1. MEXT Standard Tables of Food Composition — いかなごしょうゆ

Last updated: 2026-04-28. Ingredient entries are reviewed at least annually against current regulatory listings.

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