Food · Fermented foods

Kensaki-ika (Swordtip Squid)

けんさきいか (Kensaki-ika)

Also known as: Kensaki-ika, Swordtip squid, Uroteuthis edulis, 剣先烏賊

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At a glance

Category	Food
Japanese labeling name	けんさきいか
Common Japanese notations	けんさきいか, 剣先烏賊, ケンサキイカ
Origin	Swordtip squid (Uroteuthis edulis); harvested in Sea of Japan; principal landing region Saga Yobuko (Yobuko-no-ika-ikizukuri heritage)
Typical functions	Premium ikizukuri (live squid sashimi) — defining Yobuko regional signature, Foodservice premium specialty
Regulatory status in Japan	Standard food labeling. Mollusc allergen recommended disclosure.

Kensaki-ika (けんさきいか / 剣先烏賊) — swordtip squid (Uroteuthis edulis) — is a Saga Yobuko regional signature for premium ikizukuri (live squid sashimi).

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Classification

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

Product applications

Functions

Flavoring486

Regulatory tags

Culinary ingredient512

Origin

Marine-derived163

Common OEM product categories

Finished-product categories where Japanese OEM manufacturers commonly formulate with this ingredient.

Live kensaki-ika (premium foodservice)
Frozen kensaki-ika

Ingredient profile

Uroteuthis edulis swordtip squid.

OEM applications

Yobuko ikizukuri premium foodservice signature.

For OEM: foodservice supply.

Regulatory classification in Japan

Standard food labeling. Mollusc allergen recommended.

Regulatory classification in other markets

EU	Niche specialty positioning.
USA	Niche specialty positioning.
China	Niche specialty positioning.
Korea	Niche specialty positioning.

Market reference formulations

Example finished products will be added after verification.

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Seasonality & supply calendar

Harvest months: April – August (Sea of Japan / East China Sea)
Peak supply: May – July
Off-season: September – March

Source: 水産庁統計. Saga Yobuko (呼子) is the celebrated regional specialty for ikizukuri (live-squid sashimi) — note: 呼子 kensaki-ika is NOT registered under the 農林水産省 (Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries) GI scheme as of 2024; the Yobuko name is brand reputation rather than GI protection. Yamaguchi / Nagasaki / Hagi also major.

Storage requirements

How the receiving OEM facility needs to handle inbound raw material.

Temperature: Chilled 0°C for sashimi; frozen −20°C IQF
Conditions: Live tank for highest-grade sashimi (呼子 specialty); cleaned for retail
Shelf life: Live ~2 days; chilled 3 days; frozen 6 months

Supply concentration

Where this ingredient comes from — useful for single-source-risk planning.

Primary regions: Saga (Yobuko — strong regional brand reputation, not GI-registered), Yamaguchi (Hagi), Nagasaki
Import dependence: 100% domestic for premium grade; bulk imports for foodservice

佐賀県漁業統計

Certifications commonly available

Certification schemes commonly obtainable for this raw material. Always confirm the specific supplier's current certificate before contracting.

Scheme	Availability
GI registered	Regional brand recognition (not GI-registered)	Saga 呼子 kensaki-ika has strong regional reputation but is NOT registered under the 農林水産省 GI scheme; the only Saga GI as of 2024 is 第121号女山大根. Verify against 農林水産省 (Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries) GI register before claiming GI status.
Halal	On-request
Kosher	Unavailable

Documented adulteration risks

Known fraud / adulteration patterns reported by regulators or industry bodies. Specify CoA params and screening tests on every PO.

Non-呼子 kensaki labeled as '呼子イカ' (note: 呼子 is brand reputation, not GI-registered)

Detection: GI cert verification

佐賀県 / 消費者庁

Alternative ingredients

Related ingredients commonly evaluated as substitutes.

Akaika

Quick answers

What is Kensaki-ika (Swordtip Squid)?: Kensaki-ika (けんさきいか / 剣先烏賊) — swordtip squid (Uroteuthis edulis) — is a Saga Yobuko regional signature for premium ikizukuri (live squid sashimi).
What is the regulatory status of Kensaki-ika (Swordtip Squid) in Japan?: Standard food labeling. Mollusc allergen recommended disclosure.
What products typically use Kensaki-ika (Swordtip Squid)?: Live kensaki-ika (premium foodservice) / Frozen kensaki-ika
Where does Kensaki-ika (Swordtip Squid) come from?: Swordtip squid (Uroteuthis edulis); harvested in Sea of Japan; principal landing region Saga Yobuko (Yobuko-no-ika-ikizukuri heritage)
What is the INCI / JSCI labeling name for Kensaki-ika (Swordtip Squid)?: JSCI: けんさきいか

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Sharing similar functions

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Official regulatory databases

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MEXT 食品成分DB（検索） ↗

References

文部科学省 (Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology) Standard Tables of Food Composition — けんさきいか

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