Food · Fermented foods
Kuruma-ebi (Japanese Tiger Prawn)
くるまえび (Kuruma-ebi)
Also known as: Kuruma-ebi, Japanese tiger prawn, Marsupenaeus japonicus, 車海老, Tiger prawn
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| Category | Food |
|---|---|
| Japanese labeling name | くるまえび |
| Common Japanese notations | くるまえび, 車海老, クルマエビ |
| Origin | Japanese tiger prawn (Marsupenaeus japonicus); both wild and farmed; principal modern domestic farming regions Kumamoto (volume leader, Amakusa area), Okinawa, Miyazaki; significant imports from Vietnam, Indonesia, Australia |
| Typical functions | Premium tempura — defining premium tempura ingredient, Sushi/sashimi (live odori-ebi sashimi for ultra-premium), Osechi New Year cuisine (the curved shape symbolizes longevity), Premium gift retail (Kumamoto Amakusa Kuruma-ebi) |
| Regulatory status in Japan | Standard food labeling. **Crustacean is JAS-mandatory allergen.** Kumamoto Amakusa Kuruma-ebi regional brand. |
Kuruma-ebi (くるまえび / 車海老) — Japanese tiger prawn (Marsupenaeus japonicus) — is a premium Japanese prawn with substantial OEM positions: as defining premium tempura ingredient, as sushi/sashimi (including live odori-ebi for ultra-premium), as Osechi New Year cuisine (curved shape symbolizing longevity), and as premium gift retail (Kumamoto Amakusa Kuruma-ebi). **Crustacean is JAS-mandatory allergen.**
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Classification
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Product applications
Functions
Regulatory tags
Origin
Common OEM product categories
Finished-product categories where Japanese OEM manufacturers commonly formulate with this ingredient.
- Live kuruma-ebi (premium foodservice)
- Frozen kuruma-ebi (volume retail and foodservice)
- Pre-cooked kuruma-ebi for Osechi
Ingredient profile
Marsupenaeus japonicus Japanese tiger prawn. Wild and farmed.
OEM applications
Premium tempura.
Sushi/sashimi (odori-ebi ultra-premium).
Osechi New Year cuisine.
Premium Kumamoto Amakusa gift retail.
For OEM: live cold-chain supply, frozen retail, pre-cooked Osechi production.
Regulatory classification in Japan
Standard food labeling. **Crustacean is JAS-mandatory allergen.** Amakusa regional brand.
Regulatory classification in other markets
| EU | Imported as Japanese tiger prawn. Crustacean allergen mandatory. |
|---|---|
| USA | Established US premium specialty. Crustacean allergen mandatory. |
| China | Premium specialty positioning. |
| Korea | Niche premium specialty. |
Market reference formulations
Example finished products will be added after verification of Kumamoto Amakusa origin.
All brand names and product names referenced anywhere on this site are the property of their respective owners. Example entries are provided for informational purposes only and do not imply endorsement.
Seasonality & supply calendar
- Harvest months
- Wild: June – September; cultured: year-round (mainly Kumamoto / Okinawa)
- Peak supply
- July – August (wild)
- Off-season
- Wild supply nearly disappears in winter; cultured kuruma-ebi fills luxury demand year-round
Source: 水産庁 / 農林水産省 養殖統計. Kumamoto leads cultured production with ~70% of national volume.
Storage requirements
How the receiving OEM facility needs to handle inbound raw material.
- Temperature
- Live: 18–20°C in oxygenated transport; frozen −20°C IQF for shipping
- Conditions
- Live shrimp shipped in sawdust-padded straw boxes; IQF for stable export
- Shelf life
- Live 2–3 days; frozen IQF 12 months
Supply concentration
Where this ingredient comes from — useful for single-source-risk planning.
- Primary regions
- Cultured: Okinawa (#1 ~33% per 海面漁業生産統計), Kagoshima (#2), Kumamoto (#3) — these three prefectures combined account for approximately 72%. (Note: Kumamoto 上天草 is the historic origin of kuruma-ebi cultivation.)
- Import dependence
- Wild supply is small; cultured kuruma-ebi is the main commercial volume — domestic
農林水産省 養殖統計
Certifications commonly available
Certification schemes commonly obtainable for this raw material. Always confirm the specific supplier's current certificate before contracting.
| Scheme | Availability | |
|---|---|---|
| ASC | On-request | Cultured kuruma-ebi farms with ASC cert |
| Halal | Common | Crustaceans Halal-permissible per Sunni schools (some restrictions in Shia/Hanafi) |
| Kosher | Unavailable | |
| Organic | Unavailable |
Alternative ingredients
Related ingredients commonly evaluated as substitutes.
Quick answers
- What is Kuruma-ebi (Japanese Tiger Prawn)?
- Kuruma-ebi (くるまえび / 車海老) — Japanese tiger prawn (Marsupenaeus japonicus) — is a premium Japanese prawn with substantial OEM positions: as defining premium tempura ingredient, as sushi/sashimi (including live odori-ebi for ultra-premium), as Osechi New Year cuisine (curved shape symbolizing longevity), and as premium gift retail (Kumamoto Amakusa Kuruma-ebi). **Crustacean is JAS-mandatory allergen.**
- What is the regulatory status of Kuruma-ebi (Japanese Tiger Prawn) in Japan?
- Standard food labeling. **Crustacean is JAS-mandatory allergen.** Kumamoto Amakusa Kuruma-ebi regional brand.
- What products typically use Kuruma-ebi (Japanese Tiger Prawn)?
- Live kuruma-ebi (premium foodservice) / Frozen kuruma-ebi (volume retail and foodservice) / Pre-cooked kuruma-ebi for Osechi
- Where does Kuruma-ebi (Japanese Tiger Prawn) come from?
- Japanese tiger prawn (Marsupenaeus japonicus); both wild and farmed; principal modern domestic farming regions Kumamoto (volume leader, Amakusa area), Okinawa, Miyazaki; significant imports from Vietnam, Indonesia, Australia
- What is the INCI / JSCI labeling name for Kuruma-ebi (Japanese Tiger Prawn)?
- JSCI: くるまえび
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References
- 文部科学省 (Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology) Standard Tables of Food Composition — くるまえび 養殖 各形態
Last updated: 2026-04-28. Ingredient entries are reviewed at least annually against current regulatory listings.