Food · Fermented foods
Nira (Garlic Chives / Chinese Chives)
にら (Nira)
Also known as: Nira, Garlic chives, Chinese chives, Allium tuberosum, 韮, Ki-nira (yellow chives), Hana-nira (flowering chives)
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| Category | Food |
|---|---|
| Japanese labeling name | にら |
| Common Japanese notations | にら, 韮, ニラ, 黄ニラ, 花ニラ |
| Origin | Garlic chives (Allium tuberosum); cultivated extensively in Japan; principal modern production regions Tochigi (volume leader), Kochi, Ibaraki; ki-nira (yellow chives) is a premium specialty produced in Okayama; year-round availability with summer peak |
| Typical functions | Gyoza filling — central ingredient, defining Japanese gyoza, Chinese-influenced cooking — nira-tama (chive-egg), nira-rebatama (nira-liver-egg), Ramen and donburi topping, Kimchi and Korean-influenced cuisine |
| Regulatory status in Japan | Standard agricultural product labeling. Tochigi, Kochi, Ibaraki major regions. Okayama Ki-nira premium specialty. Not a designated allergen. |
Nira (にら / 韮) — garlic chives (Allium tuberosum) — is a major Japanese cooking herb with substantial OEM applications: as the central filling ingredient of gyoza (one of Japan's volume processed-food categories), as essential ingredient in Chinese-influenced cooking (nira-tama, nira-rebatama, nira-itame), as ramen and donburi topping, and as a kimchi and Korean-influenced cuisine ingredient. Tochigi leads domestic production, with Kochi, Ibaraki, and other regions providing supply. Ki-nira (yellow chives, grown in dark conditions) from Okayama is a premium specialty.
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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.
- Fresh nira retail (year-round, summer peak)
- Pre-cut nira (convenience format)
- Frozen nira (foodservice and processed-food)
- Ki-nira (Okayama yellow chives) premium specialty
Ingredient profile
Nira is Allium tuberosum, distinguished from chives (Allium schoenoprasum) by larger size and stronger garlicky flavor. The flat leaves are characteristic.
Production: Tochigi (volume leader), Kochi, Ibaraki major regions. Okayama Ki-nira (yellow chives) premium specialty.
OEM applications
Gyoza filling — central ingredient.
Nira-tama, nira-itame — Chinese-influenced cooking.
Ramen and donburi topping.
Kimchi-style preparations.
For OEM: fresh nira retail, pre-cut convenience format, frozen for foodservice and gyoza production OEM, Ki-nira Okayama specialty.
Regulatory classification in Japan
Standard food labeling. Tochigi, Kochi, Ibaraki, Okayama (Ki-nira) origin appropriate. Not a designated allergen.
Regulatory classification in other markets
| EU | Imported as garlic chives. Established Asian-cuisine category. |
|---|---|
| USA | Imported as garlic chives / Chinese chives. Established Asian and gourmet retail. |
| China | China has substantial jiucai (韭菜) tradition. |
| Korea | Korea has substantial buchu (부추) tradition (boochu-jeon, etc.). |
Market reference formulations
Example finished products will be added after verification of regional origin.
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Seasonality & supply calendar
- Harvest months
- Year-round (greenhouse); peak: April – August
- Peak supply
- Continuous
- Off-season
- None
Source: 農林水産省 野菜生産出荷統計. Kochi and Tochigi lead greenhouse production; year-round supply is stable.
Storage requirements
How the receiving OEM facility needs to handle inbound raw material.
- Temperature
- Chilled 0–4°C, ~95% RH
- Conditions
- Bunched, plastic-wrapped
- Shelf life
- 5–7 days at 0°C
Supply concentration
Where this ingredient comes from — useful for single-source-risk planning.
- Primary regions
- Kochi (approximately 28% per R5 / 2023 野菜生産出荷統計), Tochigi, Ibaraki
- Import dependence
- 100% domestic for fresh; minor Korean imports for processed
農林水産省 野菜生産出荷統計
Certifications commonly available
Certification schemes commonly obtainable for this raw material. Always confirm the specific supplier's current certificate before contracting.
| Scheme | Availability | |
|---|---|---|
| Organic JAS | On-request | |
| Halal | Inherent | |
| Vegan | Inherent |
Alternative ingredients
Related ingredients commonly evaluated as substitutes.
Quick answers
- What is Nira (Garlic Chives / Chinese Chives)?
- Nira (にら / 韮) — garlic chives (Allium tuberosum) — is a major Japanese cooking herb with substantial OEM applications: as the central filling ingredient of gyoza (one of Japan's volume processed-food categories), as essential ingredient in Chinese-influenced cooking (nira-tama, nira-rebatama, nira-itame), as ramen and donburi topping, and as a kimchi and Korean-influenced cuisine ingredient. Tochigi leads domestic production, with Kochi, Ibaraki, and other regions providing supply. Ki-nira (yellow chives, grown in dark conditions) from Okayama is a premium specialty.
- What is the regulatory status of Nira (Garlic Chives / Chinese Chives) in Japan?
- Standard agricultural product labeling. Tochigi, Kochi, Ibaraki major regions. Okayama Ki-nira premium specialty. Not a designated allergen.
- What products typically use Nira (Garlic Chives / Chinese Chives)?
- Fresh nira retail (year-round, summer peak) / Pre-cut nira (convenience format) / Frozen nira (foodservice and processed-food) / Ki-nira (Okayama yellow chives) premium specialty
- Where does Nira (Garlic Chives / Chinese Chives) come from?
- Garlic chives (Allium tuberosum); cultivated extensively in Japan; principal modern production regions Tochigi (volume leader), Kochi, Ibaraki; ki-nira (yellow chives) is a premium specialty produced in Okayama; year-round availability with summer peak
- What is the INCI / JSCI labeling name for Nira (Garlic Chives / Chinese Chives)?
- JSCI: にら
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References
- 文部科学省 (Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology) Standard Tables of Food Composition — にら 各形態
Last updated: 2026-04-28. Ingredient entries are reviewed at least annually against current regulatory listings.