Food · Fermented foods
Nishin (Pacific Herring)
にしん (Nishin)
Also known as: Nishin, Pacific herring, Clupea pallasii, 鰊, Mi-gaki nishin (dried), Kazunoko (herring roe — separate product)
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| Category | Food |
|---|---|
| Japanese labeling name | にしん |
| Common Japanese notations | にしん, 鰊, ニシン, 数の子, 身欠きにしん |
| Origin | Pacific herring (Clupea pallasii); historically major Hokkaido fishery, but stocks declined significantly in late 20th century; modern supply largely Russian, Canadian, USA imports; kazunoko (herring roe) paired premium product for Osechi New Year |
| Typical functions | Mi-gaki nishin (dried split herring) — Kyoto soba topping (nishin-soba) signature, Kazunoko salt-cured roe — Osechi central element, Nishin-zuke pickled retail, Smoked herring |
| Regulatory status in Japan | Standard food labeling. Imported origin (Russia, Canada, USA) disclosure essential. Fish allergen recommended. |
Nishin (にしん / 鰊) — Pacific herring (Clupea pallasii) — is principally imported from Russia, Canada, USA following Hokkaido stock decline. OEM applications: mi-gaki nishin (dried) for Kyoto nishin-soba signature, and kazunoko (salt-cured roe) for Osechi New Year cuisine.
Classification
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Product applications
Functions
Regulatory tags
Origin
Used in (typical product categories)
Finished-product categories that commonly include this ingredient in Japanese-market formulations.
- Mi-gaki nishin retail
- Kazunoko premium retail (Osechi major)
What it is
Clupea pallasii Pacific herring.
Typical uses in Japanese products
Mi-gaki nishin for Kyoto nishin-soba.
Kazunoko Osechi central.
Nishin-zuke pickled.
For OEM: mi-gaki nishin retail, kazunoko production OEM.
Regulatory classification in Japan
Standard food labeling. Imported origin disclosure. Fish allergen recommended.
Regulatory classification in other markets
| EU | Major established global herring trade. |
|---|---|
| USA | Major US Atlantic and Pacific herring industries. |
| China | Established global trade. |
| Korea | Established trade. |
Example products
Example finished products will be added after verification of origin.
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Sharing similar functions
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From the same origin
Other ingredients that share an origin classification.
References
- MEXT Standard Tables of Food Composition — にしん
Last updated: 2026-04-28. Ingredient entries are reviewed at least annually against current regulatory listings.