Food · Fermented foods

Shirauo (Japanese Icefish)

しらうお (Shirauo)

Also known as: Shirauo, Japanese icefish, Salangichthys microdon, 白魚

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At a glance

Category	Food
Japanese labeling name	しらうお
Common Japanese notations	しらうお, 白魚, シラウオ
Origin	Japanese icefish (Salangichthys microdon); estuary fish; principal harvest regions Aomori (Ogawara-ko), Shimane (Shinji-ko); spring season
Typical functions	Premium odorigui (live wriggling) sashimi, Tempura
Regulatory status in Japan	Standard food labeling. Fish allergen recommended.

Shirauo (しらうお / 白魚) is Japanese icefish, premium spring estuary fish. Aomori Ogawara-ko and Shimane Shinji-ko heritage areas.

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Classification

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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.

Fresh shirauo (very limited spring season)

Ingredient profile

Salangichthys microdon transparent estuary fish.

OEM applications

Premium odorigui sashimi.

Tempura.

For OEM: regional foodservice.

Regulatory classification in Japan

Standard food labeling. Fish allergen recommended.

Regulatory classification in other markets

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

Market reference formulations

Example finished products will be added after verification.

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Seasonality & supply calendar

Harvest months: March – April (spawning run into rivers / lakes)
Peak supply: Mid-March – early April
Off-season: May – February (no fresh supply)

Source: 内水面漁業統計. 茨城県霞ヶ浦 and 島根県宍道湖 are primary domestic sources; very narrow 2–3 week window.

Quick answers

What is Shirauo (Japanese Icefish)?: Shirauo (しらうお / 白魚) is Japanese icefish, premium spring estuary fish. Aomori Ogawara-ko and Shimane Shinji-ko heritage areas.
What is the regulatory status of Shirauo (Japanese Icefish) in Japan?: Standard food labeling. Fish allergen recommended.
What products typically use Shirauo (Japanese Icefish)?: Fresh shirauo (very limited spring season)
Where does Shirauo (Japanese Icefish) come from?: Japanese icefish (Salangichthys microdon); estuary fish; principal harvest regions Aomori (Ogawara-ko), Shimane (Shinji-ko); spring season
What is the INCI / JSCI labeling name for Shirauo (Japanese Icefish)?: JSCI: しらうお

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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 — しらうお

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