Food · Fermented foods

Suizenji-nori (Aphanothece Sacrum / Kumamoto Specialty)

すいぜんじのり (Suizenji-nori)

Also known as: Suizenji-nori, Aphanothece sacrum, 水前寺海苔, Asakusa-nori (historical name)

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At a glance

CategoryFood
Japanese labeling nameすいぜんじのり
Common Japanese notationsすいぜんじのり, 水前寺海苔, スイゼンジノリ
OriginAphanothece sacrum; freshwater cyanobacterium endemic to Kumamoto Suizenji and Fukuoka Asakura Akizuki; protected indigenous species; ultra-limited production
Typical functionsUltra-premium kaiseki signature — prestige Kumamoto regional specialty, Sakuramoto-derived unique polysaccharide functional positioning
Regulatory status in JapanStandard agricultural product labeling. Endemic species protected. Ultra-limited supply. Not a designated allergen.

Suizenji-nori (すいぜんじのり / 水前寺海苔) — Aphanothece sacrum — is an ultra-rare freshwater cyanobacterium endemic to Kumamoto Suizenji and Fukuoka Asakura Akizuki areas. The OEM positioning is exclusively ultra-premium kaiseki specialty. Production is extremely limited.

Classification

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

Functions

Regulatory tags

Used in (typical product categories)

Finished-product categories that commonly include this ingredient in Japanese-market formulations.

  • Dried suizenji-nori retail (extremely limited specialty)

What it is

Aphanothece sacrum freshwater cyanobacterium, endemic Japanese species.

Typical uses in Japanese products

Ultra-premium kaiseki specialty.

For OEM: very limited specialty supply for high-end ryotei.

Regulatory classification in Japan

Standard food labeling. Endemic species protection. Not a designated allergen.

Regulatory classification in other markets

EUNot commonly traded.
USANot commonly traded.
ChinaNot commonly traded.
KoreaNot commonly traded.

Example products

Example finished products will be added after verification of regional 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.

References

  1. MEXT Standard Tables of Food Composition — すいぜんじのり

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

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