Food · Fermented foods

Tobi-uo (Flying Fish)

とびうお (Tobi-uo)

Also known as: Tobi-uo, Flying fish, Cypselurus pinnatibarbatus japonicus, 飛魚, Ago

Looking for a Japanese supplier of Tobi-uo (Flying Fish)? Tell us

At a glance

CategoryFood
Japanese labeling nameとびうお
Common Japanese notationsとびうお, 飛魚, トビウオ, アゴ
OriginFlying fish (Cypselurus pinnatibarbatus japonicus); Kyushu and southern Pacific harvest; principal landing region Nagasaki (Hirado, Goto), Kagoshima; the principal raw material for ago-dashi (premium Kyushu dashi — see ago-dashi entry)
Typical functionsAgo-iriko / yaki-ago — raw material for ago-dashi (see ago-dashi entry for the dashi product), Sashimi (regional summer specialty), Tobiko (flying fish roe — separate paired product)
Regulatory status in JapanStandard food labeling. Nagasaki Hirado/Goto regional brand for ago-dashi raw material. Fish allergen recommended.

Tobi-uo (とびうお / 飛魚) — flying fish — is the raw material for ago-dashi (premium Kyushu dashi — see separate ago-dashi entry). Nagasaki Hirado and Goto are the heritage harvest regions. Tobiko (flying fish roe) is the paired sushi product.

Classification

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

Used in (typical product categories)

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

  • Ago-iriko (boiled-dried flying fish) for dashi production
  • Yaki-ago (grilled-dried) for premium dashi
  • Tobiko sushi roe retail

What it is

Cypselurus pinnatibarbatus japonicus flying fish.

Typical uses in Japanese products

Ago-iriko/yaki-ago raw material for ago-dashi.

Tobiko sushi roe.

For OEM: ago-iriko production for dashi, tobiko production OEM.

Regulatory classification in Japan

Standard food labeling. Fish allergen recommended.

Regulatory classification in other markets

EUTobiko established global sushi roe market.
USAEstablished US tobiko sushi market.
ChinaNiche specialty.
KoreaKorea has flying fish tradition.

Example products

Example finished products will be added after verification of Nagasaki 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.

Related ingredients

References

  1. MEXT Standard Tables of Food Composition — とびうお 各形態

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

Explore more Japan-market resources

Related tools for overseas buyers, formulators, and sourcing teams.