Food · Fermented foods

Wakame (Japanese Wakame Seaweed)

わかめ (Wakame)

Also known as: Wakame, Undaria pinnatifida, 若布, わかめ, Mekabu (root portion), Kuki-wakame (stem), Naruto-wakame (Tokushima GI), Sanriku-wakame

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At a glance

Category	Food
Japanese labeling name	わかめ
Common Japanese notations	わかめ, 若布, 若芽, ワカメ, 鳴門わかめ, 三陸わかめ, 茎わかめ, めかぶ
Origin	Undaria pinnatifida; principal modern domestic harvest regions Sanriku (Iwate/Miyagi — volume leader, ~70% of domestic supply), Tokushima Naruto (Naruto-wakame — GI-protected premium), Hyogo (Awaji); significant Korean and Chinese imports for cost-positioned mass-market
Typical functions	Wakame miso-shiru — universal Japanese miso-soup ingredient, Wakame salad and ohitashi, Mekabu and kuki-wakame premium retail, Kaitsuke-wakame (cut wakame for instant rehydration) — major retail, Naruto-wakame premium gift retail (Tokushima GI)
Regulatory status in Japan	Standard agricultural product labeling. Naruto-wakame (Tokushima) GI-protected. Sanriku-wakame regional brand established. Domestic vs Korean/Chinese-imported origin disclosure essential. Not a designated allergen. Note: distinct from but related to undaria-pinnatifida-extract entry (cosmetic-extract focus).

Wakame (わかめ / 若布) — Undaria pinnatifida — is one of Japan's most consumed seaweeds with extensive OEM positions: as the universal wakame miso-shiru ingredient (defining Japanese miso-soup garnish), as wakame salad and ohitashi vegetable, as mekabu (the slimy nutrient-dense root portion) premium retail, as kuki-wakame (stem) retail, as kaitsuke-wakame (cut for instant rehydration — a major convenience retail format), and as premium gift retail (Naruto-wakame Tokushima GI, Sanriku-wakame Iwate/Miyagi). Sanriku is the volume domestic production region (~70%); Naruto provides premium GI specialty; significant Korean and Chinese imports supply cost-positioned mass-market.

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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.

Salt-cured wakame retail (yu-toushi-shiozo, the volume retail format)
Cut and dried wakame (kaitsuke-wakame) — instant rehydration format
Mekabu (root portion, slimy texture, premium) retail
Kuki-wakame (stem) retail
Sanriku-wakame and Naruto-wakame premium gift retail
Awaji wakame regional specialty

Ingredient profile

Undaria pinnatifida brown seaweed. Distinct edible portions: blade (main wakame), kuki (stem), mekabu (sporophyll root portion).

Production: Sanriku (Iwate Miyagi) volume leader, Tokushima Naruto (GI), Hyogo Awaji. Korean and Chinese imports.

OEM applications

Wakame miso-shiru — universal application.

Wakame salad, ohitashi.

Mekabu — slimy texture premium retail.

Kuki-wakame stem retail.

Kaitsuke-wakame instant rehydration retail (major convenience category).

Naruto-wakame, Sanriku-wakame premium gift retail.

For OEM: salt-cured wakame retail, cut-dried convenience format, mekabu retail, kuki-wakame retail, premium GI gift retail, miso-soup ingredient supply.

Regulatory classification in Japan

Standard food labeling. Naruto-wakame Tokushima GI established. Sanriku-wakame regional brand.

Domestic vs Korean/Chinese-imported origin disclosure essential.

Distinct from undaria-pinnatifida-extract (cosmetic ingredient).

Not a designated allergen.

Regulatory classification in other markets

EU	Imported as wakame. Note: Undaria is invasive species in some EU coastal waters — regulatory awareness.
USA	Imported as wakame. Established Japanese-cuisine retail.
China	China is major wakame producer.
Korea	Korea has substantial miyeok (미역) tradition — major export industry.

Market reference formulations

Example finished products will be added after verification of origin (Sanriku / Naruto GI / Awaji / imported) and product format (salt-cured / cut-dried / mekabu / kuki).

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.

Seasonality & supply calendar

Harvest months: February – May (cultured) and March – June (wild)
Peak supply: March – April (新ワカメ peak)
Off-season: June – January (dried / salted stock supplies year-round)

Source: 農林水産省漁業センサス. Sanriku region (Miyagi #1 ~44%, Iwate #2 ~30% per 海面漁業・養殖業生産統計 R5/2023) accounts for ~70% of cultured wakame; Tokushima 鳴門 is the third major region. (Note: Iwate was #1 pre-2011 earthquake.)

Alternative ingredients

Related ingredients commonly evaluated as substitutes.

Quick answers

What is Wakame (Japanese Wakame Seaweed)?: Wakame (わかめ / 若布) — Undaria pinnatifida — is one of Japan's most consumed seaweeds with extensive OEM positions: as the universal wakame miso-shiru ingredient (defining Japanese miso-soup garnish), as wakame salad and ohitashi vegetable, as mekabu (the slimy nutrient-dense root portion) premium retail, as kuki-wakame (stem) retail, as kaitsuke-wakame (cut for instant rehydration — a major convenience retail format), and as premium gift retail (Naruto-wakame Tokushima GI, Sanriku-wakame Iwate/Miyagi). Sanriku is the volume domestic production region (~70%); Naruto provides premium GI specialty; significant Korean and Chinese imports supply cost-positioned mass-market.
What is the regulatory status of Wakame (Japanese Wakame Seaweed) in Japan?: Standard agricultural product labeling. Naruto-wakame (Tokushima) GI-protected. Sanriku-wakame regional brand established. Domestic vs Korean/Chinese-imported origin disclosure essential. Not a designated allergen. Note: distinct from but related to undaria-pinnatifida-extract entry (cosmetic-extract focus).
What products typically use Wakame (Japanese Wakame Seaweed)?: Salt-cured wakame retail (yu-toushi-shiozo, the volume retail format) / Cut and dried wakame (kaitsuke-wakame) — instant rehydration format / Mekabu (root portion, slimy texture, premium) retail / Kuki-wakame (stem) retail / Sanriku-wakame and Naruto-wakame premium gift retail / Awaji wakame regional specialty
Where does Wakame (Japanese Wakame Seaweed) come from?: Undaria pinnatifida; principal modern domestic harvest regions Sanriku (Iwate/Miyagi — volume leader, ~70% of domestic supply), Tokushima Naruto (Naruto-wakame — GI-protected premium), Hyogo (Awaji); significant Korean and Chinese imports for cost-positioned mass-market
What is the INCI / JSCI labeling name for Wakame (Japanese Wakame Seaweed)?: JSCI: わかめ

Often used with

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Same category

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Sharing similar functions

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From the same origin

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Japanese OEM factories whose published profile references this ingredient. Auto-detected from manufacturer descriptions; verify capabilities directly.

ヒロコンフーズ株式会社
広島県

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References

文部科学省 (Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology) Standard Tables of Food Composition — わかめ各形態
Tokushima Naruto-wakame GI documentation

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