Food · Fermented foods
Wakasagi (Japanese Pond Smelt)
わかさぎ (Wakasagi)
Also known as: Wakasagi, Japanese pond smelt, Hypomesus nipponensis, 公魚, 若鷺
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| Category | Food |
|---|---|
| Japanese labeling name | わかさぎ |
| Common Japanese notations | わかさぎ, 公魚, 若鷺, ワカサギ |
| Origin | Japanese pond smelt (Hypomesus nipponensis); freshwater lake species; principal harvest regions Lake Suwa (Nagano), Lake Kawaguchi (Yamanashi), Lake Abashiri and Lake Akan (Hokkaido); winter ice-fishing tradition (the famous wakasagi-tsuri) |
| Typical functions | Wakasagi-no-karaage and wakasagi-no-tempura — defining preparations, Heritage winter ice-fishing tourism cuisine |
| Regulatory status in Japan | Standard food labeling. Lake-name origin disclosure for premium positioning. Fish allergen recommended. |
Wakasagi (わかさぎ / 公魚) — Japanese pond smelt — is a small freshwater lake fish with iconic winter ice-fishing tradition. Lake Suwa (Nagano), Kawaguchi (Yamanashi), Abashiri and Akan (Hokkaido) are heritage areas. Karaage and tempura are defining preparations.
Classification
Tags below link to other ingredients sharing the same attribute, so you can pivot from one ingredient to its peers.
Product applications
Functions
Regulatory tags
Origin
Used in (typical product categories)
Finished-product categories that commonly include this ingredient in Japanese-market formulations.
- Frozen wakasagi retail
- Pre-prepared karaage retail
What it is
Hypomesus nipponensis Japanese pond smelt.
Typical uses in Japanese products
Karaage and tempura.
Tourism heritage cuisine.
For OEM: frozen retail and karaage production.
Regulatory classification in Japan
Standard food labeling. Lake origin disclosure. Fish allergen recommended.
Regulatory classification in other markets
| EU | Niche specialty positioning. |
|---|---|
| USA | Niche specialty positioning. |
| China | Niche specialty positioning. |
| Korea | Niche specialty positioning. |
Example products
Example finished products will be added after verification of lake origin.
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Sharing similar functions
Ingredients that overlap on functional benefit tags.
From the same origin
Other ingredients that share an origin classification.
References
- MEXT Standard Tables of Food Composition — わかさぎ
Last updated: 2026-04-28. Ingredient entries are reviewed at least annually against current regulatory listings.