Why source from Japan
Oita cultivation provides Japan-domestic traceability vs imported Chinese supply; FFC notifications support vitamin-D positioning.
Key spec
Vitamin D 200-400 µg/100g dry (highest of common edible mushrooms); dietary fibre 50-60% dry; iron elevated.
Typical end-product
Fresh / dried retail, vitamin-D supplements, Chinese-Japanese fusion ready meals.
At a glance
- Suppliers listed
- 1 supplier
- Typical MOQ
- 10–50 kg dried; 5–25 kg fresh
- Typical lead time
- 4–8 weeks
- Regions of origin
- Oita, Kumamoto, Tochigi
- Category
- Food ingredients
- Harvest season
- Year-round (cultivation)
- Japan regulatory status
- Food product; FFC notifications exist (vitamin D)
- Japanese name
- キクラゲ / 木耳
- Romaji
- キクラゲ / 木耳
About this ingredient
Wood ear / cloud ear mushroom (Auricularia auricula-judae). Japanese commercial cultivation centres on Oita and Kumamoto — significantly smaller scale than Chinese supply but with traceability and processing-quality differentiators. Used in Chinese-Japanese fusion (Hakata-style mizutaki, mapo dofu, salads), and increasingly as a vitamin-D-fortified supplement (kikurage carries the highest vitamin-D content of any commonly-cultivated edible mushroom). Distinct from existing mushroom entries.
Regulatory status
| Japan | Food product; FFC notifications exist (vitamin D) |
|---|---|
| EU | Food import |
| United States | GRAS; FDA Prior Notice |
| China | GACC food facility registration |
Looking for alternatives?
Common reasons buyers swap to a different ingredient — and what we'd suggest based on this ingredient's profile.
Vegan / plant-based alternatives
Kikurage (Wood Ear Mushroom) is animal-derived. If you need a non-animal source with similar functions, consider:
Sansho Pepper
山椒
Zanthoxylum piperitum source; INCI Zanthoxylum Piperitum Fruit Extract; MOQ from 1–10 kg (dried peppercorn); 100 g – 5 kg (powder).
Plant-based· shares 3 categories
Wasabi Powder
山葵粉末
Wasabia japonica (Eutrema japonicum) source; INCI Wasabia Japonica Root Powder; MOQ from 1–10 kg (powder); 100 kg+ (bulk paste).
Plant-based· shares 3 categories
Shio Koji
塩麹
MOQ from 20–100 kg.
Plant-based· shares 3 categories
Easier China regulatory path
Kikurage (Wood Ear Mushroom) faces a more restrictive regulatory pathway in China. These alternatives have a simpler status in that market:
Shiro-Koji (White Koji Mold)
白麹
Citric-acid pathway dominant (vs lactic-acid in yellow koji); essential for tropical-climate fermentation; alpha-amylase active.
Simpler in China· shares 4 categories
Yuba (Tofu Skin)
湯葉
Protein ~25% wet (50%+ dry); fat 13-18%; isoflavone elevated; gluten-free.
Simpler in China· shares 4 categories
Daikon (Japanese Radish)
大根
Vitamin C 12-15 mg/100g; isothiocyanate-derived diastase / amylase enzymes; protein 0.5-0.8%.
Simpler in China· shares 4 categories
When does it make sense to swap an ingredient? Read the swap guide →
Japanese suppliers
Kyowa Hakko Bio Co., Ltd.
協和発酵バイオ株式会社
TokyoEst. 2008English supportExport experienceGMP (pharmaceutical-grade)Vitamin-D supplement-grade kikurage
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Last updated: 2026-05-05