In Japan, six types of sea urchins are caught: “Bafun uni”, “Ezobafun uni“, “Murasaki uni”, “Kitamurasaki uni”, “Aka uni”, and “Shirahige uni. At sushi restaurants, “Bafun uni” and “Ezobafun uni” are sometimes called “Aka uni (red sea urchin),” while “Murasaki uni” and “Kitamurasaki uni” are called “Shiro uni (white sea urchin). Generally, red sea urchins are considered more expensive than white sea urchins because red sea urchins are sweeter and last longer, but recently, due to the effects of sea desertification, the place of origin has become more important than the type of sea urchin.
The “Kitamurasaki uni” is distributed north of the Tohoku region and the “Murasaki uni” south of the Tohoku region, the “Ezobafun uni” north of the Tohoku region and the “Bafun uni” south of Matsushima Bay, respectively.
The “Kitamurasaki sea urchin” is distributed north of the Tohoku region and the “Murasaki sea urchin” south of the Tohoku region, the “Ezo-bafun uni” north of the Tohoku region and the “Bafun uni” south of Matsushima Bay, respectively.
“Ezobafun uni” and “Kitamurasaki uni” are caught on Rishiri Island and Rebun Island, “Bafun uni” and “Murasaki uni” on Shakotan Peninsula, “Bafun uni” on the four northern islands (Kunashiri Island, Etorofu Island, Shikotan Island and Chimai Islands) and Sakhalin Island, “Kitamurasaki uni” on Sanriku, Hakodate, Matsumae, Esashi and Okushiri Island, and others. Aka uni is caught in Yura, Karatsu, Hagi, Iki, and Amakusa. In Kagoshima and Okinawa, the word “sea urchin” refers to the “Shirahige uni”.
The price of that sea urchin has not stopped soaring. It is said that the price of sea urchin has doubled over the past few years. Combined with the weak yen, we hear that the Toyosu market is losing out to foreign sushi restaurants and other buyers. Increasing conflicts and rising sea temperatures are probably part of the reason for this. And foreigners visiting Japan are beginning to understand the deliciousness of sea urchin, so the number of foreigners who do not eat sea urchin is decreasing. The situation is such that the price of sea urchin is rising more and more.
We have made a list of sea urchin producers as far as we know. We honestly do not know how we should utilize this information, but we hope it will be useful.
Higashizawa Suisan (東沢水産)
143-1 Wakumoto, Chonai-cho, Kamiiso gun, Hokkaido 〒049-1104
+81-11392-5-5237
Types：Kitamurasaki uni
Hadate Suisan (羽立水産)
2-19-1 Sunahara, Mori-machi, Kayabe-gun, Hokkaido 〒049-2222
+81-1374-8-3355
Types：Kitamurasaki uni
Tachibana Suisan (橘水産 まるひろの生ウニ)
238-6 Aza-Osaki, Kaminokuni-cho, Hiyama-gun, Hokkaido 〒049-0603
+81-139-55-3555
Types：Kitamurasaki uni
Daisen Komamine Kaisan (ダイセン駒嶺海産)
142-1, Aza Furugamatanihei, Oaza Hebaura, Kazamaura Village, Shimokita-gun, Aomori Prefecture 〒039-4503
+81-175-35-2628
Types：Kitamurasaki uni
Kaneyo Ouyo Suisan (カネヨ鴎洋水産)
〒087-0025北海道根室市西浜町9-40
0153-24-5188
Kaneyo Ouyo Suisan
Ichikawa Hokkai Suisan (イチカワ北海食品)
2-14-6 Toyosato, Chitose-shi, Hokkaido 〒066-0022
+81-123-22-8014
Ichikawa Hokkai Suisan
Types：Ezo-bafun uni、Kitamurasaki uni
Marukuni Suisan (銀次郎 マルクニ水産)
12-3 Mangoku, Ishinomaki City, Miyagi Prefecture 〒986-2115
+81-225-97-5011
Marukuni Suisan
Okumura Suisan (マルタツ 奥村水産)
13-1 Hoka, Nemuro City, Hokkaido 〒087-0037
+81-153-27-1309
Types：Ensui uni
Ogawa foods (丸雅 小川フーズ)
1-778-8 Shinko, Ishikari City, Hokkaido 〒061-3241
+81-133-77-5208
Kimura Suisan (カネキ 木村水産)
1-129 Shinkawa-higashi, Hamanaka-cho, Atsukishi-gun, Hokkaido 〒088-1527
+81-153-62-3211
Kimura Suisan
Types：Ezo-bafun uni
Akiyama Suisan (マルケイ 秋山水産)
3-17, Wangetsu-cho, Atsukishi-cho, Atsukishi-gun, Hokkaido 〒088-1100
+81-153-52-3808
Takahashi Shoten (マルタカ髙橋商店)
2-13-2 Kiyotaka-cho, Nemuro City, Hokkaido 〒087-0025
+81-153-27-1066
Takahashi Shoten
Types：Nemuro・Northern territories（Murasaki uni、Ezo-bafun uni）
Konishi Shoten (丸幸 小西商店)
12-6 Aza Showa-machi, Oaza-Shiraganicho, Hachinohe City, Aomori Prefecture 〒031-0822
+81-178-33-7632
Konishi Shoten
Ogawa shoten (小川商店)
89-5 Aza-Irie, Toyako Town, Abuta-gun, Hokkaido 〒049-5603
+81-142-76-2323
Ogawa shoten
Types：Kitamurasaki uni、Bafun uni
Kawakatsu uni kakou (川勝うに加工)
1-21 Yura, Sumoto City, Hyogo Prefecture 〒656-2541
+81-90-3673-7307
Types：Murasaki uni、Aka uni
Hirakawa Suisan (マルキ 平川水産)
484 Biwase, Hamanaka-cho, Atsukishi-gun, Hokkaido 〒088-1532
+81-153-62-3556
Hirakawa Suisan
種類：Farmed Bafun uni
Taisho Bussan (泰匠物産)
125-4 Hoka, Nemuro City, Hokkaido 〒087-0037
+81-9050-70-8334
Types：Ensui uni
Marukyo Akatsuki (マルキョウ あかつき水産)
123 Hanasaki Port, Nemuro City, Hokkaido 〒087-0032
+81-153-23-3453
Types：Northern territories
柊流海産 生ウニ
8-10-5 Nishihama-cho, Nemuro City, Hokkaido 〒087-0025
+81-153-22-2033
種類：Northern territories
Marukyo Suisan (丸恭水産)
1-3-6 Shiomi-cho, Tomakomai City, Hokkaido 〒053-0012
+81-144-36-6644
Marukyo Suisan
Marukawa Kawamura Suisan (マルカワ 川村水産)
13-3 Hoka, Nemuro City, Hokkaido 〒087-0037
+81-153-27-1300
Marukawa Kawamura Suisan
Kananese Setoshoten (株式会社かねせ 瀨戸商店)
8-123 Nishihama-cho, Nemuro City, Hokkaido 〒087-0025
+81-153-22-3501
Kananese Setoshoten
Types：Ezo-bafun uni, Ensui uni
Maruei Masaki Suisan (マルエイ正木水産)
68 Hanasaki Port, Nemuro City, Hokkaido 〒087-0032
+81-153-25-8131
Types：Northern territories
Fukushi Suisan (福士水産)
28, Notsuka, Rishirifuji-machi, Rishiri-gun, Hokkaido 〒097-0101
+81-163-82-1161
Kyoeibukai (共栄部会)
Aza Aonae, Okushiri-cho, Okushiri-gun, Hokkaido 〒043-1521
+81-1397-3-2215
Hakodate Fisheries Cooperative Association (函館市漁協共同組合)
16-7 Irifune-cho, Hakodate, Hokkaido, Japan 〒040-0057
+81-138-22-4673
Basically, even if you contact us, we are not sure if you can deal with us directly. As far as we know, for example, you would have to buy from an Intermediate wholesaler at the Toyosu market. And the ones with images are the Ita-uni (basic means of distribution are two types: on a plate and in salt water) that you often see at sushi restaurants.
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We hope this information will be helpful.
Revision date: June 28, 2024
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