Fish roe

A photo of kitamurasaki uni nigiri
Northern sea urchin (Kitamurasaki uni)

Northern sea urchin (Kitamurasaki uni)

【Nigiri sushi: Gyoran】
What is Kitamurasaki uni?
Kitamurasaki uni (Northern sea urchin) is distributed a little more south than Ezobafun uni and on occasion in Sagami Bay. On the Pacific side of Japan, this species inhabits the area from the Sanriku region to Hokkaido. On the Sea of Japan side, they are distributed across nearly all areas. The main production area is between Hokkaido and Toyama. Their shell is about 10 cm in diameter and larger than that of the Ezobafun uni, which lives in similar areas. Their spines are long and feel a little sparse compared to the Ezobafun uni. A thin line runs vertically along the surface of its shell. It is usually a dark purple color, but some can be slightly brownish. The spawning season is from September to January.

Kitamurasakiuni is not found east of Cape Erimo, including Tokachi, Kushiro, Nemuro, and Rausu on the right side of Shiretoko. It is caught in the vicinity of Hakodate, which faces the Tsugaru Strait and Funka Bay, Minamikayabe (famous for Makombu), and the Hidaka region (famous for Hidakakombu) on the Pacific side up to Cape Erimo.

What does Kitamurasaki uni (Northern sea urchin) nigiri sushi taste like?
Sea urchin with fine texture and ocean flavor is meltingly delicious. Creamy and sweet after taste. Unlike salmon roe, the seaweed flavor loses a bit of the delicate sweetness so there are some sushi chefs who rarely make sea urchin in a roll. It is served with a splash of nikiri and wasabi on top.

Also called Naked sea urchin.

【Temperature of vinegared rice (shari) and sushi toppings】
34~36℃/15~18℃

【Main area/season】
Okushiri Island: June to early August
Esashi, Kaminokuni, Setana: Mid-June to early August
Rishiri, Rebun Island: June to early September
Teuri, Yakijiri Island: Late June to early September
Shakotan, Otaru: Early June to late August
Funka Bay (Toyoura, Lake Toya, etc.): June to August
Hakodate vicinity (Toi, Shiriuchi, Matsumae, etc.): Winter and spring
From the Sanriku region to the Shimokita Peninsula: Summer

【Trivia】
At Mutsu city, in Aomori prefecture, they are working on the testing project of farming Kitamurasaki uni (Northern sea urchins), feeding them various cabbages (standard Cannonball Cabbage and Chinese napa cabbage and etc). Those vegetables are recycled food wastes from supermarkets. The idea is that during the winter season, the natural sea urchin becomes rare and there is barely one on the market, therefore they get those farmed sea urchins on the market instead and aim to generate a new source of income. The farmed sea urchin gets as ripe as the natural one, and those ingredients that create the acquired sea urchin flavor such as Glycine, Methionine and Amino acids are well contained.

【Famouos Manufacturers】
The four major brands of Toyosu Market "Hadate, Higashizawa, Tachibana, and Murakami" have factories in the vicinity of Hakodate. Ogawa Shouten, which produces Ezobafununi and Kitamurasakiuni, has a factory in Toyako Town on the north side of Funka Bay. Hokkaido Ichikawa, which specializes in Rishiri sea urchin, is located in Chitose City, which has an airport.

【Related contents】
What is uni sushi?

Why is it that sea urchin sushi can taste bitter?

Nori (Dried laver seaweed)

List of Nimono, Gyoran and Others

(Revision date: April 29, 2025)

Main production area

Hokkaido Aomori

Famous production area

Miyako Hakodate Rishiri Rebun

Season

Summer