Seasoned flakes nigiri

Seasoned flakes (Oboro)

【Nigiri sushi: Others】
Oboro is made by grinding shrimp, such as shiba shrimp, or white fish flesh in a mortar until finely ground, seasoning it with sugar, mirin, and salt, and then simmering it over low heat to reduce the liquid. Its color ranges from pale yellow to light pink, depending on the type and amount of shrimp used. The grains should be as fine as sand; although the texture appears loose and dry, each grain should be moist and fluffy. This is the ideal consistency.

In addition to being used in dishes such as bara-chirashi and futomaki, oboro is sometimes placed between the sushi topping and the shari in nigiri sushi. Oboro is paired with white-fleshed fish cured in kombu, vinegar-cured kohada, or haruko to balance the saltiness of the topping with a small amount of sweet oboro. Some restaurants also use sweet oboro to create nigiri sushi with a dessert-like character.

The gentle sweetness and subtle aroma of shrimp in oboro are among the distinctive flavors unique to Edomae sushi. However, because making oboro is a labor-intensive process, fewer and fewer Edomae sushi restaurants are making it in-house.

【Related contents】
What is the difference between denbu and oboro?

What is Shiba shrimp (Shiba-ebi) sushi?

List of Nimono, Gyoran and Others

(Revision date: September 15, 2026)