The hard clams (hamaguri) from マルタカ水産, 1kg with each clam 5–6cm, are labeled by the shop with the raw material origin “sorted in Japan, held (stock-farmed) in Mie Prefecture, Chinese hard clams.” The shop does not give Japan as the place of origin, and Mie Prefecture is the place the shop gives for where the clams are held (stock-farmed). The product name says “4-year” (4年もの) and about 25 clams, while the product description says “5-year” (5年もの) and about 20 clams (it can come to around 25 clams), so the shop’s labeling does not match; this article gives both. Based on the Rakuten Ichiba product page and the Rakuten customer reviews, we organized the product into five points: quantity, shelf life, ingredient labeling, suitability as a gift, and reviews.
What We Confirmed
- Quantity and a guide to how many people it serves
- Storage method and shelf life
- Ingredients and allergen labeling
- Whether it works as a gift
- Trends in public reviews
Basic Information
This table transcribes what is stated on the product page. However, the “not confirmed” labels and any notes we add are our own.
| Product Name | 蓄養はまぐり 4年もの 5cm〜6cmサイズ 蛤(ハマグリ) 1kg(25粒前後)入 (held (stock-farmed) hard clams, “4-year,” 5–6cm size, 1kg, about 25 clams). The product description, however, says “5-year” and about 20 clams, so the product name and the description do not match |
|---|---|
| Name | Held (stock-farmed) hard clams (as written in the product name). We could not find a name field in the labeling on the product page, so it is not confirmedSource: Rakuten Ichiba product page (viewed October 12, 2026) |
| Amount | 1kg. The number of clams is written as about 25 in the product name and about 20 in the product description (it can come to around 25). Each clam is 5–6cm. The page gives a guide of about 1–2 adultsSource: same as above |
| Options | There is no option field; this is the single 1kg sizeSource: same as above |
| Storage Method | Store chilled. The page says it can also be frozen (about one month as a guide, and freezing should be done while the clams are fresh). It cannot be bundled with frozen products. The page says that if frozen, the adductor muscle can break and the shell may not open even when heated, and that in that case it is fine to open the shell and eat itSource: same as above |
| Use-By Date | Stated as the day after the arrival date when chilled. The page also says to eat it soon after arrival. There is no best-before date fieldSource: same as above |
| Raw Material Origin | Sorted in Japan, held (stock-farmed) in Mie Prefecture, Chinese hard clams (the seller’s labeling). The shop does not give Japan as the place of origin. We could not find an explanation of what holding (stock-farming) means, or of the method or period, on the product page, so this is not confirmed. The seller’s labeling alone also does not tell us what the “4 years” in the product name and the “5 years” in the product description refer toSource: same as above |
| Place of Processing | Not confirmed |
| State / How to Eat (Whether Cooking Is Required) | The catchphrase says sand purging is not needed. We could not find any statement on whether it can be eaten raw or must be cooked, so this is not confirmed. We cannot say it can be eaten raw. The product description lists only headings for frequently asked questions, such as “Has the sand been purged?” and “How to grill hamaguri well”Source: same as above |
| Delivery | Yamato Transport’s Cool TA-Q-BIN (chilled). It normally ships the day after the order and arrives the day after that, or the day after that in some areas. To specify a delivery date, the page asks you to write it in the notes field as a date two or more days after the order date. It can be bundled with chilled products if they go out on the same delivery dateSource: same as above |
| Manufacturer | Not confirmed (the shop name is マルタカ水産) |
| Shop | マルタカ水産 (Rakuten Ichiba) |
Prices change, so we do not list one. Please check the link above for the latest price and stock.
Ingredients and Allergen Labeling
In what we checked, we could not find an ingredient name or allergen labeling on the product page. This item is not confirmed.
If you have an allergy, please be sure to check the label on the product when it arrives.
Reference: Consumer Affairs Agency, Japan, “About Allergen Labeling” (accessed October 12, 2026)
Five Things to Check Before Buying
| What to check | For this product | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Amount and servings | 1kg. The number of clams is about 25 in the product name and about 20 in the product description (it can come to around 25). Each clam is 5–6cm. The guide is about 1–2 adults | Product name and product description on the Rakuten Ichiba product page |
| 2. Storage method and shelf life | Store chilled. The use-by date is stated as the day after arrival when chilled. It can be frozen, but the page says the adductor muscle can break and the shell may not open | Product description on the Rakuten Ichiba product page |
| 3. Ingredients and allergen labeling | Not confirmed (not on the page). The raw material origin is labeled as sorted in Japan, held (stock-farmed) in Mie Prefecture, Chinese hard clams | Checked on the Rakuten Ichiba product page |
| 4. Whether it works as a gift | Noshi (gift wrapping label) is stated as available. The types of noshi wording and of wrapping are not confirmed. We could not find a mention of message cards | Product description and gift options display on the Rakuten Ichiba product page |
| 5. Review trends | Rated 4.72 / 5 (846 reviews) on Rakuten Ichiba. We read the first 60 in the default order (posted May 2010 to August 2026; latest August 2026), 1 filtered to 1★ (1 matching), 7 filtered to 2★ (7 matching, posted January 2012 to October 2026), and 22 filtered to 3★ (22 matching, posted May 2010 to March 2023), 90 in total. What follows are trends within what we read and may not reflect the product’s current condition. Many reviewers mention the size of the meat and how well it works in soups and sake-steamed dishes, while some mention cracked shells, clams that did not open, and uneven numbers of clams | Rakuten customer reviews (viewed October 12, 2026) |
Suitable as a Gift?
The product description says noshi (gift wrapping label) is available (viewed October 12, 2026). The gift options display on Rakuten Ichiba also shows noshi and wrapping as supported and message cards as not shown.
- Noshi: stated as available. The types of inscription (such as celebration or return gift) are not confirmed
- Wrapping: shown as supported, but whether it is a gift box, a simple gift box, or gift wrapping is not confirmed
- Message card and name printing: we could not confirm that either is supported
- Delivery date: by Yamato Transport’s Cool TA-Q-BIN; to specify a date, the page asks you to write it in the notes field as a date two or more days after the order date
Because the use-by date is stated as the day after arrival when chilled, whether the recipient can receive it on the day matters especially for this product. Among the 90 reviews we read, several said they sent it to friends or relatives living far away, or gave it as a Father’s Day or Mother’s Day gift (source: Rakuten customer reviews, viewed October 12, 2026).
What Public Reviews Say
We organized the Rakuten Ichiba product reviews by viewpoint. The rating figures are as of the time we viewed them and may change afterward. We read 90 reviews in total, and what follows are trends within what we read. They may not reflect the product’s current condition.
| Site | Rating | Reviews | Viewed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rakuten customer reviews (product page) | 4.72 / 5 | 846 | October 12, 2026 |
Rating breakdown: 5★ 647 / 4★ 169 / 3★ 22 / 2★ 7 / 1★ 1 (as shown on Rakuten Ichiba, viewed October 12, 2026)
What we read: the first 60 reviews in Rakuten’s default order (posted May 2010 to August 2026; latest August 2026), plus 1 filtered to 1★ (1 matching, posted February 2016), 7 filtered to 2★ (7 matching, posted January 2012 to October 2026), and 22 filtered to 3★ (22 matching, posted May 2010 to March 2023), 90 in total. The 60 in the default order include many posts from the 2010s. These are trends within what we read and may not reflect the product’s current condition.
What Reviewers Praise
Size and texture of the meat
About 28 of the 60 reviews in the default order mention size, and about 10 mention the texture of the meat, such as plump or springy (some overlap; about 30 mention at least one, mostly 5★ reviews. About 12 of them were posted within the last two years).
Ease of use in soups and celebratory meals
About 18 of the 60 reviews in the default order say they used it for soups or celebratory occasions, such as clear soup, ozoni (New Year’s soup), okuizome (a baby’s first-meal celebration), and Hinamatsuri (Girls’ Day) (about 8 of them within the last two years). About 11 reviews also wrote that it made a good broth.
Sake-steamed, grilled, BBQ, and repeat purchases
About 26 of the 60 reviews in the default order say they used it in grilled or steamed dishes such as sake-steamed, butter-grilled, grilled over a grate, or BBQ. About 27 reviews also say they buy it every year or buy it repeatedly (some overlap; about 12 of the repeat-purchase reviews were posted within the last two years).
Source: Rakuten customer reviews (viewed October 12, 2026)
What Reviewers Note
Cracked shells, clams that did not open, and thin meat
About 8 of the 30 reviews rated 1★ to 3★ said some shells were cracked, some clams did not open even when heated, or the meat was thin or shrunken (3 cracked, 3 did not open, and 2 about thin meat or freshness). Two were posted within the last two years (a cracked shell in April 2025 and shrunken meat in October 2026). Many are worded in a way that reads as variation between individual clams.
Sand remained
Three of the 22 reviews rated 3★ said they bit into sand or that sand remained (posted in 2011, 2021, and 2023; none within the last two years). The shop’s catchphrase says sand purging is not needed.
How to check: the shop’s statements about sand purging are summarized in the “State / How to Eat (Whether Cooking Is Required)” row of “Basic Information” in this article.
Size or number of clams different from expected
Two of the 60 reviews in the default order and 2 of the 22 reviews rated 3★ said the clams were small or the number was different from expected. The numbers received were written as ranging from 22 to 28, and two of these were posted within the last two years (March and August 2026).
How to check: the difference in the number of clams between the product name and the product description is summarized in the “Product Name” and “Amount” rows of “Basic Information” in this article.
Source: Rakuten customer reviews (viewed October 12, 2026)
Who It Suits / Who Should Be Careful
Who It Suits
- Plan to use it in soups (such as clear soup or ozoni), sake-steamed dishes, or grilled dishes (the uses mentioned most in the 90 reviews we read)
- Looking for a product labeled with a size of 5–6cm per clam
- Can cook it by the day after arrival when it comes chilled (the use-by date is stated as the day after arrival when chilled)
Who Should Be Careful
- Thinking of eating it raw (there is no statement on whether it can be eaten raw, so this is not confirmed)
- Have an allergy (the labeling is not confirmed, so check the label on the product when it arrives)
- Bothered by the mismatch in the years and number of clams (“4-year” and about 25 clams in the product name, “5-year” and about 20 clams in the product description)
- Bothered by variation between individual clams, such as cracked shells or clams that did not open (mentioned in the 90 reviews we read)
- Want to specify a delivery date for a gift (a date two or more days after the order date is written in the notes field)
Prices, stock, shipping fees, and delivery dates are subject to change. This article’s information-as-of date is October 12, 2026. Please be sure to check the listing at the link before purchasing.
This article contains affiliate links (advertising). Editorial Policy
Summary
- One size: 1kg. The product name says “4-year” and about 25 clams, while the product description says “5-year” and about 20 clams, so the labeling does not match. Store chilled; the use-by date is stated as the day after arrival when chilled
- The raw material origin is labeled by the shop as sorted in Japan, held (stock-farmed) in Mie Prefecture, Chinese hard clams. The shop does not give Japan as the place of origin. Whether it can be eaten raw, the ingredients, the allergen labeling, and the place of processing could not be confirmed on the product page, so check the label on the product when it arrives
- Rated 4.72 / 5 (846 reviews). Some reviewers mention the size of the meat and how well it works in soups and sake-steamed dishes, while others mention cracked shells, clams that did not open, and uneven numbers of clams (trends within the 90 reviews we read; they may not reflect the product’s current condition). Noshi is stated as available, but the types of noshi wording are not confirmed
Related Pages
This article organizes information published on various retail sites and review sites. Product details such as quantity, storage method, and ingredients are subject to change. Please check the seller’s listing for the latest information.
Comments on taste or quality are summarized from third-party posts cited with their source, and are not Ochinity’s own evaluation. Our approach to writing articles is described in our Editorial Policy.
Information as of: October 12, 2026 / Sources: Rakuten Ichiba “マルタカ水産” product page, Rakuten customer reviews, Consumer Affairs Agency, Japan, “About Allergen Labeling”
![Featured image. Product photo of Masuyone Echizen Amaebi without roe 500g (small size, wakeari): reddish shell-on sweet shrimp (amaebi) with heads and long antennae, piled tightly across a black bowl. Text the shop placed in the image: “訳ありでお得な［越前甘えび］をたっぷりとお届け。” (a generous helping of the good-value wakeari [Echizen amaebi]) and “［訳あり］子なし越前甘えび 500g” ([wakeari] Echizen amaebi without roe, 500g)](https://ochinity.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/eye-ebi-masu10000332-en-300x158.webp)
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