This is “Honchan,” a frozen seasoned herring roe (kazunoko) product, 450g (150g × 3 bags), made with herring roe from the U.S. or Canada and sold by Echizen Kani Donya “Masuyone” (the seller is 有限会社増米商店 of Tsuruga, Fukui Prefecture). The product name carries the wording “can be eaten as is” and “no desalting needed,” but this is the shop’s labeling. Some points cannot be told from the product page alone: how many servings it makes, how to thaw it, and how long it keeps after thawing. This article organizes the product page and Rakuten reviews into five points: amount, shelf life, ingredient labeling, suitability as a gift, and reviews.
What We Confirmed
- Amount and approximate number of servings
- Storage method and shelf life
- Ingredient and allergen labeling
- Whether it’s suitable 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 | [Limited-quantity arrival! Convenient individual packs] Low-stock “honchan” kazunoko! Crunchy texture! [Honchan] ~ can be eaten as is ~ Seasoned herring roe (kazunoko) 450g (small size, 150g × 3 bags) *No desalting needed, no hassle [数の子/かずのこ/カズノコ] Oseibo (year-end gift) GiftSource: Rakuten Ichiba product page (accessed October 15, 2026). The shop’s wording is translated as written |
|---|---|
| Name | Seasoned herring roe (kazunoko)Source: Rakuten Ichiba product page, product description (contents field) |
| Amount | 450g (150g × 3 bags). We found no options for other sizes in the purchase area on Rakuten Ichiba. The page does not state the number of pieces per bag or the size of each piece. How many servings it makes is not confirmedSource: Rakuten Ichiba product page, product description (accessed October 15, 2026) |
| Storage method | Keep frozen at −18°C or belowSource: Rakuten Ichiba product page, product description |
| Best-before date | Listed as within 1 month (recommended within 1 week) when frozen, and within 3 days when chilled. The listing notes that home freezers keep a higher temperature than commercial ones, which may impair quality, and advises eating it as soon as possibleSource: Rakuten Ichiba product page, product description |
| Country of origin | Herring roe: U.S. or Canada (Pacific)Source: Rakuten Ichiba product page, product description |
| Place of processing | Described as processed at a factory in Japan. The prefecture is not confirmedSource: Rakuten Ichiba product page, product description image (accessed October 15, 2026) |
| Condition/How to eat (whether heating is needed) | The product name carries the wording “can be eaten as is” and “no desalting needed” (the shop’s labeling). The product description image advises thawing only the amount you will eat. We found no guidance on heatingSource: Rakuten Ichiba product page, product name and product description image (accessed October 15, 2026) |
| Thawing method | The listing advises thawing only the amount you will eat. A specific thawing method or time is not confirmedSource: Rakuten Ichiba product page, product description image |
| Shelf life after thawing | Not confirmedSource: no statement found in the product description on the Rakuten Ichiba product page |
| Delivery | Arrives frozen. Whether a delivery date can be specified is not confirmedSource: Rakuten Ichiba product page (accessed October 15, 2026) |
| Manufacturer | Not confirmed (the product page shows only 有限会社増米商店 (Tsuruga, Fukui Prefecture) as the seller, and no manufacturer)Source: Rakuten Ichiba product page, product description |
| Shop | Echizen Kani Donya “Masuyone” (Rakuten Ichiba) |
Prices are not listed here because they change. Please check the current price and stock availability at the link above.
Ingredients and Allergen Labeling
The ingredients are listed as herring roe (from the U.S. or Canada), soy sauce (contains wheat and soy), sugar-blended glucose-fructose syrup, reduced starch syrup, rice-fermented seasoning, seafood extract (contains mackerel), hydrolyzed vegetable protein, salt, pH adjuster, and seasoning (amino acids, etc.: derived from wheat and soy). The allergen labeling states that it contains wheat, soy, and mackerel. Within what we checked, we found no inconsistency in the labeling on the product pageSource: Rakuten Ichiba product page, product description (accessed October 15, 2026)
If you have an allergy, please ask the shop before purchasing, or check the food information label on the product when it arrives.
Reference: Consumer Affairs Agency, Japan, “About Allergen Labeling” (accessed October 15, 2026)
Five Things to Check Before Buying
| What to check | For this product | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Amount / servings | 450g (150g × 3 bags). How many servings it makes is not confirmed | Contents field of the Rakuten Ichiba product page. No guide to the number of servings was found |
| 2. Storage method and shelf life | Keep frozen at −18°C or below. Listed as within 1 month (recommended within 1 week) when frozen. The thawing method details and the shelf life after thawing are not confirmed | Product description and product description image on the Rakuten Ichiba product page |
| 3. Ingredient and allergen labeling | Labeled as containing wheat, soy, and mackerel | Product description on the Rakuten Ichiba product page |
| 4. Whether it’s suitable as a gift | Rakuten’s gift field shows that noshi (gift wrapping label) is supported. The type of noshi inscription is not confirmed. We could not confirm wrapping, message cards, or a gift box | Rakuten Ichiba product page (accessed October 15, 2026) |
| 5. Trends in reviews | (We read a total of 103 reviews: the first 59 in Rakuten’s default order (posted January 2012 to January 2026; latest January 2026), plus all 21 at 1★ and all 23 at 2★. The same review page also mixes in posts about earlier specifications, so this trend may not reflect the product’s current condition.) Rakuten Ichiba’s rating is 4.42/5 (785 reviews). Many comments praise the seasoning, the crunchy texture, and how little effort it takes, while some note that the roe is small | Rakuten customer reviews (accessed October 15, 2026) |
Suitable as a Gift?
Rakuten’s gift field shows that noshi is supported. The product name also includes “oseibo” and “gift.” On the other hand, we found no statement of the type of noshi inscription on the product page, so it is not confirmed. We could not confirm descriptions of wrapping, message cards, or a gift box (Rakuten Ichiba product page, accessed October 15, 2026).
If you’re considering this as a gift, checking the following on the product page before purchase can help avoid misunderstandings.
- Which noshi inscriptions you can choose (we could not confirm this for this product)
- Whether wrapping or a gift box is available (we could not confirm this)
- Since it arrives frozen, whether you can specify a date and time the recipient can receive it (whether a delivery date can be specified could not be confirmed)
- Whether you can tell the recipient that it is to be thawed before eating (the shop advises thawing only the amount you will eat)
Among the 103 reviews we read, 4 posts said the purchase was for oseibo. Also, 1 post from 2013 said, in essence, that the box held only bags of frozen kazunoko and did not feel suited to gift-giving. The same review page also mixes in posts about earlier specifications, so we cannot tell whether they concern the current specification. This trend may not reflect the product’s current condition (source: Rakuten customer reviews, accessed October 15, 2026).
What Public Reviews Say
We organized the Rakuten Ichiba product reviews by theme. The rating figures are as of the time we viewed them and will change afterward.
| Site | Rating | Number of reviews | Date viewed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rakuten customer reviews (product page) | 4.42 / 5 | 785 reviews | October 15, 2026 |
Rating breakdown: 5★ 498 / 4★ 185 / 3★ 58 / 2★ 23 / 1★ 21 (as shown on Rakuten Ichiba, viewed October 15, 2026)
What we read: the first 59 reviews in Rakuten’s default order (posted January 2012 to January 2026; latest January 2026), plus all 21 reviews filtered to 1★ (posted December 2012 to January 2024) and all 23 reviews filtered to 2★ (posted March 2012 to January 2026), 103 in total. The same review page also mixes in posts about earlier specifications (250g × 2 bags, 500g × 2 bags, and a 1kg large bag), so we cannot tell whether each post concerns the current 150g × 3 bag version. “Last 2 years” means posts from October 15, 2024 onward. These are trends within what we read and may not reflect the product’s current condition.
What Reviewers Praise
Little effort required
Of the first 59 reviews in the default order, 18 (6 of them from the last 2 years) said it was easy to eat, with no thin membrane to peel and no desalting. As described below, though, some posts say the thin membrane was left on.
Crunchy, snappy texture
Of those 59, 21 (3 of them from the last 2 years) mentioned the good bite or texture. They are mostly posts from 2012 to 2019.
Seasoning
Of those 59, 17 (5 of them from the last 2 years) said the seasoning is refined, with a dashi flavor, and just right.
Individual packs / small portions
Of those 59, 9 (5 of them from the last 2 years) said the small portions are easy to use. Posts about how handy the 150g × 3 bags are cluster in recent year-end seasons.
Source: Rakuten customer reviews (accessed October 15, 2026)
What Reviewers Note
Small pieces
Of the 103 reviews we read, 17 (6 of them posted in the last 2 years) mentioned that the kazunoko was small. This also stands out in year-end posts from 2024 to 2026, and one 1★ post from January 2024 says, in essence, that it had become smaller than what the reviewer bought before. On the other hand, several posts say the taste was fine even though the pieces were small.
How to check: the amount and what comes in each bag are summarized in the “Amount” row of “Basic Information” in this article.
Crumbling, soft, or declining texture
Of the 44 reviews at 1★ and 2★, 13 said it crumbles easily, is soft, or that the texture had declined. All of them are concentrated in posts from the end of 2019 to early 2020, and no post from the last 2 years raised this point.
Taste preferences
Of the 44 reviews at 1★ and 2★, 9 mentioned taste preferences, such as too sweet, salty, or bitter. Many said it was too sweet, and no post from the last 2 years raised this point.
Source: Rakuten customer reviews (accessed October 15, 2026)
Who It Suits / Who Should Be Careful
Who It Suits
- Want seasoned kazunoko without the work of desalting
- Want kazunoko divided into 3 bags, to eat bag by bag
- Have room in the freezer for 450g
Who Should Be Careful
- Have a wheat, soy, or mackerel allergy (labeled as contained in part of the ingredients)
- Care about the size of each piece (reviews say the pieces are small, including in recent year-end posts, and the product page does not state the size of each piece)
- Want to know whether it can be eaten raw (“can be eaten as is” is the shop’s labeling. 3 posts, from 2012, 2015, and 2020, say the thin membrane was left on)
- Want to know the thawing method and the shelf life after thawing before choosing (not confirmed)
Prices, stock, shipping fees, and delivery dates are subject to change. This article’s information-as-of date is October 15, 2026. Please be sure to check the listing at the link before purchasing.
This article contains affiliate links (advertising). Editorial Policy
Summary
- A frozen seasoned herring roe (kazunoko) product, 450g (150g × 3 bags). “Can be eaten as is” and “no desalting needed” in the product name are the shop’s labeling, and the shop advises thawing only the amount you will eat
- Keep at −18°C or below, with a best-before date listed as within 1 month (recommended within 1 week) when frozen. The thawing method details and the shelf life after thawing are not confirmed
- The allergen labeling lists wheat, soy, and mackerel. Reviews often praise the seasoning, texture, and low effort, while 6 posts from the last 2 years note that the pieces are small (within the 103 reviews we read, and not necessarily reflecting the product’s current condition)
Related Pages
This article organizes information publicly available on each retailer’s site. Product details such as amount, storage method, and ingredients are subject to change. Please check the seller’s own 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 15, 2026 / Sources: Rakuten Ichiba “Masuyone” product page (product description and product description images), Rakuten customer reviews, Consumer Affairs Agency, Japan, “About Allergen Labeling”
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