Noboribetsu City (Hokkaido) is the local government you donate to for this thank-you gift under furusato nozei (hometown tax donation program), and the listing names it as the place of processing. The listing says the sea urchin itself is from the four northern islands (Hoppo Yonto) or Sakhalin (Karafuto) (Russia, Sea of Okhotsk). The thank-you gift covered here, “Gokujo Fresh Uni, Ezo Bafun Uni, Packed” (極上 生うに エゾバフンウニ パック詰), is chilled fresh uni (sea urchin): Ezo bafun uni packed in 100g packs, and you choose the amount from 6 options between 50g and 500g when you apply. We organized what the Rakuten listing and reviews state into five points: contents, shelf life, ingredient labeling, suitability as a gift, and reviews. The features we could confirm on the listing are three: an amount you can choose from 50g to 500g, delivery chilled for eating raw, and applying by choosing a shipping period.
At a Glance
Key points
- You can choose from 6 amounts: 50g, 100g, 200g, 300g, 400g and 500g. From 100g up, it comes in 100g packs (loosely packed), and the listing says 500g arrives as 5 packs of 100g
- Fresh uni delivered chilled. The name field says fresh uni (for raw consumption), and the listing gives a use-by date of 8 days including the shipping date and storage at 10°C or below
- Rated 4.56 on Rakuten (664 reviews). Viewed November 7, 2026. 502 are ★5 and 30 are ★1
- You apply by choosing a shipping period. The listing describes 4 periods, but as of November 7, 2026, only C (late January to late March) could be chosen
Watch out for
- The sea urchin is from the four northern islands or Sakhalin (Russia, Sea of Okhotsk), and Noboribetsu City is the place of processing. The ingredients are Ezo bafun uni and alum (myoban)
- The listing says nothing is shipped from December to mid-January, and as of November 7, 2026, the shipping period you can choose is late January to late March. The listing also says a delivery date and time cannot be specified, and that it cannot be delivered to Okinawa or remote islands
Suits: People who want to receive chilled uni for raw consumption, in amounts of 100g units, between late January and late March
The features come from the Rakuten Furusato Nozei listing (viewed November 7, 2026). The rating is Rakuten’s display (viewed November 7, 2026) and does not necessarily represent the current condition of the product.
Basic Information
- Product name
- Gokujo Fresh Uni, Ezo Bafun Uni, Packed (極上 生うに エゾバフンウニ パック詰)
- Donation recipient / provider
- Noboribetsu City, Hokkaido (Rakuten Furusato Nozei) / Provider: マルヒラ渡邊水産株式会社
- Amount
- 50g / 100g / 200g / 300g / 400g / 500g
- Per pack
- 100g (200g and above come as 2 to 5 packs of 100g, loosely packed)
- Raw-material origin
- The four northern islands or Sakhalin (Russia, Sea of Okhotsk) / Place of processing: Noboribetsu City
- Shipping period you can choose
- C: late January to late March (the only option as of November 7, 2026)
- Storage
- Chilled (10°C or below). The listing gives a use-by date of 8 days including the shipping date
- Allergen labeling
- Not confirmed
- Donation amount
- Changes with the amount you choose. Check the listing
- Shipping
- Chilled delivery. Delivery date and time cannot be specified; no delivery to Okinawa or remote islands
- Noshi / gifting
- No mention of noshi (gift wrapping label), wrapping or a message card. The provider describes this item as for home use
This list transcribes what is stated on the listing. However, the “not confirmed” labels and any notes we add are our own.
On ingredients and allergen labeling: we could not find any allergen labeling on the listing. If you have allergies, be sure to ask the provider before you apply for the donation, or check the label on the gift when it arrives (reference: Consumer Affairs Agency, Japan, “About Allergen Labeling”, viewed November 7, 2026).
See the transcribed details, sources and “not confirmed” items (17 items)
This list transcribes what is stated on the listing. However, the “not confirmed” labels and any notes we add are our own.
- Product name
- Gokujo Fresh Uni, Ezo Bafun Uni, Packed (Noboribetsu City, Hokkaido; furusato nozei)The product name shown on the Rakuten listing is a long string of search keywords. Only the product-name part is shown here.
- Type of food
- Fresh uni (for raw consumption)Source: the name field in the product description on the listing (viewed November 7, 2026)
- Amount
- 50g / 100g (1 pack of 100g) / 200g (2 packs of 100g) / 300g (3 packs of 100g) / 400g (4 packs of 100g) / 500g (5 packs of 100g), described as loosely packed. The number of packs for 50g is not confirmed. The listing says moisture drains over time, so the weight on arrival (net weight) may be somewhat less. The number of servings is not stated; an image on the listing shows the provider’s rough guide that 100g of uni makes about 3 seafood rice bowlsSource: product description and images on the listing (viewed November 7, 2026)
- What you can choose
- Amount: 50g / 100g / 200g / 300g / 400g / 500g
Shipping period: the product description lists 4 periods, A: early June to early September, B: late October to late November, C: late January to late March, and D: early April to late May, but in the options as of November 7, 2026, only C could be chosen for all 6 amounts. The listing says requests for any period other than the one you chose cannot be accommodated, even if written in the remarksSource: options and product description on the listing (viewed November 7, 2026) - Donation amount
- Differs depending on the amount you choose. The amount can change, so it is not given in this articleSource: options on the listing (viewed November 7, 2026)
- Storage method
- 10°C or belowSource: product description on the listing
- Best-before date
- The listing gives a use-by date of 8 days chilled, including the shipping date. It also says to eat it soon after arrival regardless of the use-by dateSource: product description on the listing (viewed November 7, 2026)
- Ingredients
- Ezo bafun uni, alum (myoban). In an image on the listing, the provider explains that it is made using as little alum as possibleSource: product description and images on the listing (viewed November 7, 2026)
- Raw-material origin
- Stated as from the four northern islands or Sakhalin (Russia, Sea of Okhotsk)Source: the origin field in the product description on the listing
- Place of processing
- Noboribetsu City, HokkaidoSource: the place-of-processing field in the product description on the listing
- Condition / how to eat (whether heating is required)
- The name field says fresh uni (for raw consumption), and the listing says it is delivered chilled. No guidance on eating it heated was found. The listing says the uni may break apart, melt or shift to one side because of shaking or impact during transportSource: product description on the listing (viewed November 7, 2026)
- Notes after opening
- Not confirmed (nothing found on the listing)
- Delivery
- Chilled delivery. Because the use-by date is short, the listing says it cannot be delivered to Okinawa or remote islands. It says items are shipped in order as the raw material comes in, so requests for a delivery date and time or for contact before delivery cannot be accepted. If you choose several 100g items, each is delivered separately, and the listing advises choosing 200g to 500g if you want to receive it all at onceSource: product description on the listing (about delivery)
- Shipping time
- The listing says a notice email is sent when your chosen shipping period begins, and items are shipped in order. It says nothing is shipped from late August to the end of September, or from December to mid-January over the year-end and New Year holidays. It also says that, because the uni is wild, shipping may be delayed by poor catches and other causes. Applications may close once stock runs outSource: product description on the listing (viewed November 7, 2026)
- Noshi / gifting
- No mention of noshi (gift wrapping label), wrapping or a message card could be found. An image on the listing describes this packed item as “for home use” and the same provider’s wooden-box thank-you gift as for gifts. The listing also describes an after-delivery guarantee that sends a replacement if there was a problem during delivery, giving as examples of cases for replacement uni that has shifted to one side, or that has partly melted so the pieces have lost their shapeSource: product information and images on the listing (viewed November 7, 2026)
- Manufacturer
- マルヒラ渡辺水産株式会社 (Noboribetsu City, Hokkaido). The provider field gives マルヒラ渡邊水産株式会社Source: product description on the listing
- Shop
- Noboribetsu City, Hokkaido (Rakuten Furusato Nozei)
Donation amounts differ by portal and by the size you choose, and may change. Please check the current donation amount and availability at the link above.
What Public Reviews Say
We organized Rakuten Ichiba product reviews by viewpoint. The rating figures are as of the time of viewing and may change afterward. The following are trends within what we read, and may not reflect the product’s current condition.
| Site | Rating | Reviews | Date viewed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rakuten Customer Reviews (product page) | 4.56 / 5 | 664 reviews | November 7, 2026 |
Rating breakdown: 5★ 502 / 4★ 103 / 3★ 18 / 2★ 11 / 1★ 30 (as shown on Rakuten Ichiba, viewed November 7, 2026)
What we read: the first 60 reviews in Rakuten’s default order (posted November 2025 to November 2026; latest November 2026), all 30 ★1 reviews (posted December 2022 to October 2026) and all 11 ★2 reviews (posted November 2024 to July 2026), 101 in total. These are trends within what we read and may not reflect the product’s current condition.
The counts below are approximate figures from our reading of the text, and do not include posts that were only about delivery or the shop’s handling.
What Reviewers Praise
Strong sweetness, rich flavor (about 24 of the 60)
About 24 of the 60 reviews in the default order said it was very sweet or rich.
No noticeable odor or bitterness (about 9)
About 9 of the 60 reviews in the default order said they noticed no fishy odor or bitterness. One review said the writer is sensitive to smells but did not mind it.
Neat appearance, pieces kept their shape (about 8)
About 8 of the 60 reviews in the default order said the pieces were firm or had not lost their shape.
Careful packing (about 5)
About 5 of the 60 reviews in the default order said it was neatly packed.
Source: Rakuten Customer Reviews (viewed November 7, 2026)
What Reviewers Note
Long wait or not delivered (about 15 of the 41 ★1 and ★2 reviews)
About 15 of the 41 ★1 and ★2 reviews said it took a long time to arrive after applying, that it did not arrive in the chosen period, or that they were dissatisfied with how inquiries were handled. On the other hand, about 8 of the 60 reviews in the default order gave a high rating while mentioning that they had waited, or waited about half a year.
How to check: the shipping period you can choose, the periods when nothing is shipped, and the note that poor catches can cause delays are summarized in the “What you can choose” and “Shipping time” rows of “Basic Information” in this article.
Fishy odor, bitterness, or a chemical-like taste (about 12)
About 12 of the 41 ★1 and ★2 reviews said they noticed a fishy odor or bitterness, or a chemical-like taste. In the default order, there is also a ★4 review that said the writer noticed the taste of alum.
How to check: the ingredients (Ezo bafun uni, alum) and the use-by date are in the “Ingredients” and “Best-before date” rows of “Basic Information” in this article.
The origin was Russia (3 of the 30 ★1 reviews)
3 of the 30 ★1 reviews said, in effect, that they applied thinking it was uni from Noboribetsu City, but the origin was Russia.
How to check: the raw-material origin and the place of processing are in the short list of “Basic Information” and in the “Raw-material origin” and “Place of processing” rows in this article.
Source: Rakuten Customer Reviews (viewed November 7, 2026)
Summary: Is This Thank-You Gift the One for You?
Why choose it: You want chilled Ezo bafun uni for raw consumption, choosing the amount from 50g to 500g, and receiving it between late January and late March is fine. If those two are your conditions, this thank-you gift meets them (weak point: the sea urchin is from the four northern islands or Sakhalin 〈Russia〉, and Noboribetsu City is the place of processing).
- Rakuten’s rating is 4.56 / 5 (664 reviews). Among the 60 reviews we read in the default order, about 24 mentioned strong sweetness or rich flavor
- The listing advises choosing 200g to 500g if you want to receive it all at once, and gives a use-by date of 8 days including the shipping date
Other options: For a gift, a candidate is the same provider’s fresh uni in a wooden box (chilled; 8 days including the shipping date), which the provider describes on the listing as for gifts.
The basis for this section is the Rakuten Furusato Nozei listing and Rakuten Customer Reviews (viewed November 7, 2026). These are trends in the reviews we read and may not reflect the product’s current condition.
The page of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications explains that if you file a final tax return, the income tax portion is deducted from that year’s income tax and the resident tax portion from the following fiscal year’s resident tax, and that if you apply for the One-Stop Special Exception (wansutoppu tokurei), the full deduction is applied to the following fiscal year’s resident tax (source: Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, “How Furusato Nozei Works: About Tax Deductions”, viewed November 7, 2026). The deduction amount and procedures differ from person to person, so please check with the Ministry, your local government, or the tax office.
Donation amounts, availability, and shipping times change. This article’s information-as-of date is November 7, 2026. Please be sure to check the listing at the link before you donate.
This article contains affiliate links (advertising). Editorial Policy
This article summarizes information published on furusato nozei listings and review sites. Thank-you gift information such as amount, storage method and ingredients may change. Please check the 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: November 7, 2026 / Sources: Rakuten Furusato Nozei “北海道登別市” (Noboribetsu City, Hokkaido) listing, Rakuten Customer Reviews, Consumer Affairs Agency, Japan “About Allergen Labeling”, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications “How Furusato Nozei Works: About Tax Deductions”
