“Crunchy Ume Seasoned Hijiki” (カリカリ梅の実入り 味ひじき), sold by the Rakuten Ichiba shop “美味しさは元気の源【自然の館】”, is a furikake (rice seasoning) whose product name also shows “めし友 しそひじきふりかけ” (meshi-tomo shiso hijiki furikake). The product description calls it a moist, fresh-type furikake (生ふりかけ) that combines soft hijiki (a sea vegetable) with kari-kari ume (crunchy pickled Japanese plum). The page lets you choose from 90g, 250g and 250g × 2 bags, and this article centers on the [Regular] 250g. It organizes what the Rakuten Ichiba product page and reviews say into five points: amount, shelf life, ingredient labeling, suitability as a gift, and reviews. The three features we could confirm on the product page are that there are three amount options, that the ingredients include seasoned pickled ume (味付梅漬), and that it is stored at room temperature with a best-before date of about 185 days from the manufacturing date.
At a Glance
Key points
- Choose from 90g, 250g, or 250g × 2 bags (500g). The amount option field lists [Trial] 90g, [Regular] 250g and [Regular] 500g (250g × 2 bags) (this article centers on 250g)
- The ingredients include seasoned pickled ume (ume, salt, reduced starch syrup, shiso). The product page notes that the ume pieces are finely chopped, so they may be hard to see within the overall color
- Store at room temperature; the best-before date is about 185 days from the manufacturing date, according to the product page (store away from direct sunlight, high temperatures and humidity)
- Rakuten rating 4.46 (5,797 reviews). This is Rakuten Ichiba’s display, viewed November 7, 2026
Watch out for
- About 34 of the 119 reviews we read say there is little ume or the ume flavor is weak
- About 17 reviews say the taste is on the sweet side. The product name says “しそ” (shiso), but in the ingredients shiso appears only inside the seasoned pickled ume
Suits: People who want to mix it into rice for rice balls and bento lunches, and who want to choose an amount and keep it on hand
The features are from the Rakuten Ichiba product page (viewed November 7, 2026). The rating is as shown on Rakuten Ichiba (viewed November 7, 2026) and may not reflect the product’s current condition. The review counts are approximate figures within the range described in the “What Public Reviews Say” section.
Compared with 3 Similar Furikake Items
Among the 3 furikake items featured on Ochinity (as of November 7, 2026). Each value is as of the date its own article was researched and may differ from the current listing. Ratings are as shown on Rakuten; the fewer the reviews, the more easily the score moves. The table lists this article first.
| Product | Amount | Contents | Rakuten rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 自然の館 Crunchy Ume Seasoned Hijikithis article | 90g, 250g, 500g | Hijiki, seasoned pickled ume | 4.465,797 reviews |
| Furikake 5-Flavor Set, Individually Packed (マルイワ食品) — Contents & Reviews | 20g × 5 bags100g in total | Soft hijiki, sesame bonito, shibazuke, ume hijiki, scallop sesame | 4.611,396 reviews |
| Ume Chirimen Furikake with Crunchy Ume (うめ海鮮) — Contents & Reviews | 85gto 850g, 5 sizes | Crunchy ume, chirimen, krill, hijiki, wakame, sesame | 4.491,599 reviews |
Click a product name to go to its article. The ratings and dates in each row are as of each article’s information date: October 15, 2026 for Maruiwa Foods, October 13, 2026 for Ume Chirimen, and November 7, 2026 for this article.
Basic Information
- Product name
- 自然の館 Crunchy Ume Seasoned Hijiki (めし友 しそひじきふりかけ)
- Amount
- Choose from [Trial] 90g / [Regular] 250g / [Regular] 500g (250g × 2 bags) (this article centers on 250g)
- Ingredients / allergen labeling
- Uses hijiki, seasoned pickled ume and more. Labeled as containing wheat, milk, soybeans and sesame (see the detailed list below)
- Storage
- Room temperature, away from direct sunlight, high temperatures and humidity. The best-before date is stated as about 185 days from the manufacturing date
- Price
- Not listed here because prices change
- Shipping
- Stated to ship within 2 to 3 business days (excluding weekends and holidays). May be sent by Nekoposu (mailbox delivery; delivery date and time cannot be specified)
- Noshi / Gift
- The gift settings field on the Rakuten Ichiba page has no items set for noshi, wrapping or message card (the type of noshi inscription and wrapping are Not confirmed)
This list transcribes what is stated on the product page. However, the “not confirmed” labels and any notes we add are our own.
The allergen labeling is a transcription of what the product page states. If you have an allergy, please contact the shop before you order, or be sure to check the label on the product when it arrives (Reference: Consumer Affairs Agency, Japan, “About Allergen Labeling”, viewed November 7, 2026).
See the transcribed details, sources and “not confirmed” items (13 items)
This list transcribes what is stated on the product page. However, the “not confirmed” labels and any notes we add are our own.
- Product name
- 自然の館 Crunchy Ume Seasoned Hijiki (めし友 しそひじきふりかけ)The product name shown on the Rakuten Ichiba product page is a long string with many search words. Here we show only the part that names the product. The name shown on the Rakuten Ichiba page contains the word “訳あり” (wakeari, a Japanese shopping label), but the product page gives no reason for it: Not confirmed.
- Amount
- The amount option field has three choices: [Trial] 90g, [Regular] 250g and [Regular] 500g (250g × 2 bags). How many people it serves is not stated: Not confirmed. An image in the product description says the amount was changed from 100g to 90g, and that during the changeover period a product with the previous amount may arriveSource: Rakuten Ichiba product page and the image in the product description (viewed November 7, 2026)
- Options you can choose
- Amount: 90g / 250g / 500g (250g × 2 bags). You choose in the amount option fieldSource: the amount option field on the Rakuten Ichiba product page (viewed November 7, 2026)
- Ingredients / allergen labeling
- Ingredients: soy sauce (made in Japan), sugar, roasted sesame, hijiki, lactose, glucose, seasoned pickled ume (ume, salt, reduced starch syrup, shiso), edible vegetable oil, salt, yeast extract / seasoning (amino acids, etc.), acidulant, trehalose, flavoring, alcohol, vegetable pigment, vitamin B1. Labeled as containing wheat, milk, soybeans and sesame. The notes say the same factory also makes products containing buckwheat, egg, peanuts, shrimp, crab and walnuts. The notes also say the ume pieces are finely chopped, so they may be hard to see within the overall colorSource: product description on the Rakuten Ichiba product page (viewed November 7, 2026)
- Storage method
- The product page says to store at room temperature, away from direct sunlight, high temperatures and humidity. How to store it after opening is Not confirmedSource: product description on the Rakuten Ichiba product page (viewed November 7, 2026)
- Best-before date
- The product page says about 185 days from the manufacturing dateSource: product description on the Rakuten Ichiba product page (viewed November 7, 2026)
- Origin of ingredients
- We could not find it on the Rakuten Ichiba product page: Not confirmed. In the “Ingredients” (原材料・成分) field of the 90g × 2 set that the same seller lists on Amazon, the origin of the hijiki is stated as ChinaSource: Amazon product page (viewed November 7, 2026)
- Place of processing
- The processor field in the product description states 有限会社 味源 (Mannō Town, Nakatado District, Kagawa Prefecture). The place of processing for each ingredient is Not confirmedSource: product description on the Rakuten Ichiba product page (viewed November 7, 2026)
- State / how to eat (whether cooking is required)
- Suggested uses are on or mixed into rice, in rice balls, with pasta, in fried rice, in tamagoyaki (rolled omelet), and mixed with okra. We could not find any guidance on whether cooking is requiredSource: product description on the Rakuten Ichiba product page (viewed November 7, 2026)
- Delivery
- Stated to ship within 2 to 3 business days (excluding weekends and holidays). It arrives at room temperature. The shop’s notes say it may be sent by Nekoposu (mailbox delivery; delivery date and time cannot be specified)Source: Rakuten Ichiba product page and the shop’s notes (viewed November 7, 2026)
- Noshi and gifting
- The gift settings field on the Rakuten Ichiba product page has no items set for noshi, wrapping or message card. We could not find the type of noshi inscription, wrapping or a gift box, so they are Not confirmedSource: gift settings field on the Rakuten Ichiba product page (viewed November 7, 2026)
- Manufacturer
- The Rakuten Ichiba product page states 有限会社 味源 in the processor field. The Amazon product page shows the same company as the manufacturerSource: Rakuten Ichiba and Amazon product pages (viewed November 7, 2026)
- Shop
- 美味しさは元気の源【自然の館】 (seller: 有限会社 味源, Kagawa Prefecture)Source: Rakuten Ichiba shop information (viewed November 7, 2026)
Prices change, so they are not listed here. Please check the latest price and availability at the link above.
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. What follows are trends within what we read and may not reflect the product’s current condition.
| Site | Rating | Reviews | Viewed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rakuten customer reviews (product page) | 4.46 / 5 | 5,797 | November 7, 2026 |
Rating breakdown: 5★ 3,712 / 4★ 1,378 / 3★ 470 / 2★ 137 / 1★ 100 (as shown on Rakuten Ichiba, viewed November 7, 2026)
What we read: the first 60 reviews in Rakuten’s default order (posted November 2024 to October 2026; latest October 2026), 29 of the 100 reviews filtered to 1★ (posted February 2015 to March 2026) and 30 of the 137 reviews filtered to 2★ (posted October 2016 to March 2026), 119 in total. The reviews show the size option the reviewer chose, including 250g, 500g (250g × 2 bags), 90g and also the earlier 100g. These are trends within what we read and may not reflect the product’s current condition.
The counts below are approximate figures we counted by reading the text, and do not include posts that are only about delivery or shop service.
What Reviewers Praise
Mixing into rice balls and bento lunches, or sprinkling on rice (about 23 of 60)
About 23 of the 60 reviews in the default order say they mixed it into rice for rice balls or used it in the rice of a bento lunch. Some also mention sprinkling it on pasta, tofu or a bean salad (the reviewers’ descriptions).
Eaten by children and family (about 18)
About 18 of the 60 in the default order say their children like it, or that the family uses it for rice every morning. Some also write that family members who do not like ume could eat it.
Repeat purchases and keeping it on hand (about 17)
About 17 of the 60 in the default order say they buy it again and again, or make sure not to run out.
Seasoning and ease of mixing (about 10 each)
About 10 reviews say the seasoning is not too strong and is just right, and about 10 say it is moist, easy to mix, and does not clump easily (all among the 60 in the default order).
Source: Rakuten customer reviews (viewed November 7, 2026)
What Reviewers Note
Little ume, or a weak ume flavor (about 34 of 119)
Reviews saying they wished it had a little more ume number about 10 of the 60 in the default order, about 8 of the 29 at 1★ and about 16 of the 30 at 2★, about 34 in total. Some 5★ and 4★ reviews also say there is little ume.
How to check: the note that the ume pieces are finely chopped, and the seasoned pickled ume in the ingredients, are collected in the “Ingredients / allergen labeling” row under “Basic Information” in this article.
A sweet taste (about 17 of 119)
Reviews saying the taste is sweet number about 5 of the 60 in the default order, about 6 of the 29 at 1★ and about 6 of the 30 at 2★, about 17 in total.
How to check: ingredients such as sugar and glucose are collected in the “Ingredients / allergen labeling” row under “Basic Information” in this article.
Smell on opening, and sesame flavor (3)
3 of the 29 reviews at 1★ say they were bothered by the smell on opening or by the sesame flavor (posted in December 2024 and June 2025, among others).
Source: Rakuten customer reviews (viewed November 7, 2026)
Summary: Is This the One for You?
Why choose it: You want a moist furikake with hijiki and ume pieces to mix into rice balls and bento lunches, and you want to choose an amount to suit how much you use. If these two conditions apply, this product, with its choice of 90g, 250g or 250g × 2 bags, is a candidate (a weak point: about 34 of the 119 reviews we read say there is little ume).
- The Rakuten rating is 4.46 / 5 (5,797 reviews). Among the 60 in the default order that we read, many mentioned using it in rice balls and bento lunches (about 23) and being eaten by children and family (about 18)
- Store at room temperature; the best-before date is stated as about 185 days from the manufacturing date. The allergen labeling lists wheat, milk, soybeans and sesame
Other options: To try five different flavors in small bags, see Furikake 5-Flavor Set, Individually Packed (マルイワ食品) — Contents & Reviews (20g × 5 bags; values as of that article’s information date, October 15, 2026). For a furikake with chirimen (small dried sardines), see Ume Chirimen Furikake with Crunchy Ume (うめ海鮮) — Contents & Reviews (85g to 850g, 5 sizes; values as of that article’s information date, October 13, 2026).
The basis for this section is the Rakuten Ichiba product page and Rakuten customer reviews (viewed November 7, 2026). These are review trends within what we read and may not reflect the product’s current condition.
Prices, availability, shipping fees, and delivery dates change. This article’s information-as-of date is November 7, 2026. Please be sure to check the listing at the link before you buy.
This article contains affiliate links (advertising). Editorial Policy
This article organizes information published on sales sites and review sites. Product information such as amount, storage method, and ingredients may 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: November 7, 2026 / Sources: Rakuten Ichiba “美味しさは元気の源【自然の館】” product page, Amazon product page, Rakuten customer reviews, Consumer Affairs Agency, Japan, “About Allergen Labeling”
