When I first came to Japan, attempting to read food labels and understand what things were and what was IN what I was buying and eating was a huge obstacle. I could read hiragana, katakana and some kanji, but the majority of the food labels were confusing and I spent extensive amounts of time at the supermarket, smartphone in hand with a Japanese-English dictionary open, trying to decipher ingredients and information. I'd also use the smartphone app, ShinKanji, to search for various kanji and words I couldn't read.
The work paid off, and though now I can't read every single Japanese word without consulting a J-E dictionary or looking up certain kanji, I can usually quickly scan most labels to find what I want to know.
A guide to reading food labels in Japan is also one of the most popular post topic requests I've received. It's something most of us struggle with when we first arrive, and I'd imagine even some of those who are fluent may not have known every word or kanji at first. Deciphering Japanese food labels, the entirety of them anyway, isn't particularly easy, but I've attempted to break them down for you here. Note that I have not covered various ingredients aside from common allergens, as that's something to cover in a separate post (or more than one). This one is already long!
I should note that food labels in Japan aren't always consistent, as you'll see below, and although, for example, you'll usually see information about the total calories, protein, fat, carbohydrates and similar main nutrients, you won't always see much about other minerals or vitamins (though things like fortified cereals, breads, etc., often list these).
I've also tried to include a variety of words you'll see, but some terms/phrases are worded slightly different, although the meaning is generally the same, e.g., "่ณๅณๆ้" and "ๆถ่ฒปๆ้" both mean "best before; best eaten by" or the expiration date.
Also note that throughout the post I have not broken down kanji and words as I normally do - instead, the vocabulary charts break them down, so please reference the charts for a breakdown. (You can also use the "find" feature on your browser and copy/paste a word you want to see in the chart to find it quickly.)
So let's get on with it: how do you read food labels in Japan?
Click any of the links below to go to that section. After each section is a "back to top" link.
Japanese Food Label Vocabulary Chart
Japanese Nutritional Information Vocabulary Chart
How to Understand the Nutritional Information List on a Food Label
How to Understand the Rest of the Food Label
How to Read Food Labels on Imported Goods
Meat and Seafood Labels
Fruit and Vegetable Labels
Allergy Information on Food Labels
Japanese Food Label Vocabulary Chart
| Kanji | Hiragana | Romaji | English | Where/how you'll see it |
| ็จฎ้กๅฅๅ็งฐ | ใใ ใใในใคใใใใใ | shuruibetsumeishou | (item/type of product) name | At the beginning of a label |
| ๅ็งฐ | ใใใใใ | meishou | (item/type of product) name | Same as above. |
| ็จฎ้กๅฅ | ใใ ใใในใค | shuruibetsu | classification | - |
| ็จฎ้ก | ใใ ใใ | shurui | type/category | ็จฎ้ก + ๅฅ or "็จฎ้กๅฅ" to mean "classification" |
| ๅๅๅ | ใใใใฒใใใ | shouhinmei | product name | Usually at the top/beginning of a label |
| ๅๅ | ใฒใใใ | hinmei | product name | Same as above. |
| ๅๅ | ใใใใฒใ | shouhin | goods | ๅๅ + ๅ or "ๅๅๅ" to mean goods/brand name |
| ๅๆๆๅ | ใใใใใใใใใ | genzairyoumei | "raw materials" or ingredients | Somewhere right after "ๅ็งฐ" or "็จฎ้กๅฅ" |
| ๅ ๅฎน้ | ใชใใใใใใ | naiyouryou | quantity | Under ๅๆๆๅ, but sometimes elsewhere |
| ๅ ๅฎน | ใชใใใ | naiyou | contents/ substance | ๅ
ๅฎน้ or the quantity of that item |
| ้ | ใใใ | ryou | quantity | ๅ
ๅฎน้ or the quantity of that item |
| ่ณๅณๆ้ | ใใใใฟใใใ | shoumikigen | best eaten by/expiration date | Usually a date is listed, but sometimes they might say "on the side of the box" or something like that in Japanese |
| ๆถ่ฒปๆ้ | ใใใใฒใใใ | shouhikigen | best before/consume by/expiration date | Same as above |
| ไฟๅญๆนๆณ | ใปใใใปใใปใ | hozonhouhou | how to store (after opening) | Listed after the above information. |
| ไฟๅญ | ใปใใ | hozon | preservation | ไฟๅญๆนๆณ or "preservation method" |
| ๆนๆณ | ใปใใปใ | houhou | method | ไฟๅญๆนๆณ or "preservation method" |
| ไธป่ฆๆ ้คๆๅ | ใใ ใใใใใใใใใถใ | shuyoueiyouseibun | (main) nutritional information | Listed at the top of the nutritional information section |
| ๆ ้คๆๅ | ใใใใใใใถใ | eiyouseibun | nutritional information | Same as above |
| ๆ ้คๆๅ่กจ็คบ | ใใใใใใใถใใฒใใใ | eiyouseibunhyouji | nutritional information list | Same as above |
| ไธป่ฆ | ใใ ใใ | shuyou | main | ไธป่ฆๆ ้คๆๅ or "nutritional value/nutrition facts" |
| ๆ ้ค | ใใใใ | eiyou | nutrition | ไธป่ฆๆ ้คๆๅ or ๆ ้คๆๅ "nutritional value/nutrition facts" |
| ๆๅ | ใใใถใ | seibun | ingredients | ไธป่ฆๆ ้คๆๅ or ๆ ้คๆๅ "nutritional value/nutrition facts" |
| ่กจ็คบ | ใฒใใใ | hyouji | list/chart | ๆ ้คๆๅ่กจ็คบ or "nutrition facts" |
| ็ฃๅฐ | ใใใก | sanchi | production center/growing area/origin | Used to indicate where an item is from |
| ๅ็ฃๅฝๅ | ใใใใใใใใ | gensankokumei | country of origin | This is typically listed on imported products. |
| ๅฝ็ฃ | ใใใใ | kokusan | domestically produced | This is usually listed on domestic products. |
| ็ฃ | ใใ | san | origin | On signs in the store, product labels, etc., you'll see the name of a place plus ็ฃ to indicate where the product is from. |
| ๅ ๅทฅๅนดๆๆฅ | ใใใใญใใใฃใด | kakounengappi | processed date | On seafood/meat/things that are cut/butchered |
| ้คๆฎ | ใใใใใ | youshoku | farmed | You might see this on fish/seafood |
| ่งฃๅ | ใใใจใ | kaitou | "thawed" or previously frozen | Often seen on the label for seafood/meat if it was previously frozen |
| ๅ ็ฑ็จ | ใใญใคใใ | kanetsuyou | add heat (cook before eating) | On seafood/meat |
| ๅบ่บซ็จ | ใใใฟใใ | sashimiyou | can be used for sashimi | On seafood/meat |
| ็้ฃ็จ | ใชใพใใใใใ | namashokuyou | can be eaten raw/fresh | On seafood/meat |
| ๅณไป | ใใใคใ | ajitsuke | seasoned | On seafood or meats that have been seasoned (this is easy to tell just by looking though) |
| ๅฐ้ถ | ใใฉใ | jidori | free range | On chicken |
| ๅฝใใ | ใใใ | atari | "per" or "for" | 1็ฎฑ (100g) ๅฝใใor "per 1 box (100 g)" |
| ็ฎฑ | ใฏใ | hako | box | 1็ฎฑ (100g) ๅฝใใor "per 1 box (100 g)" |
| ใใใฏ | - | pakku | pack | 1ใใใฏ (100ml) ๅฝใใor "per 1 pack (100ml)" |
| ๆฌ | ใผใปใ, ใผใผใ, ใผใฝใ | -hon, -bon, -pon | counter for long, cylindrical objects | 1ๆฌ (53g) ใใใ |
| ๅ | ใ | ko | general counter | 1็ฎฑ (100g) ๅฝใใor "per 1 box (100 g)" |
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Japanese Nutritional Information Vocabulary Chart
The following information is listed on the "nutritional information chart" or "nutrition facts." Usually mentions calories, and basic nutrients. Occasionally, various vitamins and minerals will be listed.
| Japanese | Hiragana | Romaji | English | Notes |
| ใจใใซใฎใผ | - | enerugii | food "energy" or calories | |
| ็ฑ้ | ใญใคใใใ | netsuryou | calories | |
| ใใใฑใ่ณช | ใใใฑใใใค | tanpakushitsu | protein | Can also be seen as "ใฟใณใใฏ่ณช" or "ใใ็ฝ่ณช" |
| ็ญๆฐดๅ็ฉ | ใใใใใใถใค | tansuikabutsu | carbohydrates | |
| ใใใชใฆใ | - | natoriumu | sodium | |
| ่่ณช | ใใใค | shishitsu | fat | |
| ใซใซใทใฆใ | - | karushiumu | calcium | |
| ็ณ้ก | ใจใใใ | tourui | sugar | Sugar is also "็ ็ณ," which is commonly used for sugar under the ingredients section |
| ้ | ใฆใค | tetsu | iron | |
| ไบ้ | ใใใ | aen | zinc | |
| ่้ ธ | ใใใใ | yousan | folic acid | |
| ้ฃ็ฉ็น็ถญ | ใใใใใคใใใ | shokumotsuseni | dietary fiber | The kanji for fiber can be listed other ways too. |
| ใใฟใใณ__ | bitamin | vitamin __ | Products that add vitamins such as cereal or some breads will list vitamins under the ingredients with the corresponding vitamin (such as B, C, etc.) | |
| ้ฃๅกฉ็ธๅฝ้ | ใใใใใใจใใใใใใ | shokuentousouryou | amount of table salt |
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How to understand the nutritional information list on a food label
The following is an example of some organic ketchup (or catsup, or whatever you might call it where you're from). The top row in the outlined box says "ๆ ้คๆๅ่กจ็คบ," which means "nutritional information list" but essentially can be thought of as "nutrition facts" or "nutritional information." To the right of that you can see (100gใใใ), which in this case means "per 100g." So the information and numbers listed in the chart are for every 100g (100g is the "serving size," basically).
"ใใใ" can also be listed as "ๅฝใใ" or "ๅฝใ."
Next is the total calories, which in this picture is listed as "ใจใใซใฎใผ", but can also be seen as "็ฑ้". For 100g of this ketchup, that means 89kcal, or 89 calories.
Most labels similar to this type will then list total protein (ใใ็ฝ่ณช), fat (่่ณช), carbohydrates (็ญๆฐดๅ็ฉ), and sodium (ใใใชใฆใ ), and some will list sugar, but many count sugar under the "carbohydrate" category and don't always split them so you can see how much of the carbs are sugars. It varies though. On this bottle, sugar is listed (็ณ้ก), as is lycopene (ใชใณใใณ) and the amount of table salt (้ฃๅกฉ็ธๅฝ้). Just to reiterate, you won't see these latter nutrients on every label.
Let's go over another example, shall we?
Below you'll see a small box of soy milk (individual size). The "nutrition facts" this time is "ๆ ้คๆๅ," which means "nutritional information." The amounts listed are for the entire box, which is 200ml, as it says "1ใใใฏ(200ml)ๅฝใใ."
Again we see "ใจใใซใฎใผ" for calories, and protein (ใใใฑใ่ณช), fat (่่ณช), carbohydrates (็ญๆฐดๅ็ฉ), and sodium (ใใใชใฆใ ), but there are a few more nutrients listed: calcium (ใซใซใทใฆใ ), magnesium (ใใฐใใทใฆใ ), iron (้), zinc (ไบ้), lecithin (ใฌใทใใณ), cholesterol (ใณใฌในใใญใผใซ), and isoflavones (ใคใฝใใฉใใณ).
Next, let's look at the nutritional information on a container of yogurt.
Again we see "ๆ ้คๆๅ" for the nutritional info, and (100gๅฝใใ), meaning the amounts listed are per 100g of yogurt.
This time, calories is listed as "็ฑ้" instead of "ใจใใซใฎใผ". This is followed by protein (ใใใฑใ่ณช), fat (่่ณช), carbohydrates (็ญๆฐดๅ็ฉ), sodium (ใใใชใฆใ ) and calcium (ใซใซใทใฆใ ).
On the right hand side, under ้ขไธๆๅ (ใใใใใใถใ, kanyo seibun, "included ingredients"), this particular brand lists the estimated number of the good bacteria strains (the italicized names).
Finally, let's briefly look at this granola label. I've covered the basics above, and as you can see, there are more vitamins and minerals listed. I've listed the corresponding English translation to the Japanese words directly to the left of each word (with the exception of the serving/milk info, which are the headers of the second two columns).
You'll also see that carbohydrates (็ญๆฐดๅ็ฉ) is divided into sugars (็ณ้ก) and dietary fiber (้ฃ็ฉ็น็ถญ) you won't see this all the time).
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How to Understand the Rest of the Food Label
Now that we've looked at how to read the nutritional information on food labels, let's examine another section that's included on a variety of food products, especially anything packaged.
Below, on this bottle of ginger ale, you can see the nutrition facts in the top section, similar to what we've covered above, plus the calories, protein, fat, carbohydrates and sodium information.
Underneath that is information regarding the item or product name (ๅๅ), ingredients (ๅๆๆๅ), quantity (ๅ ๅฎน้), best eaten by date (่ณๅณๆ้), how to store the product (ไฟๅญๆนๆณ), and the company/distributor info (่ฒฉๅฃฒ่ ) (all are indicated by corresponding numbers in the image).
Let's go back to our yogurt example. On the other side of the package we see more information for this particular yogurt (and information on different brands of yogurt labels varies). The info is indicated by corresponding numbers in the image below, but we can find the type of the product (็จฎ้กๅฅๅ็งฐ), the percentage of non-fat milk solids in this container (็ก่ไนณๅบๅฝขๅ), the percentage of milk fat (ไนณ่่ชๅ), the ingredients (ๅๆๆๅ), quantity (ๅ ๅฎน้), best eaten by date (่ณๅณๆ้) (this actually says it's printed on the right side of the container), and storage information (ไฟๅญๆนๆณ).
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How to Read Food Labels on Imported Goods
Let's take a look at a different kind of food label.
The following is from some imported barbecue chips. At the very top is the brand name and item name (Good Health Avocado Oil Potato Chips - Barcelona BBQ). After that, as indicated by the numbers, we have the item name (type of product) (ๅ็งฐ), the ingredients (ๅๆๆๅ), the quantity (ๅ ๅฎน้), the best eaten by information (่ณๅณๆ้), storage information (ไฟๅญๆนๆณ), country of origin (ๅ็ฃๅฝๅ), and the importer (่ผธๅ ฅ่ ).
Here's another example of an imported item: mozzarella cheese from Australia.
On the very top is the type of product (Australian mozzarella), this time labeled as "ๅๅๅ". Next is the type of item or "classification" (็จฎ้กๅฅ), which is "natural cheese." Then we see the ingredients (ๅๆๆๅ), quantity (ๅ ๅฎน้), best by (่ณๅณๆ้), how to store (ไฟๅญๆนๆณ), country of origin (ๅ็ฃๅฝๅ), and company information.
The following label is much more simple, and is again an imported product (raspberries) but we got this from our local supermarket. On top is the product name (ๅๅ), followed by the (unlabeled) quantity (ๅ ๅฎน้), the production area (็ฃๅฐ), or, where the berries are from, and storage information (ไฟๅญๆนๆณ).
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Meat and Seafood Labels
These labels vary a bit depending on the store, but in general, you'll probably see the following information, or something similar.
Below you'll see salmon, with the label items numbered and the translations of the corresponding words at the bottom of the picture (Numbers are to the left of or directly above). First is the origin, in this case it's Chile, followed by the name (number 2), which says "trout salmon for sashimi use." Sashimi use (ๅบ่บซ็จ) is one you might see on different types of seafood.
Number 3 (white on black) indicates the fish is farmed (้คๆฎ), while 4 tells us the salmon was previously frozen or "thawed" (่งฃๅ). Number 5 is the date the fish was processed (ๅ ๅทฅๅนดๆๆฅ) and 6 lets us know when we should have devoured this fish by (ๆถ่ฒปๆ้). Number 7 is the cost per 100g, 8 is the total weight (ๅ ๅฎน้), 9 is the storage information (ไฟๅญๆนๆณ) and 10 is the total price.
Not let's look at chicken. The label is pretty similar to the salmon, and it includes the standard information such as date processed (ๅ ๅทฅๅนดๆๆฅ), expiration date (ๆถ่ฒปๆ้), price per 100g, total quantity (ๅ ๅฎน้), storage information (ไฟๅญๆนๆณ) and price. The top differs slightly, and as this is a domestic product, it labels the prefecture (้ๅฒก็) plus "็ฃ." Directly to the right it says "ๅฝ็ฃ," which means it's a domestic product. Then it lists what it is (chicken breast) and also that it's a bargain product (number 3).
You might see some other words used next to the name or in the part where the black box is on meat or seafood labels (seafood in particular). A couple examples:
Must add heat or "ๅ ็ฑ็จ" (must be cooked before eating/not to be eaten raw) is in the black box in the following image.
This octopus can be used for sashimi, as indicated by "ๅบ่บซ็จ" in the black box in the upper right hand corner.
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Fruit and Vegetable Labels
Japan seems to have an obsession with plastic, as most items tend to be wrapped, and sometimes wrapped again, multiple times. When I first arrived in Japan, I put unwrapped produce in my basket as I had done in the States (I know not everyone does this, but I was used to shopping that way and not using tons of plastic). But every time I got to the register, the cashier put all the items in plastic bags anyway.
So, whether the item is packaged or not (as the items in the image below are), there will usually be information on the sign regarding the item name, where it's from, the price and sometimes other info.
The following two items, a lemon and some ginger, indicate where they are from (California, USA [ใขใกใชใซ ใซใชใใฉใซใใขๅท] and Kochi prefecture [้ซ็ฅ็], respectively) and the product names (ใฌใขใณ and ใใใใ). The lemon label also says it is additive-free (็กๆทปๅ , ใใฆใใ, mutenka) and the ginger says it's organic (ๆๆฉ, ใใใ, yuuki).
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Allergy Information on Food Labels
You might notice some allergy information on packaged items for some top food allergens: eggs, milk, wheat, soba, peanuts, shrimp and crab. It might look something like the table below (outlined in red). The circles mean that this particular item contains those allergens, which in this case is milk (ไนณ), eggs (ๅต) and wheat (ๅฐ้บฆ). The notice directly underneath it says that they also process shrimp (ใใณ) and crab (ใใซ) at that particular facility, similar to the peanut notices on items in the US.
This is another example of allergy information on a food label. The red box (outlined by me) tells us that this product (granola) contains milk (ไนณ), wheat (ๅฐ้บฆ) and soy (ๅคง่ฑ). The blue outlined box (also by me), towards the top says that the factory also process eggs (ๅต) and peanuts (่ฝ่ฑ็).
Some common food allergens in Japan (note that this doesn't include all possible allergens):
| Japanese | Romaji | English |
| ๅต (ใใพใ) | tamago | egg |
| ไนณ (ใกใก or ใซใ ใ) | chichi or nyuu | milk/dairy* |
| ๅฐ้บฆ (ใใใ) | komugi | wheat |
| ใใฐ | soba | soba (buckwheat) |
| ่ฝ่ฑ็ (ใใฃใใใ) | rakkasei | peanuts/tree nuts** |
| ใใณ | ebi | shrimp |
| ใใซ | kani | crab |
| ใใใณ | arabi | abalone |
| ใใ | ika | squid |
| ใใใ | ikura | salmon roe |
| ใชใฌใณใธ | orenji | orange |
| ใญใฆใคใใซใผใ | kiuifuruutsu | kiwi |
| ็่ (ใใ ใใซใ) | gyuuniku | beef |
| ใใใฟ | kurumi | walnuts |
| ใใ | sake | sake |
| ใใฐ | saba | mackerel |
| ๅคง่ฑ (ใ ใใ) | daizu | soy/soybean*** |
| ้ถ่ (ใใใซใ) | keiniku | chicken**** |
| ่ฑ่ (ใถใใซใ) | butaniku | pork |
| ใพใคใใ | matsutake | matsutake mushrooms |
| ใใ | momo | peach |
| ใใพใใ | yamaimo | Japanese yam |
| ใใใ | ringo | apple |
| ใผใฉใใณ | zerachin | gelatin |
| ใใใ | banana | banana |
*Dairy/cow milk is ็ไนณ (ใใ ใใซใ ใ), but by itself the "nyuu" part (also read chichi) refers to "milk," and in this context, dairy milk.
**The word "peanuts" is also commonly listed as ใใผใใใ.
***Chicken is also toriniku (้ณฅ่, ใจใใซใ).
****Soy milk is ่ฑไนณ (ใจใใซใ ใ, tounyuu).
And for those of your with food allergies such as dairy/wheat/gluten/soy, look for an upcoming guest post on that!
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As for prepared food/deli food, most of the above information should help you out, but they also typically list the time they were prepared. More on that later.
We'll continue this theme in a later post to go over ingredients and such, but as this one took me quite a long time, it won't pop up in your inbox or feed reader for a little while.
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