- Furikake variety
- ゆかり
Yukari
Red shiso, the acidity in the family.
Flavor profile
The strengths are editorial judgments on a scale within the family, not measurements. They can be compared across the furikake varieties, not directly against another family.
Yukari is dried red shiso leaf and salt, ground to a purple powder, and the only variety in the family that is tart rather than umami-rich. The leaves come out of the same craft as umeboshi, where red shiso is packed in with the plums to color them, and it is that salty-sour brine that lingers in the powder. The color is the whole point: a pinch turns white rice pink, which is why it shows up in lunchboxes and on rice balls.
Sensory analysis
Pyramid and character
Aroma
from the jar
- dried shiso
- tart
- herbal
Taste
on the rice
- acidity
- salt
- shiso
Finish
what lingers
- fresh
- dry
- short
Character 0-100 per axis, set relative to the other entries in the same family. An editorial judgment of a typical serving, not measurements.
Background
Facts
- Raw material
- red shiso, that is akajiso, dried and ground with salt; the ingredient list usually also includes ume vinegar and sugar
- Maker
- Mishima Shokuhin in Hiroshima, which launched the product in 1970 and gave it its name
- The name
- yukari is an old word for the color purple, and over time the name became the word Japanese speakers use for salted shiso powder in general
- Kinship
- the same red shiso that colors umeboshi; the acidity and the salt in the powder come from that treatment
- The role
- the variety you reach for when the rice should turn fresh and purple instead of salty and brown, and the only one that works in lukewarm ochazuke or noodle soup
On the food
Use
- Dosage
- a half to one teaspoon per serving; it is saltier than it looks
- Surface
- white rice, rice balls, steamed chicken, cucumber salad, or a lukewarm noodle salad
- Note
- the color only comes out when the powder meets moisture, so stir it into freshly cooked rice and let it sit for a minute under the lid if the whole bowl is to turn pink
Keep exploring
Related in the Zukan
- FurikakeFamily
- GomashioFurikake variety
- Mentaiko-furikakeFurikake variety
Evidence
Sources
- Mishima Yukari Shiso Furikake and its usage (Japanese Products) (retrieved 2026-08-12)
- Shiso (Wikipedia) (retrieved 2026-08-12)
- Furikake (Wikipedia) (retrieved 2026-08-12)