Uni sea urchins are esteemed worldwide for their briny umami and creamy sweetness. Remnants of uni shells have been unearthed in ancient shell middens in Japan, suggesting they were consumed here as long as 5,000 years ago. Over one hundred species of uni (pronounced oo-nee) live in the seas surrounding Japan, but only about five species are consumed here, each of which is unique in size, color and taste. Uni are harvested throughout the year, primarily in the Hokkaido and Tohoku regions, but they are most flavorful during spring and summer.

Rich in essential fatty acids, fresh uni are premium ingredients in sushi and seafood rice bowls, but they are also cooked with rice and made into sauces for pasta. One well-known local delicacy from Aomori Prefecture in the Tohoku region is ichigoni soup, consisting of uni and abalone in a milky seafood broth. Ichigoni, which means “simmered strawberry,” is a poetic reference to plump uni in the soup which evokes the image of wild strawberries (ichigo) in the morning mist.