Sardines
Illustrated Coastal scene inspired by Tokyo (national).
Maruha Nichiro
Tokyo (national), Japan
Japan's largest seafood company, whose 月花 (Tsuki-Hana) line is the classic premium supermarket canned iwashi and whose broad lineup spans ume-ni, kabayaki, miso-ni, no-salt mizuni and rice-oil sardines.
At a glance
| Country | Japan |
|---|---|
| Region | Tokyo (national) |
| Founded | 1880 1880 Maruha roots; current company formed by 2007 merger |
| Company | Seafood conglomerate (world's largest) |
| Price | $ — budget |
| Species | Sardinops melanostictus (Japanese sardine / ma-iwashi) — very likely the species |
Notable facts
- The 月花 (Tsuki-Hana) line is the classic premium supermarket iwashi brand in Japan.
- Company data showed sardine-can production up 65% in April–July 2018 during the Hokkaido ma-iwashi catch surge, outpacing the saba-can boom.
- The iconic 月花いわし水煮 200g is marked 製造終了 (discontinued) on Maruha's own product page as of 2026, though retail stock still circulates — a marker of the current iwashi supply crunch.
Products
月花いわし水煮 (Tsuki-Hana iwashi mizuni) 200g
Water/brine (mizuni) Sardinops melanostictus
Marked 製造終了 (discontinued) on the official product page; still circulating at retail
いわし梅煮 (iwashi ume-ni) 100g
Umeboshi plum simmer Sardinops melanostictus
秘伝いわし蒲焼 (hiden iwashi kabayaki) 100g
Kabayaki glaze Sardinops melanostictus
いわしみそ煮 (iwashi miso-ni) 100g
Miso simmer Sardinops melanostictus
北海道のいわし水煮 食塩不使用 (Hokkaido iwashi mizuni, no salt)
Water-boiled, no added salt Sardinops melanostictus
北海道のいわし 梅しそ風味焼 (Hokkaido iwashi, ume-shiso grilled)
Ume-shiso flavor, grilled Sardinops melanostictus
オイルサーディン (oil sardine, rice oil)
Rice oil Sardinops melanostictus
Sources
Compiled from public reporting and the brand's own materials.
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