Octopus

たこ

A beloved Japanese seafood since ancient times; Japan accounts for a major share of global consumption. Madako is caught mainly in the Inland Sea (Hyogo, Kagawa, Fukuoka); mizudako in Hokkaido. The star of takoyaki

Taste & Texture

Firm, satisfying texture with concentrated umami. Boiling brings out bright red-purple color. Used for sashimi, sushi, takoyaki, and vinegared dishes. Inland Sea madako (Akashi, Senshu) is especially branded

Season

MONTHLY AVAILABILITY

Jun - Dec

PEAK

※ Season is based on domestic field-grown availability

How to Choose

  • Raw: suction cups grip firmly, tentacles contract tightly.

  • Boiled: bright red-purple color, resilient flesh, no dark discoloration.

How to Store

  • Boiled octopus wrapped and refrigerated: 2-3 days; frozen: about 1 month.

  • Raw: same day to 1 day refrigerated.

Shelf life 2-3 days refrigerated (boiled); about 1 month frozen

Nutrition Facts

Monthly Supply Volume

Supply Peak

Peak Month 5 4,175t
Annual Inflow 32,405 t
Inflow (t)
In season

Source: MAFF Seafood Distribution Survey (monthly cold-storage inflow) (2024). Monthly cold-storage inflow — used as a supply-signal proxy when national monthly wholesale prices are not published.

Retail Price

Price Trend

Cheapest Jul ¥462/100g
Most Expensive Mar ¥504/100g

Annual Average

¥476/100g

Source: Statistics Bureau Retail Price Survey (2026)

Top Landing Prefectures

Hokkaido61.6%
Iwate6.1%
Miyagi6.0%
Aomori3.3%
Fukuoka3.2%
Others19.8%
10%+
5%+
2%+
0.1%+
None

Map data: National Land Numerical Information (MLIT Japan)

#
Prefecture
Production (t)
Share
1
14,074
61.6%
2
1,394
6.1%
3
1,378
6.0%
4
759
3.3%
5
726
3.2%

Source: MAFF Marine Fisheries Production Statistics (wild catch) (2023)

Top 5 Prefecture Production Trends (2018-2023)

Hokkaido
Iwate
Miyagi
Aomori
Fukuoka

Consumption Ranking

National Average (annual spending per household)

¥1,141 /year
#
City
Annual Spending
1
Kobe Hyogo
¥1,675
2
Saitama Saitama
¥1,619
3
Osaka Osaka
¥1,518
4
Tokyo Tokyo
¥1,497
5
Gifu Gifu
¥1,479

Source: Statistics Bureau Family Income and Expenditure Survey (2024, two-or-more-person households, prefectural capital cities)