Top Dashi Stock Brands for Umami-Rich Culinary Adventures

Dashi stock, a staple in Japanese cuisine, serves as the flavorful backbone of many traditional dishes, imparting a rich umami taste that elevates soups, broths, and sauces. With an increasing global appreciation for authentic Japanese flavors, numerous brands have emerged, offering high-quality dashi options that cater to diverse preferences, from granules to liquid concentrates. Among the top contenders in this culinary niche are brands renowned for their dedication to quality and authenticity, ensuring that both novice cooks and seasoned chefs can easily incorporate this essential ingredient into their culinary creations. Below, you'll find a curated list of the best dashi stock brands that promise to enhance your cooking experience.

Illustration of dashi stock

Best brands of dashi stock in 2025

Kikkoman

Kikkoman, a renowned brand in the food industry, is highly regarded for its high-quality dashi stock products, although it is not specifically known for dashi stock as its primary product. However, Kikkoman's expertise in soy sauce and other Japanese seasonings contributes to its strong presence in the market. In the fiscal year 2021, Kikkoman's domestic foods manufacturing and sales segment saw a 2.3% decrease in revenue to Y=148,122 million, but the company's overall business profit increased by 12.1% to Y=42,650 million. Kikkoman's products, such as its soy sauce and seasoning mixes, are popular for adding umami flavor to various dishes, similar to how dashi stock is used. The company's strong performance in the food manufacturing and sales business underscores its commitment to quality and customer satisfaction.

Ajinomoto

Ajinomoto is a renowned brand and a leading producer of dashi stock, particularly with its popular product, Hon Dashi, which is Japan's No.1 brand seafood soup stock. Made from the essence of dried bonito and other flavorings, Hon Dashi is widely used as a base for various Japanese dishes such as miso soup, noodle soups, broths, and stews. Ajinomoto's global presence, operating in 34 countries and employing over 34,615 people, underscores its commitment to quality and distribution. The company's revenue in 2023 was approximately ¥1.44 trillion JPY or $9.1 billion USD, reflecting its strong market position. With a history dating back to 1909, Ajinomoto has consistently innovated and expanded its product lines, including its dashi stock granules.

Yamaki

Yamaki, established in 1917 in Japan, is a renowned brand for producing high-quality dashi stock, celebrated for its rich and authentic flavor. As a pioneer, Yamaki was the first company to introduce bonito flakes and powder in the U.S., offering products such as the Yamaki Powdered Dashinomoto, which provides a convenient and flavorful method to create Japanese dishes in 35.2 oz or 1kg packaging. Their low-sodium options, including the Yamaki Low Sodium Udon Shiro Dashi Stock, boast 30% less sodium than regular dashi stocks. Made with ingredients like dried bonito, kelp powder, and shiitake powder, Yamaki's products ensure a deep umami taste. With a shelf life of 3–9 months when stored in a cool, dry, and dark place, Yamaki's dashi stocks are a reliable choice for aficionados of Japanese cuisine.

Shimaya

Shimaya is a renowned brand in Japan, celebrated for its high-quality dashi products, particularly its instant dashi, "Dashi-no-moto," which has been a staple since 1964. This innovative product makes home cooking easier and quicker, offering both powder and granule types that are rich in umami flavor from dried bonito. Shimaya's products are manufactured in Shunan, Yamaguchi prefecture, and are known for their natural flavor, achieved without the addition of heat during manufacturing. The dashi-no-moto contains 6.4% dried bonito powder and is free from several common allergens, making it a versatile choice for various Japanese dishes. With its easy-to-dissolve formula, Shimaya's dashi-no-moto is ideal for enhancing the flavor of soups, stews, and other culinary creations. For more details, visit their official website.

Marutomo

Marutomo Co., Ltd., founded in 1918, is a renowned Japanese company and a leading producer of high-quality dashi stock, adhering to stringent standards such as HACCP and GMP. The company has introduced products like Reduced Salt Dashi, which reduces salt content by up to 30% compared to their general products. Marutomo offers a wide range of dashi products, including liquid dashi, powdered dashi packs, and even pet food. Their dashi is made from premium ingredients like kombu and katsuobushi, ensuring rich umami flavor. With over 100 years of experience, Marutomo continues to innovate and meet customer needs.

Hondashi

HONDASHI®, a brand by Ajinomoto, is renowned for its high-quality Japanese dashi stock, made from dry bonito and offering a fragrant, rich, and delicious flavor. This product is quick and simple to use, enhancing a wide variety of Japanese dishes. Ajinomoto, the company behind HONDASHI, has a market capitalization of $21.07 billion and a price-to-earnings ratio of 34.83, reflecting its strong market presence. The company's Seasonings and Foods segment, which includes HONDASHI, contributes significantly to its overall revenue. With its long history and commitment to quality, HONDASHI remains a preferred choice for those seeking authentic Japanese dashi stock.

Nihon Shokken

Nihon Shokken Co., Ltd. is a leading Japanese food company renowned for its high-quality sauces and seasonings, including its esteemed dashi stock products. Founded in 1971, the company has established itself as Japan's largest sauce manufacturer and distributor. Nihon Shokken's commitment to quality and innovation has made its dashi stock a staple in Japanese cuisine, with the company expanding its production to include international markets, such as the U.S., where it operates a food processing plant in West Sacramento, California. Despite facing challenges like the 2008 toxic food scare, the company has maintained its reputation through rigorous quality control and innovative marketing strategies. Nihon Shokken's management philosophy, "Success in business brings people great happiness," reflects its dedication to customer satisfaction. For more detailed information, you can visit their Wikipedia page.

Riken

Riken Vitamin is a leading producer of dashi stock ingredients, particularly renowned for its scallop extract, which it began commercializing in 1976 by utilizing formerly discarded scallop broth. This innovative approach has earned Riken Vitamin the top market share in Japan for scallop extract, with the product serving as a key flavor ingredient in various dishes, including Riken Non-Oil Aojiso and Wakame Soup. The company's expertise in molecular distillation and extraction technologies has been a cornerstone of its success since 1953. Riken Vitamin's domestic food business, which includes household and commercial food segments, accounts for 64% of its consolidated net sales, with the company generating Y=88.7 billion in net sales and Y=7.1 billion in operating profit in FY2022. The company's commitment to using natural materials and innovative technologies has solidified its position as a premier producer of high-quality food ingredients. For a detailed insight into Riken Vitamin's operations, you can view their Integrated Report 2023.

Kuze Fuku & Sons

Kuze Fuku & Sons is renowned for producing high-quality, authentic dashi stock, leveraging traditional methods and natural ingredients to deliver a rich, umami flavor without MSG or artificial seasonings. Their dashi packs, made from shaved bonito, kombu, and various seafood, can be prepared in just 3-4 minutes, offering convenience without compromising on flavor. The brand, with its legacy spanning three generations, collaborates with regional food craftsmen to ensure the highest standards. Their products are free from preservatives and artificial flavorings, making them a preferred choice for those seeking authentic Japanese cuisine. The use of bonito from the equatorial region of the western Pacific Ocean adds to the unique flavor profile of their dashi. Find out more on their all about dashi page.

Hikari Miso

Hikari Miso, founded in 1936, is a leading manufacturer of high-quality, certified organic miso and dashi stock, holding the largest market share in organic miso in Japan. The company, which began producing organic miso in 1988, was the first in Japan to earn formal organic certification in 1997. Hikari Miso's Organic Miso Dashi, made with organic rice and soybeans, blends Japanese dashi stock for a robust umami flavor, containing ingredients like bonito and kelp. This product is part of their expanded certified Organic Miso line, which includes over 70 distinct products sold globally, with 14 organic miso products triple-certified by USDA, Japanese Accreditation Program, and European Union standards. Hikari Miso's commitment to traditional miso making while embracing modern consumer needs has led to its vigorous growth in English-speaking countries and beyond.