Shiso Fumi Furikake Rice Seasoning

First of all, let me admit that I lived in Japan for five years. I love Japanese foods--and seasonings--and have a prejudice in FAVOR of Japanese flavors. Secondly, my husband grows shiso (also known as beefsteak leaf or perilla leaf) and I love it just as much as I love ume (pickled plum), the other main flavor in this seasoning mix. So you can tell right away that I will have a tendency to love anything Japanese that involves shiso. Kind of an unfair advantage. But I do want to clarify that--even though I am going to give this shiso flavor sprinkles a huge positive review, I can understand it might not be for everyone. One reviewer panned it, claiming that the makers made the product more salty to make up for the bitter flavor of the ume. Hardly! Sorry, but that reviewer is making things up about which he knows little. Ume is salty. And furikake is salty. Therefore, a furikake that ALSO has ume in it will be extra-salty. This one by JFC is extra-salty. You get the complex bitter-saltiness of ume and the funky-tartness of shiso--and BAM, you have an amazing seasoning. Most of the reviewers say to sprinkle it on rice. Yes, that is one good way to use it. Another is on cucumbers. The dark purple will "stain" the cukes, but it will impart the most amazing flavor. All you need is some rice vinegar and sprinkles of this and lots of cucumber slices. Serve that to your family and watch how fast that simple and original salad disappears! I keep several flavors of furikake in the cabinet at all times and this one is always in the mix.

Great seasoning, especially if you love shiso flavoring like I do!

Shiso furikake is very much an acquired taste it seems, my friends who tried some weren't very pleased with it (lol). This one has a very sour/salty flavor (without any on hand I think it's quite a bit stronger than Mishima's Yukari) with a floral aftertaste. I guess if you're not expecting it it's kind of a weird flavor for rice... but if you like it it can be addictive. It's also pretty good mixed with popcorn. For people wanting more of a straight salty flavoring I'd recommend nori types like nori tama, aji nori and if you like fish the types with bonito flakes are good as well.

I've dabbled in a little bit of Japanese cuisine at home, and this is a fun Furikake for some rice seasoning; I've mostly used it on rice balls. The only other one I've used is the nori & sesame, which is my favorite. This one has a much different flavor and is much saltier. This one will go a lot further than the nori one! It also has a nice purple color that comes out, and brightens up a bento. My daughter, who's a pretty adventurous eater, isn't crazy about this one and prefers the nori. We'll leave this one for the grown ups at our house!

I loved this! The package came earlier than expected for me, and nothing was damaged. As for the product itself, the furikake is wonderful! Its a combination of salty and sour and it is excellent on rice! The rich purple colour is lovely, and just adds to the appeal to me! Needless to say, I'll be buying this again for sure!However, a bit of a warning for those unfamiliar with the flavours of perilla or pickled plum, the salty-tartness may throw you off. Also, be careful how much you sprinkle on because too much will make everything super salty. The opening at the top is rather large, so be careful while shaking it out or else you risk pouring a handful on what you're eating!

I was really excited to find a furikake that didn’t contain soy or sesame (due to allergies), so I bought this one. When it arrived, I noticed that it had a warning on the back of the container saying that eating this product may expose me to lead and lead components. I’m including the photo here. Nowhere in the seller’s photos does it show this warning. And this item is not eligible for returns either. So I can’t get my money back. Very misleading and dangerous.

I tried Shiso for the first time in Japan earlier this year. At first, I thought it was some kind of ground tea since it has a tea-like aroma to it, but my Japanese friend explained it to me. If you are bored with rice, these little furikake shakers are an amazing and relatively cheap addition to a meal to make it better.This particular one is just plain Shiso with salt and sugar. You won't notice the sugar but you will notice the salt. The flavor and aroma, I would describe, as being a delicate black tea, but its made from a member of the mint family.If you find yourself eating a lot of rice, but kind of dread eating it (sigh, rice again...), this might make dinner time a little better.

It was used for a chex mix recipe. It worked well