Rice sprinkled with furikake. MUYO / CC BY-SA 3.0 Economic difficulties, changing tastes and the surge of tourism are restoring the popularity of a condiment with a mixed reputation in Japan ...

Furikake — the Japanese seasoning with a traditional base of sesame seeds, fish flakes, dried seaweed, and salt — started off as a means to combat malnutrition but has now reached mainstream ...

Many furikake blends include wasabi, gochujang powder, or red pepper flakes for a kick. For the fishy element, salmon or bonito flakes (made from skipjack tuna) are the go-tos -- though regional ...