Chikuwa and Satsuma-age: Everyday Japanese Fish Cakes

Meet two humble favorites of the Japanese table: the bamboo-ring chikuwa and the golden fried satsuma-age, and learn how to enjoy each one.

Published October 26, 2026 at 10:50 AM JST | By Tokyo Paul

Quick answer: Chikuwa and satsuma-age are both Japanese fish cakes made from surimi, a paste of ground white fish. Chikuwa is wrapped around a stick and steamed or broiled into a hollow tube, while satsuma-age is shaped and deep-fried into golden, springy pieces. Both appear in oden, noodle soups and simple snacks, and both are easy to find in supermarkets and convenience stores.

Fish cakes are one of the most common foods in Japan, yet visitors often walk past them without knowing what they are. Pale tubes, golden patties and pink-swirled slices all sit together in the chilled aisle, and they all begin as surimi, a smooth paste of ground fish. This guide focuses on two everyday members of the family, chikuwa and satsuma-age, and explains how they differ, where they come from and how people eat them. It also covers the wider kamaboko family so the labels in a Japanese store begin to make sense.

What surimi and kamaboko actually mean

Surimi is the Japanese word for ground fish meat, and it is the base for almost every fish cake in Japan. White fish such as Alaska pollock is a common choice, although makers also use other species, including shark, flying fish and golden threadfin bream. The fish is minced, rinsed, mixed with salt and other seasonings, and kneaded into a sticky paste that turns springy once it is heated.

Kamaboko is the broad name for the whole family, and in a narrow sense it is the classic half-moon loaf. A traditional kamaboko is heaped onto a small cedar board, shaped like a dome and steamed, then sliced and served chilled with soy sauce or wasabi. Red and white kamaboko appear at New Year in osechi, the festive boxed meal, because the two colors are considered lucky.

Seen this way, chikuwa and satsuma-age are cousins rather than strangers. The paste is similar, and the difference lies in how it is shaped and cooked. Steaming, broiling, boiling and frying each give a different texture, which is why a single pot of oden can hold several kinds of fish cake that all taste distinct.

Chikuwa: the bamboo ring

Chikuwa is surimi wrapped around a bamboo or metal stick and then steamed or broiled. When the stick is slid out, a hollow tube remains with a gently browned, slightly glossy skin. The name means bamboo ring, a reference to the circle you see when you slice it crosswise.

According to Japanese food references, chikuwa was originally called kamaboko, and the name was later shortened from chikuwa kamaboko. That small piece of history shows how closely the two are related. In many households chikuwa is a pantry staple because it is inexpensive, ready to eat and a relatively low-fat source of protein.

Regional versions add variety. Wikipedia lists tofu chikuwa, made with tofu mixed into the surimi, in eastern Tottori and parts of Nagasaki. It also lists kawa-chikuwa, made from fish skin wrapped around skewers, in Yawatahama in Ehime, and ebi-chikuwa with shrimp paste in Ehime. Tottori Prefecture is reported to have the highest household consumption of chikuwa in national records, which makes it a good name to remember for fish cake fans.

Satsuma-age: the golden fried cake

Satsuma-age is surimi mixed with a little flour or starch, shaped and fried in oil until it puffs and turns golden. The result is soft and bouncy inside with a lightly savory, slightly sweet taste. It is named after Satsuma, the old domain in what is now Kagoshima Prefecture in southern Kyushu.

The usual account says the dish reached Satsuma from Okinawa, where a similar fried fish cake was known, and some sources describe a path from China through the old Ryukyu Kingdom. Histories differ on the details, so it is safest to say that it is strongly tied to Kagoshima and its coastal fishing culture. In Kagoshima it is often called tsukeage.

The names change as you travel. Tohoku and Kanto use satsuma-age, while in Kansai, western Japan and Hokkaido the same food is commonly called tempura, which can confuse visitors expecting battered vegetables and shrimp. In Uwajima in southern Ehime, a local version called jakoten is made from small local fish and has been enjoyed since the Edo period.

Flavors and shapes to look for

Satsuma-age comes in many shapes, and each one hints at what is inside. Gobouten wraps strips of burdock root in the fish paste, ikaten contains squid, takoten contains octopus and tamanegiten has onion. A type often called bakudan, meaning bomb, wraps another ingredient such as a boiled egg inside the cake.

Chikuwa has its own range of styles. Plain chikuwa is the everyday option, and the regional types described above show how makers add tofu, shrimp or fish skin to change the texture and flavor.

Other fish cakes round out the family. Narutomaki has a pink spiral and is named after the Naruto whirlpool, and it often floats in ramen. Hanpen is a soft white cake made with surimi and grated yam, then boiled, and datemaki is a sweet rolled egg and fish paste cake served at New Year. Kanikama is the crab-flavored stick that many people overseas know best.

How people eat them

Chikuwa and satsuma-age are very flexible. Both can be eaten as they are, straight from the package, which makes them a popular quick snack. Satsuma-age is often lightly grilled or warmed and served with grated ginger and soy sauce, or with mustard and soy sauce.

Both also star in simmered dishes. Oden, the winter stew of ingredients cooked in a light soy and dashi broth, is the best-known example, and fish cakes soak up the broth beautifully. They also turn up in udon, in nimono (simmered vegetable dishes), in stir-fries and in curry. Chikuwa works well in a stir-fry because it holds its shape and adds a mild savory flavor.

For a gentle first try, pick a convenience store oden counter in the cooler months and choose one chikuwa and one satsuma-age. The staff will ladle them into a cup with broth, and the contrast in texture, tube versus puffy cake, shows the difference immediately.

Where to buy and what to check

Fish cakes are sold nearly everywhere in Japan. Supermarkets stock a full chilled section, convenience stores sell snack packs and oden in season, and department store food floors carry premium versions from specialist makers. Some specialist shops in fish cake regions sell warm pieces, so a fresh, just-cooked piece can be a memorable snack where it is offered.

Because these foods are made from fish and other ingredients, anyone with allergies or dietary needs should read labels or ask the shop. Ingredients vary by maker, and wheat flour, starch, egg, soy and seasonings are all possible additions. Package labels in Japan list major allergens, but readers should confirm details for themselves rather than rely on a general description.

Fish cakes are best kept chilled and eaten by the date on the package. Chikuwa and satsuma-age can usually be warmed briefly in a pan or toaster oven to bring back their aroma, although storage guidance differs between products, so follow the instructions printed on the pack.

How fish cakes connect to other Japanese ideas

Fish cakes reflect a long Japanese habit of making seafood last. Turning fresh catch into a paste allowed communities near the coast to preserve fish and share it, and the practice grew into a family of regional specialties. That is one reason many regions have a local fish cake, often made from whatever fish is common nearby, such as the small fish used for jakoten in Uwajima.

They also connect to the idea of seasonal comfort food. Oden and nabe hot pots bring fish cakes to the center of winter dining, while chilled kamaboko is a quiet part of celebration meals. In this way, an inexpensive snack can sit beside festive dishes without any awkwardness.

Elsewhere in East Asia, the same fried fish cake appears under other names. Wikipedia notes that it is known as eomuk or odeng in Korea, and as tianbula in Taiwan, where it joined local dishes after being introduced during the era of Japanese rule. Seeing familiar food in different forms is a nice reminder of how food travels.

A short wrap-up for curious eaters

Chikuwa and satsuma-age are easy ways to taste ordinary Japanese food culture. One is a steamed or broiled tube of fish paste named for a bamboo ring, and the other is a fried cake named for Satsuma in Kagoshima. Both are affordable, widely available and friendly to first-time eaters.

Try them in oden during winter, as a snack with ginger and soy sauce, or sliced into a noodle bowl. Notice the names that change from region to region, such as tempura in Kansai and tsukeage in Kagoshima. With a few words of vocabulary, the chilled aisle of a Japanese supermarket becomes a small map of the country.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between chikuwa and satsuma-age?

Chikuwa is fish paste wrapped around a stick and steamed or broiled, leaving a hollow tube with a lightly browned skin. Satsuma-age is fish paste mixed with a little flour or starch, shaped and deep-fried until golden. Chikuwa tastes mild and chewy, while satsuma-age is softer, puffier and richer from the frying.

Can you eat chikuwa and satsuma-age without cooking them?

Yes, both are cooked during production and are sold ready to eat. Many people enjoy chikuwa straight from the pack as a snack, and satsuma-age is often eaten as it is or lightly warmed with ginger and soy sauce. Always follow the storage and use-by guidance printed on the package.

Are Japanese fish cakes safe for people with allergies?

Not necessarily. Fish cakes contain fish, and many also include wheat, starch, egg or soy, depending on the maker. Ingredients vary between products, so readers with allergies or dietary needs should check the label or ask the shop before eating, and should seek advice from a medical professional for personal concerns.

Keep Exploring

More guides from Tokyo Paul: Oden: Japan's Simmered Winter Stew, Konbini: A Traveler's Guide to Japan's Convenience Stores and Izakaya: How to Order.