This Week's Uni — Murasaki in Smaller Boxes
Uni prices have moved sharply upward across the Hokkaido market this week, driven by a combination of high water temperatures and strong tidal conditions that are limiting harvest volumes. We are carrying Murasaki Uni (紫ウニ) from Hokkaido this week in smaller boxes — around 80–90g each, roughly half the standard box size — at a proportionally lower price point. This was the variety least affected by the price spike, though even here we had to increase by a few dollars from previous weeks.
The quality is unaffected by the market turbulence. What you're paying more for is scarcity, not any change in the fish. Murasaki Uni at this time of year is at or near its seasonal peak — the cold Hokkaido water keeps quality consistent through August. Reserve online; the smaller box size means quantities move quickly.
Why Uni Prices Spike — What's Actually Happening
Sea urchin harvest in Hokkaido is highly sensitive to both water temperature and tidal patterns. When surface temperatures rise above the typical range — as they are doing now across much of northern Japan — sea urchins move to deeper water where they are harder to harvest. Strong tides further limit the windows when divers can safely work. The result is a rapid supply contraction that pushes prices up across the entire market, regardless of quality tier.
This is a structural feature of wild-harvest Uni, not an anomaly. The same conditions that make Hokkaido Uni exceptional — cold, clean water fed by specific current patterns — are also the conditions that make supply unpredictable. When we carry Uni at elevated prices, it reflects the real cost of the market that week. We don't absorb spikes silently and we don't inflate margins when prices fall. If the price is higher than last week, it's because it actually was.
Bluefin Tuna — Available as Always
The Nagasaki Bluefin Tuna from Goto, Nagasaki continues weekly regardless of Uni market conditions. The summer fish carries less belly fat than winter, but the Akami is clean and strong. The supply chain for Bluefin is separate from the wild-harvest Uni market and is not affected by the same weather-driven volatility.
Ordering tip: When Uni is in a volatile price period, the smaller box format is the better entry point — you get the same quality at a lower commitment. The flavor difference between a 80g and a 150g box is zero; the difference is only how much you have.