Wasabi is commonly found on menus in Japan and Japanese restaurants worldwide. However, if you think you've tried real wasabi, you might be surprised—most people outside Japan have only eaten its imitation. A staggering 99% of wasabi in North America is fake, and even more shocking 95% of wasabi in Japan is fake as well.
How to tell the difference between real and fake wasabi?
If you want to experience authentic wasabi, it's important to know how to distinguish it from the fake version. Here are some key differences:
Texture
Real wasabi has a fresh, slightly grainy texture because it is grated from the rhizome. Fake wasabi is smoother and often has a pasty consistency.
Flavor
Real wasabi has a complex, slightly sweet, and mild heat that quickly fades. Fake wasabi has a harsher, longer-lasting burn due to the mustard and horseradish content.
Color
Real wasabi is usually a more muted, natural green, whereas fake wasabi tends to be a bright, artificial green.
Serving Style
If the wasabi is served in a neat, pre-made paste, it is likely fake. Authentic wasabi is often grated fresh to order and served in small portions. Also, because it quickly loses potency, waiters often replenish it during your meal.
Price
Real wasabi is significantly more expensive than its imitation counterpart, often costing around $100 to $250 per pound. In contrast, processed wasabi made primarily from horseradish is mass-produced and can cost just a few dollars per pound, making it the more economical choice for most restaurants.
Why is real wasabi rare?
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Real wasabi is hard to find outside Japan because it is rare and expensive to cultivate. It requires precise conditions: cool, clean, flowing water, moderate shade, and specific soil conditions. Wasabi plants take around two years to mature, making them a costly and high-maintenance crop.
What is real wasabi?
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In Japanese, "hon-wasabi" refers to authentic wasabi that originates from Japan. It is scientifically known as Wasabia japonica, which is a plant native to Japan. The spicy paste is made by grating the rhizome (underground stem) of the wasabi plant. Freshly grated wasabi has a complex flavor profile: a mild sweetness, a clean spiciness, and a slight vegetal note. Unlike the harsh heat of fake wasabi, real wasabi has a more delicate and fleeting spiciness that fades after a few minutes.
What is fake wasabi?
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Fake wasabi is usually made from a combination of horseradish, mustard, cornstarch, and green food coloring. Horseradish belongs to the same plant family as wasabi and has a similarly sharp heat, but it lacks real wasabi's complexity and natural sweetness.
The ingredients in fake wasabi are much cheaper and easier to obtain, which makes it the go-to choice for sushi restaurants worldwide. In Japanese, it’s referred to as "seiyo-wasabi" (Western wasabi), sometimes called wasabi-daikon.
The "issue" with imitation wasabi
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While real wasabi is prized for its delicate, nuanced flavor, the widespread use of imitation wasabi is not necessarily seen as a bad thing, since processed wasabi provides the strong, lingering heat that many diners have come to expect with their sushi.
In fact, even in Japan, sushi chefs often use processed versions to enhance the kick, as real wasabi’s mild and fleeting heat can be too subtle for sushi rice. For sashimi, real wasabi pairs well with delicate white fish, but for richer, more flavorful fish like tuna and salmon, a horseradish blend is often preferred.
Types of processed wasabi
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Processed wasabi in Japan is categorized into powdered, paste-like, and grated wasabi. Powdered wasabi consists mainly of dried and powdered horseradish, while paste wasabi is made by mixing dried horseradish or real wasabi with water and other ingredients like sugar, salt, and oils. Grated wasabi is freshly ground from horseradish or real wasabi and is distributed refrigerated or frozen.
The Japan Processed Wasabi Association sets labeling standards: “hon-wasabi shiyou” means the product contains at least 50% real wasabi, while “hon-wasabi iri” indicates less than 50%.
So, while many assume that 100% wasabi is superior, the truth is that different types serve different culinary purposes, earning processed wasabi its place in everyday dining and high-end sushi experiences.
Where to find real wasabi?
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If you want to try real wasabi, you'll need to visit high-end Japanese restaurants that explicitly state they serve fresh wasabi. Another option is to buy real wasabi rhizomes from specialty stores or online suppliers and grate them yourself at home.
