鳴門巻き
narutomaki[na̠ɾɯ̟to̞ma̠kʲi]
The English phrase narutomaki refers to a type of Japanese fish cake, known in Japanese as 鳴門巻き. If unsure, use 鳴門巻き. Wiktionary also lists 蒲鉾 (kamaboko).
Meaning: kamaboko (noun)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 鳴門巻き | narutomaki | [na̠ɾɯ̟to̞ma̠kʲi] (narrow) |
| 蒲鉾 | kamaboko | [ka̠ma̠bo̞ko̞] (narrow) |
Narutomaki is a specific type of fish cake that is most commonly recognized as a topping for ramen.
What does it mean word for word?
The name 鳴門巻き literally means 'Naruto roll'. This refers to the whirlpools found in the Naruto Strait, which the pink spiral pattern resembles.
Which one should you use?
While 鳴門巻き (narutomaki) refers specifically to the white fish cake with a pink spiral, 蒲鉾 (kamaboko) is the general term for all types of steamed fish cakes.
How do you pronounce it?
narutomaki
Did you know?
- The word 蒲鉾 combines the words for 'cattail' and 'spear'. This describes how the fish cake was originally shaped on a skewer to resemble a cattail seed spike.
- Depending on the region of Japan, the color and shape of 蒲鉾 vary. Some areas prefer a flat board shape, while others favor the cylindrical form associated with the 'spear' etymology.
Examples in context
- ラーメンに鳴門巻きが入っています。Ramen ni narutomaki ga haitte imasu.There is narutomaki in the ramen.
- この鳴門巻きはとても綺麗ですね。Kono narutomaki wa totemo kirei desu ne.This narutomaki is very beautiful, isn't it?
- 鳴門巻きをトッピングしてください。Narutomaki o toppingu shite kudasai.Please add narutomaki as a topping.
Example conversation
At a ramen shop, a young woman and a young man are looking at their food.
- 陽葵 Himariこのラーメン、鳴門巻きがたっぷり入っているね。Kono ramen, narutomaki ga tappuri haitte iru ne.This ramen has plenty of narutomaki in it.
- 陽太 Yota本当だ。見た目も可愛いね。Hontou da. Mitame mo kawaii ne.True. It looks cute too.
- 陽葵 Himari陽太くんは鳴門巻きが好き？Hinata-kun wa narutomaki ga suki?Hinata, do you like narutomaki?
- 陽太 Yotaうん、大好きだよ。Un, daisuki da yo.Yeah, I love it.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “narutomaki” translations and entries 鳴門巻き, 蒲鉾, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 蒲鉾, 鳴門巻き, CC BY-SA 4.0.
