What is Tako Wasabi?
Takowasabi (たこわさび), often shortened to “Tako-wasa,” is a much-loved appetizer that often appears on the menus of Japanese-style pubs known as izakaya (居酒屋). This delicious dish is made with octopus marinated in a wasabi-infused marinade, creating a perfect harmony of flavors and textures.
The workers at Azuma Foods in Mie Prefecture first invented Takowasa back in 1991. But it was the Monteroza, the operator of the popular izakaya chain, who really made it famous! After adding it to their menu, the dish’s popularity exploded, becoming a staple in izakayas across Japan.
While traditional izakaya-style Tako-wasa is typically prepared using raw octopus, I know that fresh sashimi-grade octopus isn’t always easy to find. So, I’ll show you how to make delicious Takowasa using pre-cooked, boiled octopus.
It’s a simple and tasty way to bring this izakaya favorite into your own kitchen!


How I Developed This Recipe
As a Japanese person, I frequently order takowasa whenever I go to an izakaya. The combination of spicy wasabi and the unique texture of cold octopus creates a perfect accompaniment to drinks.
Typically served on a small plate, even a single bite of tako-wasa enhances the enjoyment of your beverage, making it go down smoothly in summer.
For this recipe, I’ve chosen to use boiled octopus to make it more accessible for home cooks. This approach simplifies the preparation process, allowing you to easily recreate this izakaya favorite in your own kitchen. So, let’s dive into the recipe and learn how to make this delicious takowasa at home!

Key Ingredients & Substitution Ideas
- Boiled octopus: I used boiled octopus for this dish because it’s easier to find at my local store. I just cut it into small pieces. If you can get your hands on sashimi-grade raw octopus and you can use that instead, go for it! But for most of us, the boiled version works great!
- Dried kombu: You can use any type of kombu here! If you’re curious about the different types of kelp, here’s the kombu guide for you.
- Mirin & Sake: They give the dish a unique Japanese sweetness and depth that’s hard to get any other way.
- Light soy sauce: In this recipe, I like to use light soy sauce because it doesn’t darken the color of the dish too much. But if all you have is dark soy sauce, don’t worry! It’ll still taste great!
- Wasabi paste: The co-star of the dish!
- Dried chili pepper: I use just a bit for a different kind of heat than the wasabi.

Visual Walkthrough & Tips
Here are my step-by-step instructions for how to make Takowasa at home. For ingredient quantities and simplified instructions, scroll down for the Printable Recipe Card below.
This section aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the cooking steps and techniques with visuals. It also includes more in-depth tips and tricks and explains why I do what I do.
Start by combining mirin and sake in a saucepan. Heat this mixture until the alcohol evaporates, which usually takes about 30 seconds. You’ll know it’s ready when you no longer smell the alcohol.

Then, remove the saucepan from the heat and let the mixture cool down before adding a small piece of kombu.
While you wait, cut the octopus into smaller, bite-size pieces. This makes it easier to eat and helps the marinade penetrate the meat more effectively.

Once your delicious mixture has cooled, simply pour it into a sealable plastic bag. Now, add the octopus pieces, light soy sauce, wasabi paste, and some dried red chili pepper slices.

Seal the bag tightly and give everything a good rub to make sure everything is well mixed and the octopus is evenly coated.

Now, pop this sealed bag in the refrigerator and let it marinate overnight.
When you’re ready to serve, simply remove the octopus pieces from the bag and place them in a serving dish. Enjoy them with your drinks in the evening!

I hope you enjoy this Takowasa recipe! If you try it out, I’d really appreciate it if you could spare a moment to let me know what you thought by giving a review and star rating in the comments below. It’s also helpful to share any adjustments you made to the recipe with our other readers. Thank you!

More Izakaya Recipes
- Agedashi Tofu (Japanese Deep Fried Tofu)
- Japanese Pickled Cucumber with Ginger
- Japanese Potato Salad (Izakaya Style)
- Authentic Chicken Karaage (Crispy Japanese Fried Chicken)
Want more inspiration? Explore my Izakaya Recipe Roundup Post for a carefully selected collection of tasty recipe ideas to spark your next meal!

Takowasa (Wasabi Marinated Octopus)
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp mirin
- 1 tbsp sake
- 3 g dried kelp (kombu)
- 100 g boiled octopus or sashimi grade raw octopus if available
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce (usukuchi shoyu)
- ½ tbsp wasabi paste increase for a stronger wasabi flavor
- 1 dried red chili pepper thinly sliced
Instructions
- Pour 1 tbsp mirin and 1 tbsp sake into a small saucepan and boil for 30 seconds to burn off the alcohol. Remove the pan from the heat, add 3 g dried kelp (kombu) and leave to cool.
- While you wait, cut 100 g boiled octopus into bitesize pieces.
- Place the octopus pieces inside a sealable freezer bag and pour in the sauce. Add 1 tbsp light soy sauce (usukuchi shoyu), ½ tbsp wasabi paste and 1 dried red chili pepper.
- Massage the ingredients until the octopus is evenly covered, then push the air out of the bag and seal. Marinate in the refrigerator for 8 hours.
- Enjoy!
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