Niboshi (煮干し), often called iriko (炒り子) in Western Japan, are small dried fish used in Japanese cuisine for making dashi (soup stock).

The types of fish used include anchovies, sardines, round herring, Pacific sand lance [ja] and others.

[2] The word niboshi (煮干し) literally means "boiled" or "dried", and it does not include the specific name of the ingredient.

If left overnight or brought nearly to a boil, the flavor of niboshi permeates the water to make the stock.

Tazukuri (fried sweet and savory sardines) are made by frying the dried sardines and then adding a mixture of soy sauce, sugar, mirin, and roasted white sesame seeds.