Osmunda nipponica Makino), also called Asian royal fern[1] or fiddlehead, is a fern in the genus Osmunda native to east Asia, including Japan, China, Korea, Taiwan, and the far east of Russia on the island of Sakhalin.

It is called gobi (고비) in Korean, zenmai (ゼンマイ; 薇) in Japanese, and zǐqí or juécài (紫萁 or 蕨菜) in Chinese.

Like its relative Osmundastrum cinnamomeum ("cinnamon fern"), the fertile fronds become brown-colored and contain spores.

The sterile (vegetative) fronds resemble those of Osmunda regalis ("royal fern"), another relative of O. japonica.

In some parts of China, Tibet, and Japan, the young fronds or fiddleheads of O. japonica are used as a vegetable.