Sansho Bay

Sansho berry is a false pepper of Japanese origin, often confused with Sechuan pepper.
Like its close cousin and other Zanthoxylum peppers, it has a sublime, fresh citrus, lemony and woody fragrance. On the finish, there's a delicious lemongrass flavor and an almost minty freshness against a spicy, subtly peppery background.

Sansho berries have been harvested and used in Japan for thousands of years. Along with Japanese black garlic, it is one of the country's most popular herbs. The Sansho tree grows naturally in the volcanic foothills of Japan. The berries are harvested while still green, just before ripening. They are grown mainly on the island of Honshu.

What is Sansho?

Sansho (Zanthoxylum piperitum DC) is one of the most popular spices native to Japan. Its refined fragrance and stimulating spiciness add a unique touch to Japanese cuisine. Young Sansho leaves are often served in soup bowls, on tofu or on the side of sashimi or sushi. A small Sansho leaf not only makes the dish more charming to the eye, but also, and above all, refreshes the appetite.

The Sansho flower, which blooms from late April to early May, is served in top Japanese restaurants. Its slightly minty, tangy fragrance is synonymous with the spring season.

Summer is the busiest season for Sansho farmers. Most trees are harvested before the seeds begin to ripen. Sansho's best-known use is as a dried, ground seed coat for Kabayaki (teriyaki eel skewers). Shichimi, which means "Seven Tastes", is a 400-year-old spice blend served with Yakitori, Soba and Udon, in which sansho is the essential ingredient mixed with other spices such as chilli, sesame and seaweed (nori or aonori). In addition to adding flavor to everyday foods, most sansho is also consumed by the medical and cosmetics industries for its pharmaceutical effects.

Our Japanese pepper comes from Wakayama, and more precisely from the venerable Kaneichi House, recognized as the best by the Japanese. The cultivation area extends some 15 km southeast of Wakayama, between Kainan and Kimino.

Botany: Zanthoxylum piperitum DC
Origin: Japan
Other names: Sancho, lemon pepper, sansho grape berry, Sanshô-ko, sansyo, Japanese pepper, Wakayama pepper, Japanese mountain pepper, Sanaho, Hajikami, aonoridu sanshō
Ingredients: 100% Sansho berry
Storage: Several years, protected from light and humidity.
Product strength: 6 (Scoville)