Sansho Pepper

Sansho pepper is the dried fruit pericarp of Zanthoxylum piperitum, a small deciduous tree native to the Japanese archipelago. Both the young green pods (mi-zanshō, harvested May–June) and the mature peppercorns (harvested August–October) are used, with the mature form most commonly milled into the familiar bright-green powder.

The Wakayama Budō sanshō cultivar — recognized for its grape-cluster fruiting habit (budō meaning grape) — produces a comparatively large, highly aromatic peppercorn that has long been treated as a premium grade. Tamba sanshō from Hyōgo is similarly esteemed for its aroma. Sansho is botanically distinct from the related Chinese huā jiāo (Zanthoxylum bungeanum), and the two should not be substituted on labels.

In Japanese cuisine, sansho is the defining finishing pepper for unagi (grilled eel) and a central component of shichimi tōgarashi seven-spice blends. The young pods are simmered as tsukudani and used to flavor chirimen-jako. Ground sansho is also paired with grilled chicken (yakitori), miso preparations, and an emerging category of specialty confectionery and chocolate.

Industrial users typically procure dried whole peppercorns (1–10 kg lots) or pre-milled powder (100 g – 5 kg), with 4–8 week lead times typical for Wakayama and Tamba origin material.

Food regulation under Food Sanitation Act. No category-specific restrictions for culinary use.

The cosmetic extract form (Zanthoxylum Piperitum Fruit Extract / サンショウ果実エキス) is separately listed in the JSCI labeling name dictionary and handled under cosmetic ingredient regulation.