Pourquoi sourcer au Japon
Japanese mountain pepper (Zanthoxylum piperitum) — a native Japanese spice with a distinctive aromatic, tingling citrus-woody profile used for over a millennium in Japanese cuisine.
Spec clé
Zanthoxylum piperitum source; INCI Zanthoxylum Piperitum Fruit Extract; MOQ from 1–10 kg (dried peppercorn); 100 g – 5 kg (powder).
Produit fini typique
Shichimi tōgarashi seven-spice blend — Heritage Japanese spice profile — sansho is one of the seven canonical components alongside chili, sesame, hemp/poppy seed, ginger, citrus peel, and nori. Blend dates to a 1625 Edo recipe at Yagenbori.
En un coup d'œil
- Fournisseurs répertoriés
- 3 fournisseurs
- MOQ typique
- 1–10 kg (grains séchés) ; 100 g – 5 kg (poudre)
- Délai typique
- 4–8 semaines
- Régions d'origine
- Wakayama (Arida-gun, Budō sanshō), Hyōgo (Tamba), Gifu, Nationwide
- Catégorie
- Ingrédients alimentaires
- Saison de récolte
- Mai–juin (gousses jeunes) ; août–octobre (grains matures)
- Statut réglementaire au Japon
- Food Sanitation Act ; inscrit au JSCI pour l'extrait cosmétique
- Nom INCI
- Zanthoxylum Piperitum Fruit Extract
- Nom japonais
- 山椒
- Romaji
- Sanshō
À propos de cet ingrédient
Poivre japonais de montagne (Zanthoxylum piperitum) — une épice endémique du Japon au profil aromatique distinctif, piquant et à la fois citronné et boisé, utilisée depuis plus d'un millénaire dans la cuisine japonaise. Arida-gun, à Wakayama (cultivar Budō sanshō), est la région de production de référence. Accompagnement culinaire essentiel de l'unagi, des mélanges shichimi togarashi et de la confiserie d'exception. Les extraits cosmétiques sont également utilisés dans des formulations positionnées sur la chaleur et la circulation.
Statut réglementaire
| Japon | Food Sanitation Act ; inscrit au JSCI pour l'extrait cosmétique |
|---|---|
| Union européenne | Importation alimentaire ; CosIng pour l'extrait cosmétique |
| États-Unis | GRAS pour l'alimentation ; usage cosmétique relevant du MoCRA |
| Chine | À vérifier |
FAQ pour les acheteurs OEM
Q. What MOQ and lead time should buyers expect for Wakayama or Tamba sansho?
Supplier-disclosed industry ranges are typically 1–10 kg for dried whole peppercorn lots and 100 g – 5 kg for milled powder, with 4–8 week lead times for Wakayama (Arida) or Tamba (Hyōgo) origin material. Smaller test lots may be available outside the harvest window from inventory; fresh-season material from May–June (young pods) and August–October (mature peppercorns) is allocated earliest to standing customers.
Sources · Dernière vérification: 2026-04-26
Connaissance sectorielle — non encore rattachée à une source primaire unique
Q. Is English documentation (COA, allergen statement, origin certificate) typically available?
Mid- and large-scale Japanese spice processors generally issue English COA and origin documentation on request, with a reissue lead time of 1–2 weeks beyond the production lead time. Smaller regional cooperatives may only supply Japanese-language documentation; in those cases buyers usually engage a trading-house intermediary that can re-issue in English. Specify required test parameters (microbiology, heavy metals, residual pesticides) at the RFQ stage.
Sources · Dernière vérification: 2026-04-26
Connaissance sectorielle — non encore rattachée à une source primaire unique
Q. Are organic or specialty-grade sansho options available?
Organic JAS-certified sansho is produced in limited volume in Wakayama and Hyōgo, primarily from established satoyama growers. Buyers should expect smaller MOQ ceilings (often capped per harvest), longer lead times, and price premiums versus conventional. Specialty grades — such as 'mi-zanshō' (young green pods) packed in salt or lightly blanched — are available seasonally and require chilled-chain handling.
Sources · Dernière vérification: 2026-04-26
Connaissance sectorielle — non encore rattachée à une source primaire unique
Cas d'usage
Shichimi tōgarashi seven-spice blend
- Positionnement
- Heritage Japanese spice profile — sansho is one of the seven canonical components alongside chili, sesame, hemp/poppy seed, ginger, citrus peel, and nori. Blend dates to a 1625 Edo recipe at Yagenbori.
- Notes de formulation
- Typical sansho proportion in a balanced shichimi is in the single-digit percent range; higher inclusion shifts the blend toward a tingling-forward profile suitable for noodles and yakitori finish.
Unagi (grilled eel) finishing spice
- Positionnement
- Traditional accompaniment — finely ground sansho is the canonical finishing pepper for kabayaki-style grilled eel, where its citrus-woody aroma cuts through the richness of the tare-glazed fish.
Sources
Connaissance sectorielle — non encore rattachée à une source primaire unique
Specialty confectionery and chocolate
- Positionnement
- Modern Japanese craft positioning — sansho is increasingly used by craft chocolate and confectionery makers as a single-origin Japanese spice, paired with dark chocolate, caramel, or matcha to deliver an unfamiliar tingling note in dessert applications.
- Notes de formulation
- Sansho's volatile aroma compounds are heat-sensitive; powder is typically incorporated post-temper or in finishing dustings rather than in the main melt.
Sources
Connaissance sectorielle — non encore rattachée à une source primaire unique
Fournisseurs japonais
Ogawa & Co., Ltd.
小川香料株式会社
One of Japan's two largest flavour and fragrance houses, founded 1893. Develops bespoke flavour systems for beverage, confectionery, dairy and savoury applications, with a strong portfolio of Japanese-origin natural extracts (yuzu, sansho, hojicha, sake-derived flavours). Serves both domestic and overseas R&D-heavy customers including major beverage and snack brands. Multiple Japanese plants plus overseas subsidiaries in Asia and the US.
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S&B Foods Inc.
エスビー食品株式会社
Tokyo-listed spice and seasoning specialist founded 1923. Best-known internationally for the S&B branded curry powder and shichimi togarashi blends. Beyond consumer brands, S&B operates substantial industrial seasoning and B2B spice supply for Japanese and overseas food manufacturers. Recent decade has emphasised exports of Japanese-style curry roux and ready-to-use spice blends for the global Japanese-restaurant supply chain.
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House Foods Group Inc.
ハウス食品グループ本社株式会社
Tokyo-listed diversified food group founded 1913 in Osaka. Best-known for the Vermont Curry and Java Curry retail brands, the group also operates substantial B2B businesses in retort food OEM, spice supply, and functional-food ingredients. Houfu Premium series of supplements (Sesamin, Black Sesamin, Lactic-acid Bacteria) anchor a direct-to-consumer subscription business in Japan and increasingly Asia. Major OEM partner for retort and dehydrated curry programmes.
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