Sanshō/Kinome — Japanese Pepper and Mountain Ash
Japan-wide — indigenous spice, cultivation concentrated in Wakayama and Hyogo prefectures
Sanshō (Japanese prickly ash, Zanthoxylum piperitum) is Japan's indigenous spice — distinctly different from black pepper or Sichuan pepper despite botanical kinship. Its flavour profile: initial citrus-pine-grass aromatics followed by a pronounced numbing/tingling sensation (citrus-scented numbing rather than Sichuan pepper's deep anesthetic effect) and a lingering gentle heat. Used in three forms: whole dried berries (sieved, then ground into kona-sanshō powder for seasoning), whole green berries (packed in salt for yakitori accompaniment), and kinome (fresh young leaves in spring — intensely aromatic, used as a garnish tapping between palms to release aromatics). Sanshō powder (kona-sanshō) is an essential condiment for unagi (eel), yakitori, and some noodle dishes; kinome is kaiseki's quintessential spring garnish.