Sancho

Sansho berries come from Japan and are essential to traditional and authentic Japanese cuisine. They have been used since antiquity when they were used to flavour food offered to the gods.

Sansho berries are harvested south of Kobe in Wakayama prefecture on Honshu Island. The best time for harvesting them is July and August.

Sansho berries are a true gift of nature and are reason enough to warrant a trip to the Land of the Rising Sun.

The Japanese believe that Sansho berries were already used in Japanese cooking as far back as the ancient Jomon era (from 15,000 BC up until 300 BC). At that time, Japan was inhabited by hunter-gatherers. Nowadays the Japanese call them "SANAHO" or "HAJIKAMI".

They use them ground finely to enhance a noodle soup, on grilled eel or in the traditional 7 spice mix called: "SHICHIMI".

Their delicate citrus scents and notes of mandarin leaves go perfectly with sweet and sour dishes, lobster, poached poultry, exotic fruit salad or a sticky chocolate cake. In Japan the local delicacy is Kobe beef with Sansho berries.