When we think of spices, it's often the explosive flavors of Indian, Mexican or Thai cuisine that spring to mind. Japan, on the other hand, offers a radically different approach and is less well known for its spices.
Japanese spices don't try to impress. They never overwhelm the plate, but gently accompany it. They highlight a broth, awaken a raw fish, warm a clear broth, without ever masking the natural taste of the ingredients. It's a whole philosophy of taste, based on restraint, harmony and respect for the product. In this article, we invite you to discover this subtlety through the main spices and aromatic condiments of Japanese cuisine: their origins, their role in regional culinary traditions, their taste profile, and above all, how to use them at home.
Table of contents
- Japanese spices: a culture of delicate taste
- Shichimi togarashi: the spice of Japanese tables
- Sanshô: Japanese pepper
- Karashi and other exceptional prickles
- Mild, aromatic spices
- Using Japanese spices at home: practical tips
I. Japanese spices: a culture of delicate taste
Japanese cuisine doesn't ignore spices, it just treats them differently. Here, intensity does not take precedence over subtlety. The heart of Japanese flavor is based onumamithat deeply comforting fifth flavor found in dashi broths, soy and miso sauces, and fermented foods. Rather than resorting to strong spices, Japanese cuisine builds its dishes around this natural, sweet and enveloping richness.
This is not to say that spices are absent, but that they are used sparingly and precisely. They often appear as finishing touches: a few grains of sansho on grilled eel, a hint of yuzu kosho in a clear soup, or a little shichimi on a bowl of noodles. Each spice is chosen with care, depending on the season, the region, or the balance sought in the dish.
It is also essential to distinguish pure spices (such as sansho or ginger), aromatic condiments (such as wasabi, miso paste or Japanese horseradish) and traditional traditional blends such as shichimi togarashi (a blend of seven spices) or yuzu koshoa paste made from yuzu zest and chili pepper. Each plays a clearly defined role on the plate, but they all meet the same requirement: to enrich the taste without ever overpowering it.
II. Shichimi togarashi: the spice of Japanese tables
One of the few spice blends commonly used in Japan is shichimi togarashi occupies a special place. Born in the Edo period (present-day Tokyo), this colorful, fragrant blend has been a staple of popular tables for centuries. Today, it can be found in soba restaurants as well as on the shelves of Japanese grocery stores.
The name shichimi literally means "seven flavours", and although the exact composition varies, it generally includes ground red pepperground red pepperyuzu peel dried yuzu peel sesame seeds (white or black) nori (seaweed) gingerginger sanshō pepper and sometimes poppy or hemp. This blend combines warmth, freshness, bitterness and citrus in subtle harmony.
As a finishing touch, it can be sprinkled on a wide variety of dishes: steaming ramen, cold soba noodles, grilled yakitoribut also on white ricerice tofu or even eggs. It adds depth without ever dominating.
Note: some artisanal houses perpetuate regional recipes, sometimes jealously guarded. In Asakusa (Tokyo), shichimi is more piquant and spicy, while in Kyoto, sweeter, more aromatic notes are often preferred, with a strong presence of yuzu.
Mix of 7 shichimi spices with sesame and plum - 60g - €13.80
III. Sanshō: Japanese pepper
Neither quite citrus nor simply spice, sanshô is a typically Japanese taste enigma. Derived from the Japanese pepper plant (Zanthoxylum piperitum), this age-old ingredient fascinates with its lemony aroma and its slightly anestheticalmost electrifying effect on the tongue.
Its flavor is lively, fresh, with notes of green bark and a unique unique tingle that awakens the taste buds without burning. Nothing to do with black pepper, and not to be confused with Sichuan pepperits Chinese cousin: the latter is more floral and fragrant, while sanshō offers a sharper, more invigorating sensation.
Traditionally, it is found in powder on unagi (grilled eel), where it balances the fat of the fish with its light zest. But it can also be used in meat marinadesmarinades cold saucesor even as a finishing touch on tofu or grilled vegetables.
Some contemporary chefs even include it in desserts or cocktails to surprise the palate. Proof that this seemingly discreet spice conceals infinite potential.
Sansho pepper in mini sachet - € 7.90
IV. Yuzu kosho: explosive and fermented
A little concentrate of character, the yuzu kosho is a fermented paste that blends three simple ingredients: yuzu zest, hot pepper and salt. Native to Kyushuin southern Japan, this artisanal specialty develops powerful, complex aromas through fermentation, intensifying both the lively acidity of the yuzu and the pungency of the pepper..
It comes in two main forms: greenwhen the pepper and yuzu are still young, for a sharper, more vegetal flavor; or redwhen the ingredients are ripe, giving a rounder, warmer, deeper profile.
Long used to accompany nabemono (simmered dishes) or grilled grilled meatsyuzu kosho has found a second life in contemporary cuisine. Today, we love it in carpaccioscarpaccio homemade mayonnaiseson raw fishgrilled grilled vegetablesor even as a finishing touch on soup or pasta.
Yuzu kosho green - 80ml - € 6.80
V. Karashi and other exceptional prickles
Japan may like discreet flavors, but it doesn't rule out strong sensations - as long as they're well-targeted. Some Japanese spices focus on sharp, clean spicinessused in small bursts in specific contexts.
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This is the case of karashiJapanese Japanese mustardwith a lively, rising taste, far more powerful than its Western cousin. Without vinegar, it stings noselike wasabi, and traditionally accompanies dishes such as oden (Japanese stew), the nattō or tonkatsuto contrast with the richness of frying or fermentation.
Karashi mustard paste - 42g - €3.50
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Another expression of spiciness, theichimi togarashi - literally "one taste of chilli" - is pure ground ground red pepperwithout mixing. More direct than shichimi, it is used sparingly on noodles, soups or stir-fried dishes, for an immediate effect.
Ichimi roasted powder - 30g - €13.00
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Finally, lovers of home cooking may come across the takanotsume ("hawk's claw"), a small, very hot dried pepper often used in tsukemono (pickles), sauces, or to flavor chili oils. Behind its small size lies a formidable heat, reserved for discerning palates.
VI. Mild, aromatic spices
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The sesamesesame, whether white, black or in toasted oil, is a discreet but essential pillar of Japanese cuisine. It adds body, a slight bitterness and an aromatic depth that enriches sauces, vegetables and rice.
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Ginger can be enjoyed fresh, grated, marinated in thin strips (gari) or even candied. It energizes dishes with its lively heat and lemony fragrance, especially with raw fish, meats or rice bowls.
- WasabiIn its true form (freshly grated root), wasabi develops a clean, green and ephemeral spiciness, far more subtle than that of industrial pastes. A rare ingredient, it embodies a botanical luxury sought after for its purity.
VII. Using Japanese spices at home: practical tips
To enhance your everyday dishes, a few simple combinations make all the difference: a bowl of white rice enhanced with a hint of shichimi for a light, fragrant spiciness, grilled meats enhanced with yuzu kosho for freshness and warmth, or delicate tofu spiced up with sanshō or sprinkled with sesame for a touch of authentic flavor.
Finally, keep your spices dry and away from light, to preserve their flavor. Their shelf life generally varies between 6 and 12 months, depending on the product.
