Kyoto · Early-Summer Harvest · Mi Sansho
Mi Sansho (Fresh Sansho Berries) 500g
Brought directly from Kyoto — only by Hokkaido Uni Shop.
What is Mi Sansho?
Mi sansho (実山椒) is the fresh berry of the sansho (Japanese pepper) tree, harvested in early summer in Kyoto and frozen immediately after picking to lock in its aroma. Unlike the dried, ground sansho powder most people know, fresh mi sansho delivers a vivid citrus fragrance together with the tongue-tingling numbing spice (sansho's signature "shibire") that defines authentic Kyoto cuisine. This is the 500g size.
Because it's frozen at the peak of the May-July harvest window, this mi sansho keeps the bright, green citrus top notes that dried sansho loses. It's the same ingredient Kyoto kitchens use to make tsukudani (simmered preserves), pickles, and the classic chirimen sansho (chirimen jako simmered with sansho berries) — bold, aromatic, and distinctly fresh rather than the muted warmth of dried sansho. Kyoto-grown sansho is considered among the top-tier in Japan, prized by kaiseki kitchens for its fragrance and quality.
Specifications
| Origin | Kyoto, Japan |
| Type | Mi sansho (実山椒), fresh sansho berries |
| Weight | 500g |
| Character | Vivid citrus aroma, tongue-tingling spice |
| Season | May-July harvest (frozen at peak) |
| State | Frozen |
| Best for | Tsukudani, pickles, chirimen sansho |
How to enjoy
Mi sansho needs a short blanch before use — boil briefly, then soak in cold water to soften the berries and mellow any bitterness, a step most home cooks in Kyoto do before simmering. From there, simmer it with soy sauce, mirin, and sugar for tsukudani, add it to pickles for a numbing kick, or simmer it together with chirimen jako for the classic chirimen sansho. It also works stirred into simmered dishes or scattered, a few berries at a time, over grilled fish.
Pairing notes — warm rice, chirimen jako, soy-simmered dishes, and a chilled sake.
About handling: Ships frozen — keep frozen until ready to use, and blanch before cooking as described above. Do not thaw and refreeze; thaw only the portion you plan to use. Frozen at harvest in Kyoto and shipped to preserve freshness; pre-order, and stocks reflect each season's harvest.
