Japanese Spices and Seasonings to Spice Up Your Life

In recent years, Japanese spices, seasonings, and condiments have taken the international culinary scene by storm. Visit Yagenbori, Tamakiya, and Yuzu no Ki to discover what makes these spices and seasonings stand out. They're used not only in Japanese cuisine, but also in fusion cuisine, and even in the making of sweets, so let your creativity run wild!

Yagenbori: The birthplace of shichimi togarashi

Shichimi togarashi, which translates to "seven-flavor chili pepper" because it's made of seven different spices, originated with Yagenbori, a shop that's been around since 1625. Shichimi togarashi is typically used to season soba and udon noodles, but if you're feeling experimental, sprinkle it onto miso soup, meat, or even pasta.
While shichimi togarashi can now be found in Japanese supermarkets everywhere, nothing comes close to Yagenbori's original blend, which uses flavorful, aromatic ingredients such as black sesame seeds and dried mandarin orange peel, on top of the usual red chili pepper and Japanese pepper. You can have the spiciness customized, from mild to extra spicy. Not sure which to choose? The “chuukara” (medium spicy) is recommended for its balance of flavor and spice. Take home Yagenbori's shichimi togarashi in charming containers—the one shaped like a gourd (hyotan) is a hit.

Tamakiya: Furikake rice toppings from Japan and beyond

In business since 1782, Tamakiya started with tsukudani (preserved seafood or seaweed) as its signature product, but has branched out into other preserved products such as furikake, a seasoning mix that's sprinkled atop rice. It goes well with soup, too! For instance, many of Tamakiya's furikake contain fish, so they can give your soup a taste that resembles dashi (a broth base that's commonly used in Japanese cuisine.)
For traditionally Japanese flavors, try Tamakiya's best-selling sansho shirasu (Japanese pepper and whitebait fish), tarako konbu (salted Alaskan pollack roe and konbu kelp), or sockeye salmon and shirasu. For a modern touch, go for Tamakiya's Sekai no Furikake (furikake of the world) line. The Italian tomato flavor goes well with pasta, pizza, and toast. Other popular flavors are Chinese zha cai (pickled vegetables), green curry, and mapo tofu.

Yuzu no Ki: Yuzu kosho that packs a punch

Yuzu no Ki (also known as Kaoru Kito Yuzu) specializes in all things yuzu (Japanese citrus)-related. Its yuzu kosho (yuzu chili paste) is the perfect blend of citrusy and spicy, so it'll add some fiery zest to your meals. Aside from the standard green-colored yuzu kosho, Yuzu no Ki also offers a unique and perfectly-spiced red variant. In Japanese cuisine, yuzu kosho is normally used for nabe (hot pot) dishes, but try seasoning meat with it. Or, mix it with some olive oil and ponzu (citrus sauce) to make a salad dressing.

Yagenbori (main shop)

Tamakiya

Yuzu no Ki (KAORU -KITOYUZU-)