Three Signatures of a 340-Year Kyoto Spice House

Since 1685, Hara Ryōkaku has stood at the entrance to Gion — Kyoto's most storied district — making spice blends by hand, by secret, by family tradition. This gift set brings together three of the shop's most essential expressions: the legendary Kuro-Shichimi, the aromatic Yuzu-Kara, and the singular Powdered Sansho.

It is a complete introduction to a tradition that predates the United States.

What's Inside

黒七味 (Kuro-Shichimi) — The Black Seven-Spice

Hararyoukaku's most iconic creation. Seven ingredients — white sesame, chili, sansho, blue-green seaweed, poppy seed, black sesame, ono seed — are roasted, ground, then hand-kneaded until the oils release and the blend turns dark, moist, and unified. The recipe is one-heir secret, unchanged for over a century. Unlike any other shichimi you have encountered.

ゆず辛 (Yuzu-Kara) — Yuzu Citrus Spice

The brightness of Japanese yuzu citrus — Japan's most prized aromatic ingredient — balanced with gentle chili heat. Where Kuro-Shichimi is deep and complex, Yuzu-Kara is vivid and fresh. Together they represent the full range of the Japanese spice palette: earthy warmth and citrus brightness.

粉山椒 (Ko-Sanshō) — Powdered Mountain Pepper

The spice that set the 11th generation on the path to creating Kuro-Shichimi. Pure, finely ground sansho — Japan's native pepper, offering a gentle numbing tingle and clean citrus-herbal aroma found nowhere else in the world. The ingredient Western chefs have just begun to discover. At Hararyoukaku, it has been there for 340 years.

How to Use All Three

• Kuro-Shichimi: Udon, ramen, grilled chicken, steak, miso soup — applied as a finishing spice
• Yuzu-Kara: Sashimi, cold tofu, grilled fish, clear soups, rice — anywhere brightness is needed
• Sansho: Grilled eel, yakitori, buttery pasta, steak — wherever a numbing aromatic lift is desired
• Tasting flight: Taste all three on plain warm rice in sequence — the most direct way to understand each

Product Details

• Contents: 3 tins — Kuro-Shichimi + Yuzu-Kara + Powdered Sansho
• Packaging: Gift-ready box — suitable for direct gifting
• Producer: Hararyoukaku (原了郭), est. 1685, Gion, Kyoto
• Best Before: 6 months; refrigerate after opening for best flavor
• Allergen: Sesame (Kuro-Shichimi)

✈️ Ships from Japan ·Order more, pay less per item.
340-year Gion institution · Three styles, one legacy · Perfect introduction gift