The Original. Made in 1936. Unchanged.

On the slopes of Hikosan — a sacred mountain on the border of Fukuoka and Oita — stood a mountain inn called Momijiya. Its owner, a woman named Hayashi Mitsumi, noticed that the yamabushi (mountain ascetic monks) who passed through her inn carried dried chili peppers as a staple of their austere diet. She combined those peppers with the yuzu growing wild on the mountain. She added salt. She called it Yuzunoka.

That was 1936. The recipe has not changed.

In 1958, when Japan sent its first research expedition to Antarctica, Yuzunoka was selected as one of the condiments to bring. When the team returned from the ice, the yuzu pepper they brought back was empty. In the decades since, it has been offered to Meiji Shrine every year without interruption — recognized at Japan's national level for over sixty years.

This is the additive-free version: ripe yuzu, mountain chili pepper, and salt. Three ingredients. Nothing else.

What Is Yuzu Kosho?

Yuzu kosho is a fermented condiment made from yuzu citrus zest, chili pepper, and salt — a tradition from the mountains of Kyushu that few outside Japan have encountered in its authentic form. The mass-produced versions sold internationally contain coloring agents, preservatives, and flavor enhancers. Yuzunoka contains none of these. What you taste is the yuzu itself: bright, floral, faintly bitter, with a slow-building chili warmth.

This version uses fully ripened yuzu — harvested later in the season for deeper flavor and a rounder, less sharp citrus character.

How to Use

• Sashimi and sushi: A small amount alongside soy sauce — the yuzu lifts the fish rather than masking it
• Grilled chicken (yakitori): Spread lightly on the surface after cooking — it blooms immediately with heat
• Hot pot (nabe) and shabu-shabu: Stir into the dipping sauce — transforms ponzu or sesame sauce entirely
• Pasta and risotto: A western kitchen discovery — a small amount replaces lemon zest with far more complexity
• Oysters and shellfish: The acid and citrus of yuzu kosho is perhaps the finest pairing for raw oysters outside of mignonette
• Cream-based dishes: A pinch into cream sauce, scrambled eggs, or soft cheese — remarkable

Product Details

• Contents: 50g (glass jar)
• Ingredients: Yuzu (Fukuoka Prefecture), Mountain Chili Pepper (Fukuoka Prefecture), Salt
• Additives: None — no coloring, no preservatives, no flavor enhancers
• Origin: Hikosan, Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan
• Producer: Yuzunoka Honpo (柚乃香本舗), est. 1936
• Best Before: 1 year from production; refrigerate after opening

✈️ Ships from Japan ·Order more, pay less per item.
Since 1936 · Offered to Meiji Shrine annually · Three ingredients only