I am a fan of "Okumura", "Genryo Kaku", "Yagenbori", and "Taishokan Shokuhin" seven-spice chili peppers. They have a wonderful aroma. Okumura combines chili peppers, roasted sesame seeds, prickly ash, dried tangerine peel, perilla leaves, nori seaweed, and hemp seeds, creating a spicy and hemp seed-free blend. The prickly ash flavor stands out. It's a six-spice chili pepper. Sometimes, I mix it with yuzu and extra spicy ichimi for an eight-spice chili pepper. I often use Okumura's yuzu powder when I run out of homegrown yuzu. The extra spicy ichimi seems to be dominated by the ghost pepper. Genryo Kaku's black seven-spice includes chili peppers, white and black sesame seeds, prickly ash, nori seaweed, mustard seeds, and hemp seeds. Yagenbori offers chili peppers, roasted chili peppers, black sesame seeds, prickly ash, dried tangerine peel, mustard seeds, and hemp seeds. They are very spicy, with a strong prickly ash flavor and no hemp seeds. Taishokan Shokuhin's blend consists of chili peppers, black sesame seeds, prickly ash, dried tangerine peel, ginger powder, nori seaweed, dried seaweed, and mustard seeds.

I'm suddenly at Fushimi Inari Taisha in Kyoto♪ Of course, I'm here to make an offering at the torii gates! Although, truth be told, it's my first time here (^^ゞ I hope to be able to make an offering at the torii gates someday♪ After purchasing an amulet and finishing my visit, I headed to "Nanami Togarashi Honpo Okumura Fushimi Inari Honten" located about a 4-5 minute walk from Fushimi Inari Station. It's a full-open store styled like a greengrocer! I bought souvenirs and my own blend of shichimi and ichimi here٩(ˊᗜˋ*)و As I looked at the various shichimi and ichimi blends, the shop owner opened a large tin lid filled with spices and let me smell it♪ Each shichimi and ichimi had a nice fragrance (๑′ᴗ‵๑) The scent of sansho pepper and mandarin orange was pleasant, and the unique scent of ichimi was refreshing! Then, the shop owner opened another tin for me! At that moment... "The refreshing and rich scent of yuzu shichimi smoothly envelops the body!!" My vocabulary skills were at a loss for words (｡-ﾉд-)ｺｯﾁｮﾘ I couldn't help but smile at the unexpected impact. "This is it!" I was convinced that this would be a hit as a souvenir, and they filled a small tin with an abundance of it♪ Thank you very much~٩(ˊᗜˋ*)و I purchased a considerable amount for myself as well♪ "Since you bought a lot, try this too," they said, and even gave me umeshio (pickled plum salt)♪ I was pleasantly surprised by the unexpected bonus (๑′ᴗ‵๑) I don't know how many more times I'll be able to visit Kyoto in the future, but if I ever get stuck on what souvenir to buy when I come to Kyoto, I'll remember this place. That's the end of my storyღ˘◡˘ற

While exploring the area around Fushimi Inari, I stumbled upon a specialty store selling various types of chili peppers. They offered to mix different types together, but personally I prefer just plain shichimi. However, I noticed they had a product called "super spicy shichimi" that was tightly sealed. Despite being warned that it was very hot, I insisted on trying it as is. It cost 500 yen plus tax for a 25g bag. Wow, it was definitely spicy, much hotter than regular shichimi! But it had a delicious flavor to it as well. This is good.

"Shichimi Togarashi Honpo Okumura (Fushimi Inari Main Store)" is a shop where I tried "Shichimi Togarashi" at a local products exhibition. I have purchased from this shop a few times a year when they have outlets in the Tokyo area. **Latest as of October 2015** This is one of the seasonings we rely on at home. "Shichimi Togarashi Honpo Okumura" is a Kyoto-based shop with 80 years of history, which participates in local products exhibitions in the Tokyo area a few times a year. When you ask the salesperson about shichimi, they talk about Kyoto's shichimi, which can be a learning experience. They say, "The composition of shichimi varies by region. People in Kyoto tend to like the scent of sansho pepper, so many shops in Kyoto have a strong sansho flavor in their shichimi. The shichimi at our shop in Fushimi Inari, Kyoto, also has a strong sansho flavor and is well balanced to go with dishes. We also adjust the amount of sansho to suit the customer's preference." In Tokyo, it's rare to find shichimi with a strong sansho flavor like this. It's delicious with a spicy kick from the sansho, suitable for soups and everyday use. **Rating is based on the shichimi togarashi category** **Re-evaluated in October 2015 after revisiting the shop.**

[Date] March 15, 2023 (Wednesday) 12:20 PM [Eatery Rating at Visit] 3.08 [Waiting Time] None [Customer Service] Excellent [Will Visit Again] Yes [Payment Method] PayPay "The price of the machine-ground sansho powder (20g) has increased to 864 yen for 10g. It's worth it for the 20g size, which feels substantial and reliable. 😆 Machine-ground sansho powder (20g) for 1,728 yen"

[Date] October 12, 2022 (Wednesday) [Foodlog Score] 3.08 [Wait Time] None [Service] Excellent [Would Visit Again] Yes [Payment Method] PayPay [Machine-Ground Sansho Pepper Powder (10g)] Pleasant numbing sensation and great flavor [Yuzu Powder (25g)] Enhances the range of Japanese dishes Machine-Ground Sansho Pepper Powder (10g) 756 yen Yuzu Powder (25g) 648 yen

[Date] June 11, 2022 (Saturday) 10:37 AM [Eat Log Value] 3.08 [Waiting Time] None [Customer Service] Excellent [Will Visit Again] Yes [Payment Method] PayPay I have been a repeat buyer of their products because as explained to me before, if you store them properly in the refrigerator (or freezer) with the air removed and the package sealed tightly, they can last for over a year. I really like their products. [Sichuan Pepper Powder Machine Ground (10g)] Honestly, I can only tell a slight difference in color between stone-ground and machine-ground, but in terms of flavor and taste, it might be noticeable to some people, but I couldn't really tell much of a difference. So, I choose the cheaper option. The flavor and numbing sensation are excellent! [Yuzu Powder (25g)] It adds a new dimension to Japanese cuisine. Good. [Yuzu Seven Spice Blend (Medium Spicy 25g)] I chose the medium spicy option out of the three levels of spiciness – medium spicy, spicy, and extra spicy. The aroma of yuzu is rich, as well as the fragrance of the spices. The spiciness is a bit lacking, so I think the spicy level would be just right. [Sichuan Pepper Powder Machine Ground (10g) 756 yen Yuzu Powder (25g) 648 yen Yuzu Seven Spice Blend (Medium Spicy 25g) 648 yen]

I visited a small specialty store called Matsuya Ginza, which has been in business for over 90 years, at a event in Kyoto. They specialize in a blend of seven spices including red pepper, orange peel, shiso, seaweed, sesame seeds, hemp seeds, and Japanese pepper. I purchased a blend of these spices at the event, with the option to choose from three levels of spiciness: medium, spicy, and super spicy. I bought the super spicy blend for 605 yen. The store recommended storing it in the refrigerator. The super spicy blend lived up to its name with a deliciously spicy kick. Thank you for the meal!

[Date] March 12, 2021 (Friday) [Eatlog Value] 3.08 [Waiting Time] None [Customer Service] Good [Would Visit Again] Yes [Payment Method] PayPay Storage method: Even if you open the package, if you store it properly in the refrigerator (or freezer) with the seal closed tightly, it can last for about a year. You can adjust the spiciness to your liking, such as making the sansho (Japanese pepper) stronger. However, it seems that combining yuzu powder with sansho does not work well due to conflicting flavors. - Sansho Powder, Machine Ground (10g): The flavor is lighter than expected, but it gives a good numbing sensation. Highly recommended. - Sansho Powder, Stone Ground (10g): Has a refreshing citrusy feel. Good but a bit pricey. - Yuzu Powder (25g): Rich in aroma, definitely worth buying. Prices: Sansho Powder, Machine Ground (10g) - 756 yen Sansho Powder, Stone Ground (10g) - 972 yen Yuzu Powder (25g) - 648 yen

The first time I encountered it was at a street stall in Kyoto... getting my own custom blend of shichimi was amazing! And it tasted so good!! Since then, whenever I run out of shichimi, I find myself thinking "I have to go to Kyoto". It would be great if there was a shop like this near my home... ===========

I only use this spice here! Even when dining out, the head of the table takes out this spice from their bag (laughs). When I bring out my own spice at a decent soba restaurant, they look a little displeased (*≧∀≦*). But I've been using only this spice for 5 years without being discouraged. It's that spicy and I love it. I've tried all the geisha and Kyoto spices, but I like this one the best. It doesn't have that instant taste or powdery taste that is unique to shichimi. It's just my favorite.