Founded in 2009, our producer Hirano Seishoan is a key reference for Budo Sansho, a rare and aromatic variety of Japanese Sansho pepper, named for its grape-like clusters (“Budo” means grape in Japanese). Based on the lands of Mount Koyasan, a sacred Buddhist site in the heart of Wakayama Prefecture, their plantations stretch across the fertile lands of Aridagawa, a region with a varied climate recognized as the largest Sansho producer in Japan. Hand-picked and carefully selected, the berries are immediately dried and then slowly ground in a stone mortar. Each year, Hirano Seishoan ships dozens of tons of this pepper worldwide. Beyond the quality of their products, we are proud to support a producer who is actively committed to fighting the aging of the farming population, preserving ancestral know-how, training the next generation of farmers, and promoting the inclusion of workers with disabilities. A passion, authentic expertise, and an incomparable flavor.