Why Choose Shoya's Shichimi?

When people hear “Nagano shichimi,” we think many of them immediately think of Hachiman-ya Isogorō at Zenko-ji Temple. This shichimi has long been a beloved staple—both as a souvenir from Shinshu and as a seasoning for everyday meals.

There’s another type of shichimi in Shinshu that we’d like to tell you about: Shoya Chuzaemon Honpo. We call it “Shoya,” and it’s the shichimi we recommend at the Yamazakana Yamaki store.

Shoya was founded in Tenpō 10 (1839). Shoya Chuzaemon Honpo, located in Chikuhoku Village, Nagano Prefecture, still grows its own ingredients in the fields and crafts its shichimi spice blend. At its own farm at the foot of the Utsukushigahara Mountains, the company has been cultivating chili peppers and sansho pepper for generations.

The main crop in their fields is sansho pepper. They carefully tend to about 200 trees, each roughly 40 years old. For their chili peppers, they combine those grown in their own fields with other varieties to make shichimi.

With the exception of poppy seeds, hemp seeds, and sesame seeds, they use Japanese-grown ingredients. And they don’t just choose Japanese-grown ingredients—they grow as much as possible themselves from what thrives in this region. Even though there are some crops that can’t be grown here due to the soil and climate, they want to deliver products that they’ve grown themselves. This philosophy is at the heart of Shoya’s shichimi production.

What draws us in is the craftsmanship involved—from selecting and cultivating the ingredients—and the wonderful aroma. Precisely because these are condiments we use at our everyday meals, we want to choose ones that allow us to enjoy their aroma as well.

They grow the ingredients in their fields and turn them into shichimi. Even the seasonings we casually reach for at the dinner table come from a field and are cultivated by someone. We were drawn to the work behind those small cans.

With Shoya's shichimi, there's also the joy of choosing.

"Miyabi" is a fragrant shichimi blend that combines ginger, shiso, and horseradish. It is crafted so that a single sprinkle layers the aromas of these various ingredients.

"Utage" is a yuzu shichimi seasoning made with plenty of yuzu from Kochi Prefecture.

When you actually open the lid, you’ll be surprised by how strong the aroma is. The moment you open it, the scent of yuzu rises distinctly. This shichimi is a must-try for anyone who wants to fully enjoy the aroma of yuzu.

Both of these shichimi blends are perfect for enjoying with Shinshu soba.

In Shinshu, a region known for its soba, you’ll find this particular type of shichimi. Savor the aroma of the soba, then sprinkle a pinch of shichimi halfway through. The choice of which flavor to add reflects each person’s individual taste. Since discovering Shoya’s shichimi, we’ve come to enjoy our usual bowl of soba just a little bit more.

We also love the illustration of Matsumoto Castle on the can. Every time we pick it up at the dinner table, it reminds us of the castle we saw on our trip and the time we spent walking around Matsumoto. The scenery of this region blends with the small can designed to enjoy its fragrance.

Whether you’re placing it on your own dining table or giving it as a gift to someone else, you choose it while thinking about your favorite scents or the meals you usually enjoy. When you think about how the work of the people who grow the crops is packed into that little can, you feel like sharing a little story about it when you hand it over.

At Yamazakana Yamaki, we believe that a single dish can make an everyday meal feel a little more special. We hope that the local flavors and the craftsmanship of the producers we encounter on our travels will continue to grace your dining table even after you return home.

As a souvenir from your trip to Shinshu, for your own dining table, or as a small gift for someone.

We enjoy the simple pleasure of a single sprinkle, alongside the work of those who cultivate the ingredients. That’s the spirit with which we choose Shoya’s shichimi.