In northern Miyazaki Prefecture, an industrial initiative is underway to develop "sansho" (Japanese pepper) as a key local specialty second only to dried shiitake mushrooms. On the 8th, the town of Takachiho conducted its first-ever harvest of sansho berries.

The project is driven by a coalition of farmers from six municipalities in northern Miyazaki—including Hinokage Town and Shiiba Village—and a major food corporation.

On the 8th, approximately 20 stakeholders gathered at a farm in Takachiho for the inaugural harvest, using scissors to carefully clip berry clusters from sansho trees.

While the region thrives in dried shiitake production, the sansho cultivation project was launched three years ago with support from the food group to create an additional local specialty.

A decisive factor behind the project is the non-overlapping harvest seasons of sansho and shiitake, along with the compatibility of existing shiitake-drying equipment for processing sansho berries.

The corporation plans to commercialize spices using the harvested berries, aiming to launch full-scale sales by the year after next.

Yūichi Okamoto, a third-generation shiitake farmer with over 50 years of experience, noted: "Unlike shiitake cultivation, which involves hauling heavy logs, sansho work is manageable even for my elderly mother. This offers promising prospects for supplemental household income."

Yūichi Okamoto of House Foods Group’s Spice Value Chain Procurement & Production Strategy Division added: "The newly harvested sansho delivers a citrus-like freshness with an exhilarating tingling sensation. We aspire to share the unique appeal of Takachiho-grown sansho with global audiences."