Japan’s homegrown peppers can pack an unsuspecting punch

Spice lovers, beware: Even Japan's mild peppers can sometimes hide a piquant surprise. | MAKIKO ITOH

Sep 13, 2026

Spiciness isn’t a flavor that usually comes to mind when you think of the average Japanese dish, but even so, peppers have a long history in the country.

Capsicum peppers were introduced to Japan in the 16th century, and by the Edo Period (1603-1867), two distinctly Japanese varieties had become established. The first is the small, fiery-hot takanotsume chili pepper. About 2 to 5 centimeters long, the name of this spicy hot pepper means “hawk’s talons” because the sharp, curved fruit is said to resemble the claw of a bird of prey.

The second locally cultivated heirloom pepper is the shishitō (literally, “lion’s head“) — so named because the fruit’s bumpy exterior mirrors the noggin of a shishi (a mythical lionlike guardian beast). Although most shishitō are quite mild, you may occasionally run across one that is quite spicy. This random trait was never bred out of the variety — on the contrary, fans of the peppers rather look forward to being taken unawares by a particularly piquant shishitō.

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