Cut Japanese pepper - Kirizansho

A type of mochi confectionery. It is made by kneading new flour made from roasted sansho berries or sansho juice with sugar, steaming it, and pounding it in a mortar. It is called kiri sansho because it is cut into a clapper shape, but it is also called sansho mochi. When it is pounded in a mortar and then steamed and pounded again, it is called kneaded sansho, which is the finest kiri sansho and belongs to the category of gyuhi confectionery. Ordinary pounded kiri sansho hardens quickly, but the good flavor of eating it after it has hardened over a brazier has made it popular with the common people. Kiri sansho has been around since the Edo period, and is said to have been a favorite of the tea master Kobori Enshu. And during the Tenpo era (1830-1844), which is thought to be the period when gyuhi confectionery was perfected, the finest sansho mochi was also made.

There are many red and white New Year sweets, but there are also Kirizansho made with ground tea and brown sugar. They are also sold at Ebisuko, Tori no Ichi, and New Year's plays. Bairindo in Asakusa, Tokyo, famous for its Beniumeyaki sweets, sells Kirizansho only at Tori no Ichi.

[Fumio Sawa]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

餅(もち)菓子の一種。サンショウの実を炒(い)ったもの、あるいはサンショウの汁に砂糖を加えて新粉(しんこ)を練り、蒸してから臼(うす)で搗(つ)く。拍子木形に切るので切山椒の名があるが、山椒餅ともいう。臼で搗き上げたのちふたたび蒸して搗き直したものは練(ねり)山椒といい、切山椒としては極上品で求肥(ぎゅうひ)菓子の部類に入る。普通に搗いただけの切山椒は固くなるのも早いが、固くなったものを火鉢であぶって食べる風味のよさが、庶民に親しまれてきた。切山椒は江戸時代からあり、茶人小堀遠州好みと伝えられる。そして求肥菓子の完成期とみられる天保(てんぽう)年間（1830～44）には、極上の山椒餅もつくられた。

　新年の菓子で紅白のものが多いが、ひき茶や黒糖を用いた切山椒もある。夷講(えびすこう)や、酉(とり)の市、初芝居などにも売られた。紅梅焼で有名な東京・浅草の梅林堂では、酉の市にだけ切山椒を売り出す。

［沢　史生］

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