Red pepper is one of the most popular spices in the world with a wide range of usage.

Since powdered red pepper and its products are the main products of our company, we would like to talk about its history and varieties.

　Mexico is the country of origin of red pepper. Central and South America is widely known for its production.
The history of its cultivation goes back to as early as before the Inca Empire. It is said that in the ancient days red pepper was widely cultivated and used extensively as a spice and as a medicine as well.
　Red pepper was brought back to Spain and introduced to the western hemisphere by Columbus in 1493 when he returned from his first expedition. There are several opinions regarding its introduction to Japan. One of them is that the Portuguese brought it into Japan in 1542 (Tenmon 11), when their vessel were cast away off the cost of Tanegashima, Kyushu. This is the year when guns were first introduced to Japan by them.
We call red pepper togarashi in Japanese. Since to means China, we tend to falsely assume that it came from China. In fact it came to Japan earlier than it was introduced to China. It was around 1620 toward the end of the Ming dynasty when red pepper was brought into China.
　No other spices are more widely grown and consumed in Iarger quantities than red pepper. It is because its seeds are easy to carry and also red pepper itself has an ability to adapt to new environments.
　Inari Togarashi made in Yamashiro in the western part of Japan is a speciality of red pepper as opposed to Shisozuke (pickles) produced in Nikko and Kunousan in the eastern part of Japan. Red pepper has different names according to where it is grown and its qualities and usage also vary. Some of the varieties of red pepper are Takanotsume, Hontaka, Mitaka, Daruma and Yatsufusa varieties which include Yatsufusa, Nagayatsufusa and Daiyatsufusa. These are hot pepper. Varieties of mild pepper include Fushimiama, Shishi, Large ball and Squash. Enomi, Goshiki and Hoshitogarashi are for decorative use.
　Recently products like extracted red pepper oil and Oleoresin Which is an extracted pungent component (Capsaicin) are imported and used in foodstuffs, medicine and alchohole.