M003 - Sanshô 山椒

Japanese pepper berry and leaf Menuki.

Menuki Omote: 39mm length, 13.5mm width, 4.5mm height

Menuki Ura: 40mm length, 13.5mm width, 4mm height

Sanshō (山椒) is a berry similar to Sichuan pepper, with a citrus smell.
This berry, growing in clusters at altitude, has been used for thousands of years for cooking preparations, medicine and even rituals.
It is a symbol of good omen, purifying and bringing prosperity to future generations.
Sanshō berries are also called Kinome (木の芽) (flower buds of trees). The word kinome is commonly used metaphorically to refer to something that, despite its small size, does not lack talent or efficiency.