Japanese Eagle Claw

Japanese Eagle Claw is the Japanese chilli better known as Takanotsume, literally meaning hawk claw, a name taken from the small pointed fruit shape. It is a Japanese Capsicum annuum landrace with a long history in Japan, and 18th-century references already describe it as a distinct chilli praised for eating quality. A modern genomic study describes it as a popular Japanese landrace, notes that its pedigree is unclear, and records it as a thin-fleshed spice pepper whose derivative lines, including Hontaka and Daruma, spread across Japan.

The plant is compact to medium in size, commonly around 45.5 to 80 cm tall, with green foliage and upright fruit set. The pods are thin-fleshed, claw-shaped, and usually about 4 to 7.5 cm long and 6 to 9.5 mm wide. They begin green and mature bright red, growing in upright clusters that give the plant a strong ornamental look as well as a practical spice yield.

Japanese Eagle Claw has a firm place in Japanese food culture. It is widely used fresh or dried, and is especially associated with shichimi togarashi, where dried ripe fruit is ground or blended as the chilli component. It is also used whole or dried in stir-fries, pickles, and other dishes where a clean, sharp heat is wanted rather than a heavy smoky flavour. Public descriptions repeatedly present it as one of the best-known and most widely eaten hot chillies in Japan, valued for its strong heat, fast drying, and reliable production.