Takanotsume

Takanotsume is a Japanese Capsicum annuum cultivar whose name means hawks claw, referring to the sharp, upward pointing shape of the ripe pods. It is widely recognised in Japanese horticulture and seed catalogues as a distinct hot cooking chilli.

Plants are compact, typically reaching about 45 to 60 centimetres in height. Pods are upright and slender, usually around 5 to 7.5 centimetres long and 6 to 9 millimetres wide, ripening from green to bright red. Harvest is generally midseason, around 70 to 80 days after transplanting.

Heat descriptions consistently describe Takanotsume as very hot. Many pepper heat lists place it close to 90,000 SHU, with most published estimates clustering between about 90,000 and 100,000 SHU. A single value of 90000 SHU is used here to reflect the most commonly cited figure.

Takanotsume is strongly associated with Japanese cooking, where it is used fresh or dried to season broths, sauces, stir fried dishes, and condiments. Its shape and heat level make it suitable for drying into flakes or powders used in soups, noodle dishes, and pickles.

Although widely used in Japan, there is no clear documentation tying it to an ancient folk cultivar name. It appears in mid 20th century Japanese horticultural and seed listings and has since been adopted internationally as a named chilli type.