紫蘇
しそ
shiso
= shiso; perilla; Japanese basil (herb)
紫蘇 (shiso) is a fragrant Japanese herb — sometimes called ‘Japanese basil’ or perilla in English — with a distinctively bold, slightly minty, slightly anise-like flavor that is entirely its own. Green shiso (青じそ, ao-jiso) and red shiso (赤じそ, aka-jiso) are both essential to Japanese cuisine: green shiso as a fresh garnish, sashimi wrapper, and tempura leaf; red shiso as the coloring agent in 梅干し (umeboshi — pickled plum) and 紅しょうが (beni-shoga — red pickled ginger).
Shiso (紫蘇) refers to the perilla plant (Perilla frutescens) used as a culinary herb in Japan. Two main varieties: 青じそ (ao-jiso — green shiso) — used fresh as 薬味 (yakumi — condiment/garnish) for sashimi, tataki, and somen noodles, also used in 天ぷら (tenpura — tempura), 巻き寿司 (maki-zushi — sushi rolls), and sauces. 赤じそ (aka-jiso — red shiso) — used to color and flavor 梅干し (umeboshi), 紫蘇ジュース (shiso juusu — shiso juice/syrup), and pickling liquids. Also: 大葉 (ooba — literally ‘big leaf’) is the commercial/culinary name for green shiso in grocery stores.
In Japanese grocery stores, green shiso is almost always sold under the name 大葉 (ooba — big leaf) rather than 青じそ or しそ — this commercial name is the one you’ll see on the label. However, in menus, recipes, and food discussion, 紫蘇 or しそ is more common. Shiso has a strong flavor that doesn’t work for everyone at first — it pairs especially well with fatty foods like sashimi, tempura, and yakitori. The essential oil in shiso (perillaldehyde) is what creates its distinctive scent.
紫蘇 (shiso) combines 紫 (murasaki/shi — purple) + 蘇 (so — to revive, to restore). The 紫 (purple) element likely refers to red shiso’s purple-red color. 蘇 (revive) may reference a legend that shiso saved lives — one origin story says Chinese monks were revived from food poisoning by shiso, giving rise to its name. Alternatively, it may simply be a phonetic-semantic compound from Chinese botanical naming.
Everyday use
刺身にしそをのせて食べると風味がぐっと増す。
Sashimi ni shiso wo nosete taberu to fuumi ga gutto masu.
Placing shiso on top of sashimi significantly enhances the flavor.
Casual / Social Media
今年も赤しそジュース作った。梅仕事と一緒にやるの恒例になってる
Kotoshi mo aka-shiso juusu tsukutta. Ume-shigoto to issho ni yaru no koureiにnatte ru
Made red shiso juice again this year. Doing it together with the umeboshi work has become our annual tradition
Formal / Cultural context
青じそ（大葉）はペリルアルデヒドを主成分とする精油を含み、その独特の香気は刺身・天ぷら・そうめんなどの薬味として用いられ、脂肪の多い食材との相性が特に良い。また抗菌活性が確認されており、刺身の下に敷く習慣にはこの抗菌効果を利用した実用的背景があるとも言われている。
Ao-jiso (ooba) wa periru-arudehido wo shu-seibun to suru seiyu wo fukumi, sono dokutoku no kouki wa sashimi tenpura soomen nado no yakumi toshite mochiirarete, shibou no ooi shokuzai to no aishou ga toku ni yoi. Mata kookin kassei ga kakunin sarete ori, sashimi no shita ni shiku shukan ni wa kono kookin kouka wo riyou shita jitsuyou-teki haikei ga aru to mo iwarete iru.
Green shiso (ooba) contains essential oil with perillaldehyde as a main component, whose distinctive fragrance is used as a condiment/garnish for sashimi, tempura, somen noodles, and pairs especially well with fatty foods. Additionally, antibacterial activity has been confirmed, and the custom of placing it under sashimi is said to have a practical background utilizing this antibacterial effect.
Shiso is one of Japan’s essential 薬味 (yakumi — aromatic condiments). Japanese cuisine features a distinct category of fresh aromatic garnishes added to dishes just before eating: ネギ (negi — green onion), ショウガ (shouga — ginger), ミョウガ (myouga — Japanese ginger bud), ワサビ (wasabi), and しそ are the core members. These yakumi are not just flavor enhancers — they also serve hygienic functions (antibacterial properties) and digestive functions (stimulating appetite and digestion). This culinary philosophy of combining nourishment with medicine is expressed in the concept of 医食同源 (ishoku dougen — food and medicine share the same source).
The annual 梅仕事 (ume-shigoto — plum work) is a beloved Japanese seasonal ritual, and red shiso is its essential ingredient. In June, Japanese households that make their own 梅干し (umeboshi — pickled plums) go through a multi-week process: salt-pressing the ume plums, adding 赤じそ (red shiso) to color and flavor them, then drying them in the summer sun. The red shiso turns the brine a deep crimson and gives umeboshi their characteristic color and complex, herbal-pickled flavor. This seasonal work connects modern Japanese households to centuries of food preservation tradition.
Disclosure: This site may contain affiliate links. We may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.