Gomashio (hiragana: ごま塩) is a dry condiment, similar to furikake, made from unhulled sesame seeds (ごま, goma) and salt (塩, shio).
[clarification needed] Gomashio is often homemade, though it is also commercially available in glass or plastic containers.
Gomashio is also a part of the macrobiotic diet, where it is used as a healthier alternative to ordinary salt.
Generally, the gomashio used in macrobiotic cuisine will contain less salt than traditional Japanese gomashio (a ratio of 18 parts sesame seeds to 1 part salt is recommended for some individuals with a particularly restricted diet) and made by hand grinding in a suribachi.
The word gomashio is also used in the Japanese language to describe a head of hair containing both white and black hair strands that intermingle, similar to the English idiom "salt and pepper".