Kanzuri (寒造里, [kaɰ̃zɯɾi] KAHN-zoo-ri) is a type of Japanese fermented chili paste manufactured in Niigata Prefecture.

The crop is rinsed with sea water, ground with yuzu and kōji mold, then left to ferment in barrels.

In June or July, prior to the onset of peak summer heat, the barrels of fermenting tōgarashi are exposed to the air.

[5] During the coldest part of the year, typically around 20 January, the tōgarashi are then laid out on snow to dry for several days in a traditional process known as kanzarashi [ja] or yukisarashi (Japanese: 雪さらし).

[5] Traditionally, people from the Jōetsu region, which is known in Japan for its heavy snowfall, used kanzuri as a condiment that was thought to help warm up body temperature.

[1] Today, kanzuri is used in a wide variety of dishes, including ramen, miso soup, yakiniku, nabemono, nattō, and pasta.

[6] It is also used as a seasoning in snacks including kaki no tane,[8] senbei,[9] Kappa Ebisen,[10] instant yakisoba, ramen,[11] and chorizo.

[6] Local legend in Jōetsu ascribes the origin of kanzuri to Uesugi Kenshin, who is said to have introduced tōgarashi to the region from Kyoto.