Ponzu

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title: "Ponzu" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["japanese-condiments", "sauces", "citrus-dishes", "japanese-words-and-phrases"] description: "Japanese citrus-based condiment" topic_path: "geography/japan" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ponzu" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Japanese citrus-based condiment ::

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7b/ぽん酢.jpg" caption="ponzu}}"] ::

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/00/Canada_Prime_Beef_Tataki_with_ponzu_pearls_and_horseradish_(5895881268).jpg" caption="beef ''tataki''"] ::

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/64/Torafugu-kawapon_su.jpg" caption="[[fugu]]}}"] ::

() is a citrus-based sauce commonly used in Japanese cuisine. It is tart, with a thin, watery consistency. ja or is ponzu with soy sauce (ja) added, and the mixed dark brown product is widely referred to as simply ja.

The term originally came into the Japanese language as ja as a borrowing of the now obsolete Dutch word pons, meaning punch as in a beverage made from fruit juices. The sour nature of this sauce led to the final ja being written with the character , meaning "vinegar".

Ponzu is made by simmering mirin, rice vinegar, ja flakes (from tuna), and seaweed (ja) over medium heat. The liquid is then cooled, strained to remove the ja flakes, and finally the juice of one or more of the following citrus fruits is added: ja, ja, ja, ja, or lemon (or even grapefruit, lime, bergamot, etc).

Commercial ja is generally sold in glass bottles, which may have some sediment. ja is traditionally used as a dressing for ja (lightly grilled, then chopped meat or fish) and also as a dip for ja (one-pot dishes) such as ja. It is used as a dip for sashimi. In the Kansai region, it is offered as a topping for ja.

References

References

1. . (1988). "国語大辞典（新装版）". *Shogakukan*.
2. . (2006). "大辞林". *Sanseidō*.
3. . (1995). "大辞泉". *Shogakukan*.

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