Soy sauce is an indispensable fermented seasoning for the Japanese. Recently, however, the number of soy sauce breweries engaged in its production has been declining. There is concern that the traditional industry is in decline. In the midst of this situation, Mr. Yoshinori Jo of Mitsuru Soy Sauce Brewery in Itoshima City, Fukuoka Prefecture, has taken up the challenge of reviving traditional breweries and making soy sauce with his own hands.

Determined to make soy sauce when he learned that they were not brewing their own soy sauce

While there are many soy sauce makers in Japan, few of them are engaged in the entire process of soy sauce production, from raw material processing to pressing, and most of them purchase soy sauce called “kiage shoyu,” which is made from unprocessed, unfiltered soy sauce, from soy sauce cooperatives or makers, and only heat and season it themselves. The soy sauce is then heated and seasoned only by the company itself. This is largely due to the “Law for the Promotion of Modernization of Small and Medium Enterprises” enacted in 1963. At that time, the government subsidized local cooperatives and manufacturers to efficiently produce products essential to daily life. While capital investment accelerated large-scale production, many small breweries stopped brewing their own products and shifted to purchasing from suppliers. Mitsuru Soy Sauce was one such brewery.

Having grown up with the aroma of soy sauce from an early age, Mr. Shiro naturally thought he would take over the family business. However, when he visited a large factory of a soy sauce cooperative as part of his work experience at an agricultural high school, he learned about the specific manufacturing process of soy sauce for the first time. I smelled the steamed soybeans, learned about koji and moromi, and thought, “Soy sauce is amazing. On the other hand, I felt sad that I didn’t have my own home brewery, and I wanted to make my own soy sauce someday! I wanted to make my own soy sauce someday! After graduating from high school, he went on to study brewing at Tokyo University of Agriculture. He began to study soy sauce making all over again.

While still a student! and went on an apprenticeship at soy sauce breweries all over the country.

However, Mitsuru Soy Sauce had been out of the brewing business for more than 30 years, so he was unable to learn from his family and there were no brewing facilities in the factory. Under these circumstances, Mr. Shiro, who was still a student, came up with the idea of traveling to breweries across the country to learn about soy sauce making.

I had a clear idea of what I wanted to do when I entered university, so I worked hard in my classroom, and during spring break, which coincided with the soy sauce brewing period, I asked my university professor for introductions and soy sauce breweries I met at department store events to let me study here for one week. I asked them to let me study here for a week, and they accepted me. Once I joined the family business, it would be very difficult to ask other manufacturers for training, so I decided to go as far as I could, thinking that I could only do this while I was still a student.

Thus, by the time he graduated, he had visited seven breweries and learned about soy sauce production at each. After graduation, he spent a year working at Okamoto Soy Sauce in Hiroshima, and before returning to Itoshima, he enrolled in a food coordinator training school in Tokyo to learn more about soy sauce production and its surroundings. After returning to Fukuoka, he began to steadily prepare for the revival of his business.

He started by repairing the vats that had been lying dormant and building a koji mold room.

Mr. Shiro returned to his parents’ home with a full of energy, but even though he wanted to use the knowledge and experience he had gained, the brewing environment at his factory was not yet ready, so his first challenge was to set up facilities.

With the help of craftsmen, he repaired the wooden vats that had been sitting in the warehouse and built a new room for making koji. We didn’t even have a kettle for steaming soybeans, so we really needed the help of various professionals. For the wooden vats, we asked craftsmen from Fujii Seikosho, the only vat manufacturer in Japan that can produce large wooden vats using traditional methods, to come to our house in Osaka. They repaired the ones that could be used, but only two of the five that remained were usable. We started with those two and gradually increased the number of vats. In this way, the vats, which had been lying dormant for some time, were brought back to life, and brewing began for the first time in about 40 years.

From the past to the present. Yeast Links Soy Sauce Craftsmanship from Predecessors

When Mr. Shiro was in college, he took yeast from a pillar in the warehouse that had been covered with mash that had been scattered from the vats when Mitsuru Soy Sauce was brewing its own soy sauce in the past, cultivated it, and froze it. This yeast was used in the first brewing of Mitsuru Soy Sauce, thus connecting the history of Mitsuru Soy Sauce. Perhaps this was a factor in the success of the soy sauce, but when Mitsuru Soy Sauce released its first dark soy sauce, “Namaari,” in February 2013, it received praise from all over Japan. The soy sauce was praised by people from all over Japan.

Many food-savvy people introduced us, including people at the brewery where I trained, and the editors-in-chief of cooking magazines and writers I met during my time in Tokyo. The reputation of the product spread by word of mouth, and it came to be used at famous sushi restaurants and French restaurants.

The reason why he chose the brand name “Namaire,” is because he wanted to keep it simple, “There is a lot of information on the packaging of soy sauce that is particular about soy sauce, such as ‘domestic soybeans’ and ‘made in wooden vats. I wanted to keep it simple. I wanted to keep it simple. I used local ingredients from Itoshima, handmade koji, and wooden vat brewing, which is a traditional production method, and I chose the word “raw” to express the pure impression.

The ingredients are made in Itoshima and Okinawan salt. Tackling the challenge of pesticide-free soy sauce and new types of soy sauce

Eleven years have passed since the first shipment. Today, the soy sauce produced by Mr. Shiro is loved by many people and restaurants, especially in his hometown Fukuoka and Tokyo. The ingredients are locally grown soybeans (fukuyutaka) and wheat (minami no kaori) from Itoshima, and the salt is shimasu from Okinawa. They sell dark, light, and re-finish soy sauces, as well as a pesticide-free dark soy sauce and a light-colored soy sauce called “orange. We had been trying to produce the pesticide-free soy sauce with the cooperation of local farmers since the beginning, but we had to stop production due to soil problems, etc. When we met with cooking expert Yoshiko Tatsumi, she blackmailed us, saying, “Why don’t you make it? She then asked me, “Why don’t you make it? I was given such an opportunity and started making it again with pesticide-free soybeans grown in Kyushu. Orange is a new soy sauce that we started to sell in 2023, and it is pressed before the moromi begins to ferment with lactic acid bacteria and yeast. We think you will enjoy the new flavor of soy sauce,” he says. When you actually lick the orange, you will find that the flavor is strong but the aroma of soy sauce is not strong, and the sweetness unique to koji spreads. It tastes like a new seasoning that is soy sauce but not soy sauce.

After I started making soy sauce, I understood why so many people are leaving the soy sauce business. Even if you prepare it the old-fashioned way, it’s tough from a business standpoint, and it takes a lot of time and effort. It is not an easy job. But I still want to stick to handmade, in-house brewing. I want to make use of everything that is produced during the soy sauce making process, such as selling the moromi and processing the strained lees into furikake, and I want to pursue new soy sauce possibilities, such as orange. Mr. Shiro hopes to continue to make soy sauce on the current scale without expanding to a larger scale. It seems certain that many people in the soy sauce industry, the culinary industry, and repeat customers will continue to pay close attention to what kind of soy sauce Mitsuru Soy Sauce will be releasing in the future.

The post Yoshinori Shiro of Mitsuru Soy Sauce Brewery revives in-house brewing by starting from scratch / Itoshima City, Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan first appeared on NIHONMONO.

Okubo Brewery, located in Matsumoto City, Nagano Prefecture, is a soy sauce brewery that enjoys great support not only from its hometown in Shinshu, but also from famous soba noodle stores throughout Japan, from Hokkaido in the north to Kyushu in the south. Because of its popularity, many soba shops go to the trouble of putting up signs in their stores to emphasize that they use Okubo Brewery’s soy sauce as kaeshi (a seasoning for buckwheat noodles).

In 2021, Okubo Brewery won the “Omotenashi Selection,” an award established to discover and promote to the world Japan’s excellent products and services with a spirit of hospitality, The product was awarded the Gold Prize, beating out a host of superior products from all over Japan. This proves that Okubo Brewery can not only distribute its products to restaurants, but also compete with major grocery stores around the world, attracting even more attention. What kind of soy sauce production is Okubo Brewery aiming for as the leading brewery in Nagano Prefecture?

Individuality” created by tracing technology that has continued since the Meiji era

Okubo Brewery was established in 1905. As mentioned above, the soy sauce produced here is highly trusted by famous restaurants and cookery researchers. Katsumi Okubo, the fourth generation of the brewery’s family and the senior managing director, is still faithfully following the methods of his predecessors, even though he now plays a central role in the brewing process himself. The best example of this is the naturally brewed soy sauce, which is prepared in wooden vats.

The wooden vats that line the brewing room are old vats that have been used for generations. Stainless steel tanks, which are more common today, are more stable in taste and easier to manage and clean. However, Mr. Okubo insists on continuing to use wooden vats. The reason for this is the characteristics of wood, such as respiration and the bacteria that live in the vat. This is the factor that gives the flavor character and depth. Of course, unlike stainless steel tanks, wood is a natural material, so it is important to take care of it.

Katsumi’s father, Bunyasu, the president of the brewery, takes care of the wooden vats used in the brewery by lacquering them himself. There are 10 wooden vats, each more than twice his own height. It is hard work just to paint one vat, but even so, he says it is an essential part of his job to maintain the natural brewing process. This attitude toward work and behavior can be felt not only in the care of the wooden vats, but everywhere in the brewery. The cleanliness and well-maintained lines of communication that contradict the quaintness of the brewery are just one example of the daily attention to quality in areas other than brewing techniques.

Making the most effective use of the limited site

Katsumi, the fourth generation of the brewery owner, while giving a tour of his own brewery, said, “Our brewery doesn’t have much to offer in terms of appearance. It has been repeatedly expanded to its current form. He is modest. Indeed, some of the storehouses have a quaint atmosphere, while others are lined with large industrial machines. This is the result of his predecessor Bunyasu’s efforts to update his own brewery on a limited site, while preserving the good traditions built up over generations, and how to brew efficiently.

Soybeans and wheat are brought up from the material storehouse and processed on the third floor, then brought down to the second floor where the koji room is located, and further down to the wooden vats waiting on the first floor where they are prepared. It is a model of how to make soy sauce in a limited space. What really caught my attention were the two devices hanging from the ceiling on the third floor that pour roasted wheat into the koji making tanks. One might ask why separate machines are needed to pour the same wheat into different tanks, but the reason is said to be ease of mixing.

Wheat is the raw material for the koji making process, which is an important step in the production of soy sauce. The wheat is roasted and then ground, and the difference in the size of the wheat is more important than the uniformity of the size of the wheat, because it mixes better. The design of the machine is such that the ground wheat is moved along the rail right above the koji making tank, but the structure is such that the two machines switch conductors so that they do not obstruct each other’s paths on the rail. This is an original idea of Mr. Bunyasu’s, based on the switching structure of the rail track. By creating an efficient work flow, the brewery is able to minimize waste in the production process and use the extra resources for better soy sauce production.

Attention to Ingredients

In addition to the natural brewing process, which uses wooden vats to mature the soy sauce over a long period of time, and the use of koji mold to add fullness to the flavor, Okubo Brewery is also very particular about the ingredients it uses.

Wheat is grown in the prefecture. For salt, they use Shimamasu, which has a high mineral content and no salt angle. Of course, Okubo Brewery is very particular about its soybeans. The soybeans are purchased directly from a farmer in Aomori Prefecture named Takezo Fukushi. Although the name “Aomori” may not sound familiar, the quality of these soybeans, which are grown organically without pesticides and sown directly in the fertile soil of the Tohoku region without water, is evident from the moment the beans are washed.

The quality of the soybeans is such that even Mr. Okubo, who has seen and tasted many soybeans in his life, says, “These are beans that make you fall in love with them. Since encountering these soybeans, he feels that the reputation of soy sauce has improved even further. Whether it is these soybeans or the aforementioned wheat and salt, Katsumi is a firm believer in using only ingredients whose producers’ faces can be seen. This commitment is reflected in the high quality of his soy sauce.

Good Soy Sauce Production Starts with Environmental Considerations

Along with brewing techniques and ingredients, Okubo Brewery is also particular about one other thing. That is environmental friendliness. Soy sauce is made by the power of nature, including microorganisms, so Okubo-san and his son believe that it is important to keep “nature,” which is the source of soy sauce, beautiful.

Bunyasu-san has been using a deposit system since the 1960s, whereby he receives a deposit from his first customer and reuses the bottles. This is not only in the neighborhood, but anywhere in the country. By collecting bottles in this way instead of disposing of them at the place of shipment, he is helping to preserve the environment. Of course, what we can do on our own may be trivial. But it is better than nothing.

We believe that small steps are important in everything, and we have continued to do so until today. Now, Bunyasu’s philosophy has been taken over by Katsumi, who has begun to weave a new tradition at Okubo Brewery.

The post Okubo Brewery, a soy sauce brewery that enjoys great support from famous soba noodle restaurants and popular ryotei (Japanese-style restaurants) / Matsumoto City, Nagano Prefecture first appeared on NIHONMONO.

Yamamo Miso Soy Sauce Brewery: The Beginning of Change

The Minase River flows through the southern part of Akita Prefecture, descends through Koan Gorge, enriches the Inaniwa Udon noodle village, and joins the Naruse River in the town of Yuzawa. In 1867, Shigesuke Takahashi, the founder of Yamamo Miso & Soy Sauce Brewery, began making miso and soy sauce near the Minase River. The beautiful water was essential for miso and soy sauce production, and with the river nearby, the products could be transported by boat. After 150 years, Yasushi Takahashi, the seventh generation head of Yamamo Miso & Soy Sauce Brewery, has taken over the business. The name “Yasushi” (meaning “peace and quiet”) is inscribed in his name, but Yasushi first chose the path of change.

He had previously aspired to a career in architecture, but at the age of 27, he returned to Akita to take over the family business. His love for the brewery, which had unknowingly taken up residence in his heart, led him to make the decision: “If someone else is going to take over, I will take over, and if someone else is going to destroy it, it should be my generation. However, the small brewery in Akita, in the northern part of Japan, was feeling a sense of stagnation. Yasushi felt that this was not good enough. He himself was not attracted to the miso and soy sauce business. He decided that he had no choice but to change things himself, and began working alone on the rebranding of the company.

Taking on the challenge of going overseas and revamping the brewery

From the very beginning, he set his sights overseas. He was determined to take on the mission of communicating the proud traditions of Japanese culture to the rest of the world. The soy sauce labels were changed to Japanese-English, an official website was created in foreign languages, and the design that emerged from the process looked 180 degrees different from what had been done before, while retaining the good qualities of traditional industry. No, to the untrained eye, it only looked “different. He clashed with old employees and finally clashed with his parents. Even though he was exhausted and lost, the results of his work encouraged him. In his second year of overseas trade, he began doing business in Taiwan, and the following year he actively exhibited his products at overseas trade shows, making a full-fledged foray into overseas markets. In 2013, the company received the Good Design Award, and became an industry leader. The brewery has also revamped itself into a completely different type of hands-on brewery by planning factory tours that include the garden of the Takahashi family mansion, which has been carefully passed down from generation to generation. In addition, they opened the ” Yamamo Garden Cafe, ” which connects courses only with dishes using special yeast while enjoying the view of the garden.

Behind the transformation, the discovery of yeast “Viamver®” and new possibilities

Behind the cafe’s food offerings is the “test brewing” that Yasu-san has continued to conduct behind the scenes of innovation in a traditional industry. Since taking over the company, Mr. Yasu has experimented with various methods, such as actively using bacteria used in industries other than miso and soy sauce, and adopting technological applications from other industries. These unprecedented experiments led to the discovery that the company’s own special brewer’s yeast strains produce a large amount of umami. Furthermore, many of the yeast strains used in miso brewing are said to be halophilic, meaning that they are active in environments where salt is present. However, this yeast is not only halophilic, but can also live and work without salt, and is a special type of fungus capable of producing nearly 6% alcohol. The yeast, which was discovered through 10 years of trial brewing, was named “Viamver® ” and will be presented at the “Japanese Society of Brewing Science and Technology” in 2020, and will be present in 2022. In 2022, the company was granted a patent for the existence of the microorganism and a manufacturing method for fermented products using the yeast. Using this new yeast, the company has succeeded in converting it into a new fermented seasoning and in brewing natural wine with Viamver® yeast. Currently, the company is also capable of producing bread, butter, and cheese. Furthermore, they are challenging the possibilities of Viamver® yeast by brewing natural beer and doburoku using the same yeast.

Beyond Tradition and Innovation

Yamamo Garden Cafe offers full-course meals using Viamver® yeast not only for meat and fish dishes, but also for desserts and drinks. The company sees pairings and course meals using a single yeast as a new possibility for fermentation, and is working to create an auberge that invites people from Japan and abroad. The brewery offers tours of its atmospheric brewery to give visitors a glimpse of the history of the brewery. He also invites visitors to learn about the evolution of fermented seasonings through cooking while admiring the beautiful garden. Mr. Tai believes that these experiences will help the brewery to remain in people’s memories for a long time and to be loved by them. This is because he believes that the essence of inheriting and passing on the ideas of his predecessors, who have spun out a long tradition, is to remain in people’s memories. Mr. Yutaka adds new scenes to the traditional brewery one after another. He hopes to revitalize the community by fusing tradition, which demands “staying the same,” with innovation, which requires “creating something new,” and hopes to weave a new tradition in the area where he was born and raised. We cannot wait to see what innovations he will continue to bring to the Yamamo Miso Soy Sauce Brewery, and how far its products will go beyond the boundaries of traditional industry.

read more

“Shottsuru”, One of the 3 Great Fish Sauces of Japan, Moroi Jouzoujo Co., Ltd. Fish Sauce Handed Down in Japanese History Seasoning sauce made with fish is popular in South East Asia. Fish sauce has been used in many countries, such as …

read more

Ishimago Honten “Akita miso” “Kura” Designated as Cultural Property As soon as you step into the ”kura”, you will notice its beauty. The 6 ”kura” are designated Tangible Cultural Propert…

The post Yamamo Miso Soy Sauce Brewery / Yuzawa City, Akita Prefecture, Japan first appeared on NIHONMONO.

Maruhide shoyu – Natural Brewing

Only soybeans, wheat, salt, and water. Maruhide shoyu, a long-established soy sauce brewery in Saga City, Saga Prefecture, established in 1901, insists on natural brewing and two-year aging, which is rare these days.
The soy sauce sold in general is fermented by artificially adding lactic acid bacteria or yeast, or by controlling the temperature of the mash to force fermentation. In this way, the soy sauce is ready in about three to five months, but we use only natural bacteria that live in the brewery, so it takes two years to ferment. It is an old-fashioned way of making soy sauce, but naturally brewed soy sauce made this way has a fruity aroma.

Mellow and refreshing Maruhide soy sauce

Put the soy sauce in a wine glass and enjoy its aroma. Indeed, the aroma of the soy sauce here is different from that of ordinary soy sauce; it is mellow and refreshing. The richness and umami that lies behind the aroma can also be felt. The aroma is better after three years of fermentation, but the umami flavor is lost. The ingredients are also carefully selected, and only whole soybeans are used. The wheat is locally grown in Saga.

Healthy Fermented Foods

It is true that sweet soy sauce is delicious, but when you want to enjoy the taste of the ingredients themselves, such as in protein-rich fish sashimi, naturally fermented soy sauce is the way to go. We also make sweet soy sauce for the local market, but we add amazake to it so that the flavor of the soy sauce itself is not compromised.
Increasingly, television programs and magazines are introducing the health benefits of consuming fermented foods. Fermenting food increases its shelf life, so it has been used as a preservative food since the days when there were no refrigerators. In addition, it also helps the intestines to digest food. In addition, the popularity of restaurants featuring fermented foods is increasing, especially among health-conscious people, as fermented foods help the intestines digest and boost the immune system.

Fermented foods familiar to us on a daily basis

When we think of fermented foods, we probably think of soy sauce, miso, natto, etc. Cheese, pickles, dried bonito flakes are also fermented foods. Cheese, pickles, dried bonito flakes are also fermented foods, as are sake, black tea, oolong tea, etc. In fact, Japanese people eat many fermented foods on a daily basis. In fact, Japanese people eat many fermented foods on a daily basis.
Marushu uses ten kinds of Japanese grains, including soybeans, barley, red rice, black rice, green rice, pigeon pea, millet, and Japanese millet, and each of these grains has its own koji mold attached to it, giving it a deep flavor.

Superb soy sauce that sticks to the old-fashioned way

The wood is cooked on the first floor of the five-story building, and the dried bonito is smoked one floor at a time, taking about a month to reach the desired level of dryness,” said Takeuchi.
A tour of the brewery, lined with large wooden barrels, revealed a rich aroma of fermenting malt. The bacteria that live in this well-worn warehouse and the craftsmanship of the artisans who carefully craft each ingredient and process make the finest soy sauce.

The post Maruhide shoyu, a long-established soy sauce brewery that insists on natural brewing with a two-year aging process first appeared on NIHONMONO.

Soy sauce plays a supporting role. However, the taste of both the ingredients and the dish will change dramatically depending on the soy sauce. Tasting the soy sauce at Matsumoto Shoyu Shoten, I was reminded of the depth of this seasoning.

Matsumoto Soy Sauce Shop has a long history.

One street off the main street of Kawagoe, a “little Edo” district crowded with tourists, is Matsumoto Soy Sauce Shop, which has a history of about 250 years. The store facing the street sells a wide variety of soy sauce-related products, including not only soy sauce, but also soy sauce-based dressings, rice crackers, pickles, and soy sauce ice cream such as gelato. Matsumoto Shoyu Shoten’s recommended product is ” Hatsukari Soy Sauce. This soy sauce is made with a lot of time and effort, and is known to be a favorite among restaurants throughout the country.

Matsumoto Soy Sauce Shop’s specialties and “Hatsukari Soy Sauce

Matsumoto Shoyu Shoten is committed to using locally produced ingredients, and uses groundwater from Chichibu to make soy sauce the old-fashioned way. Although we do not produce a large amount of soy sauce, we do not use any additives, and our top priority is to provide safe and reliable soy sauce, ” says Kihisa Higuchi of Matsumoto Shoyu Shoten.

In 1764, the wealthy merchant Yokota Gorobei began producing soy sauce, and in 1889, Matsumoto Shinjiro, the founder, took over the business, giving birth to Matsumoto Soy Sauce Shop. Entering the warehouse, which was built in 1868, one is enveloped by the gentle and mellow aroma of soy sauce. The 30 cedar vats lined up in the storehouse are also 180 years old. While soy sauce produced by machines is shipped after about six months, the soy sauce here is matured slowly over the course of a year. Hatsukari Soy Sauce, a speciality of the brewery, is re-brewed for another year to give it a mellow flavor.

Our soy sauce is made in this warehouse and cedar vats. The yeast and lactic acid bacteria that live in these vats give our soy sauce its mild flavor.

Just like a sake brewery that produces delicious sake, this soy sauce brewery is old, but not “old-fashioned” at all. When you take a sip of the moromi, you will taste the umami first, rather than the salty taste. For example, the same fish sashimi tastes much better with this soy sauce. As long as the wooden vats in this brewery are healthy, you will be able to enjoy this flavor. I hope that the traditional way of making soy sauce will be passed down to the next generation, and above all, I hope that the company will continue to devote all of its passion and skill to making soy sauce. Matsumoto Shoyu Shoten offers tours of their traditional soy sauce brewery.

You can also find more information here.

あわせて読みたい

Yoshiaki Hiruma, Hiruma-en, Tea Studio Hirumaen / Iruma City, Saitama Prefecture, Japan Hirumaen Tea Studio is run by the owner of Hirumaen, who is also known as “Kyokuchajin. Hirumaen is a relatively new tea farm in Iruma City, Saitama Prefectu…

Read more

Crunchy and hard toasted. Traditional Soka Senbei rice crackers “Soka Senbei Ikedaya” “Senbei” shop is “dango” shop? ”Senbei” shop is ”dango” shop?Ikedaya was founded in 1865. It is a long established ”senbei (rice cracker) ” shop with 150 yea…

The post Hatsukari Soy Sauce – Hatsukari Soy Sauce, Matsumoto Soy Sauce Shoten, Yoshihisa Higuchi / Kawagoe City, Saitama Prefecture, Japan first appeared on NIHONMONO.

Located in Soma City, Fukushima Prefecture, a prosperous castle town, is Yamagataya Shoten, a small soy sauce and miso brewery that has been in business for about 150 years. Founded in 1863, the company has been in business under the name “Yamabun. The fifth-generation owner, Kazuo Watanabe, is the man behind this long-established business, which has been loved under the name “Yamabun. In the six years since he became the owner, he has won the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries Award, the highest award at the National Soy Sauce Competition, which has been held since 1973, four times. The name is spreading throughout the country.

Nationally Recognized Soy Sauce from the Fukushima Method

The wooden house has a time-honored charm. The storefront boasts an array of products, including shoyu, miso, koji (malted rice), amazake (sweet sake), and sagohachi (koji pickles). Hidetoshi Nakata turned his gaze toward the back of the store, following the aroma of the miso.
You also sell miso by weight,” Nakata said.
Kazuo Watanabe, the owner of the store, nodded smilingly and offered him a sample. We start with a taste of their signature product, Yamabun Honjozo Tokusen Soy Sauce. The deep, mellow umami and appetizingly savory flavor spreads in the mouth.

The process of making shoyu begins with the preparation of koji (malted rice) from soybeans and wheat. The malted rice is then used to brew the moromi, which is aged for six months and pressed to make kiage, or raw soy sauce, a labor-intensive and costly process.
In an effort to ease the burden on breweries, Fukushima Prefecture has decided to establish an integrated production system at its kiage factory. The Fukushima method of centralizing the production of namaage, pioneered in Japan, has spread to other parts of the country. Today, half of all shoyu sold on the market is made using this method.
There are various types of namaage, such as round soybeans and dark soybeans, and Fukushima Prefecture offers several types of namaage for each type. By combining them, it is possible to create a brewery’s own unique flavor.

Polished secret techniques enhance the flavor.

After the soy sauce is cooked, each brewery performs a fire-working process, which is said to be the most important step in bringing out the best of the shoyu. Mr. Watanabe takes us on a tour of the factory, explaining the ingenuity of each brewery.
The secret of adding “kaeshi” has been passed down from generation to generation at Yamagataya. The mirin (sweet sake) is boiled down, sugar and shoyu are added, and the mixture is left to simmer for 10 days before adding the kaeshi, which is added just before the temperature reaches 80°C. “Some of the brewers I know also use kaeshi,” says Watanabe. This is a unique technique that even the brewers I know have never heard of, but it adds depth of flavor and aroma to the finished product,” he says.
The process of heating the soy sauce over a period of time and then raising the temperature allows the higa, or aromatic flavor, to become more pronounced and to persist.
What kind of dishes does this shoyu go well with?
Mr. Watanabe thinks for a moment before answering, “Since it’s a shoyu from the sea, it goes well with fish,” he says. He recommends it for boiled fish such as flounder.
The color, shine, and taste are so good, and it doesn’t fall apart easily, that some professionals, including inns and Japanese restaurants, say they can’t use any other soy sauce,” he says.
In recent years, orders from all over Japan have been increasing due to the good results of the product at the competition. Mr. Watanabe’s smile is as happy as ever that the local people are so pleased with his product.
In the old days, every castle town had a brewery. In the old days, every castle town had its own brewery, and Soma used to be lined with many of them, but now it is the only one. I would like to pass on the castle town of Soma to the next generation through the taste of my hometown and its food culture of shoyu and miso.

The post Yamagataya Shoten, a soy sauce and miso warehouse that has been in business for about 150 years / Soma City, Fukushima Prefecture first appeared on NIHONMONO.

“Miso” that can be eaten as is

Sendai ”miso” is a type of ”miso” which is made using the method from the brewery Masamune Date established near Sendai Castle to make ”miso”. Sendai ”miso” is salty and reddish in color, and has a rich flavor. It is also called ”namemiso”, because you can eat it as is.

The brewery of “Sendai Miso” has a long history.

We visited Konno Jyouzou Co., Ltd. which makes Sendai ”miso”. The company has more than 100 years of history since its foundation, but it used to be a soy sauce manufacturer. ””Miso” used to be something you made at home.” Akio Konno, the president of the company who showed us around told us. Konno began making ”miso” after he took over as president.

How Sendai “miso” is made.

Sendai ”miso” is made of soybeans and ”rice-koji”. When Konno Jyouzou Co., Ltd. started ”miso” production, even the domestic soybeans were not always of good quality. So they started cultivating their own soybean, asked for help from the local farmers to teach them about soybean growing, and started making ”miso”.
We visited the ”miso” factory, escorted by the factory manager, Goto. He climbed up a huge tank, took off the cover carefully, and presented Nakata with a handful of ”miso”.
”Have a taste. And smell it.”
It was ”miso” in the very beginning stages of maturing. It tasted still young. The aroma of soybeans was still strong.
”It will be allowed to mature for a long time, and the depth of taste and ”umami” will be brought out.” commented Goto. To make ”Especially for You”, one of the most popular products at Konno Jyouzou Co., Ltd., it takes two to three times longer to mature than standard products.
”Good ”miso” also looks good. And the reverse is also true. I can tell immediately that if it’s good when I see it.” Goto added, as he put the cover back on. The appearance and taste are proportional. He can also tell how much it has matured by the appearance.

Drink soy sauce?

We were shown to a different place for tasting ”miso”. When ”miso” is dissolved in hot ”dashi” water, we could appreciated the depth of Sendai ”miso”. ”Dashi” made from bonito goes best with Sendai ”miso”, we were told.
After ”miso” tasting, we had a very interesting experience. Tasting soy sauce.

Several bottles of soy sauce stood in a row and we had a taste comparison. It was interesting that Nakata and other members of the staff all chose different soy sauce as their favorite. According to Goto, soy sauce has so much variety in taste, sweet, salty, and others throughout the country, with many varieties just in the Tohoku area. For example, in and around Akita, a sweeter sauce is preferred. There is a tendency that ”amakuchi” is preferred in areas closer to the sea. Preference varies from region to region.

Different soy sauce for different food

Nakata commented ”The sauce I like is different when tasted on its own and when eaten with ”sashimi.” We normally don’t drink soy sauce straight. We usually dip some kind of food in the sauce.”
”That’s true. We usually dip something in soy sauce or pour it over food. We must always keep that in mind. I think there should be many kinds of soy sauce.”

Konno Jyouzou Co., Ltd. produces about 15 varieties of soy sauce to suit different situations. They even have soy sauce especially for ”sushi”. We often see soy sauce for ”sashimi” but not very often for ”sushi”.
The taste of food changes when the soy sauce changes. Different people have different preferences. If you try tasting different soy sauce varieties and figure out your preference, it may broaden your views about the whole food culture.

The post Beautiful “miso” is delicious “miso” – “Sendai Miso Konno Jyouzou” first appeared on NIHONMONO.

Miso and Soy Sauce Brewery with 250 years of history

Founded in 1755, this is a well established store covering 12 generations including the current owner. Since its inception, they have continued to brew soy sauce and ”miso” for more than 250 years. Wakaki Shoten’s flagship product, ”Wakaki Naturally Brewed Soy Sauce” is a gem, made from top quality local Aizu soybeans. ”Wakaki Handmade Kura Miso” also uses soybeans from Aizu. Everything has been carefully made with local ingredients, and the taste is rooted in local culture. The history of 250 years is also visible in the storefront.

The old look of the building

The store building was built as a Western style grocery store in 1931, and the ceiling is coated with plaster, retaining the atmosphere of the good old days. At the back of the store, there is a brick warehouse where the products are made. It is a three story tool warehouse, and two story residence. The entire residence building is built with persimmon (Shimakaki) trees. Many guests of importance were entertained in the guest room, but the materials are no longer available, making it even more valuable. The building and store are designated Tangible Cultural Assets. The brick layers are symbolic of the Meiji era, making both buildings masterpieces.

A nostalgic Showa House

”Wakaki Showakan” also has a nostalgic feel with traditional candy and other sundries on display. The former soy sauce factory with the fermenting room or ”muro” was transformed into a candy and Japanese goods store. The inside of the store had a definite retro feel, and one can’t help feeling nostalgic. Behind the store master, Shinichiro Kabuki, hung a wooden sign board which used to be on the storefront of the original Wakaki Shoten. Needless to say, the letters were written from the right. (Closed in winter.)
The brewery was started in the Edo period. They have remained in Aizu during their entire history from Meiji, to Taisho to Showa. The brewery is rooted in the locality and is a throwback to its history.

The post Brewery with traces of history “Wakaki Shoten Co., Ltd.” first appeared on NIHONMONO.

Brewery in Chita Peninsula

The most famous ”miso” of Aichi is the ”Hatcho miso” of Okazaki. However, Okazaki is not the only place in Aichi red ”miso” is produced. Here in Chita Peninsula, there are many breweries that produce delicious red ”miso”. ”Ito Shoten” is located in Taketoyo town of Chita ward, where about 50 ”miso” breweries used to be in operation. The remnants of the can be seen in ”Miso Brewery Lane”. It is a path designated to track the landscape of the old brewery town. The path map can be downloaded from the Taketoyo-cho website （http://www.town.taketoyo.lg.jp/yousiki/download_index.htm）. Buildings made of bricks with black fences line the area surrounding the old breweries, giving it a quaint atmosphere fit for a nice a walk. The entire route is about 30 minutes, ideal for a stroll while enjoying the scenery.

Making exquisite “tamari”

”Ito Shoten” is situated in one corner of this town, a well-established brewery with a history of 200 years since its foundation. Their main products, ”Den-emon miso” and ”Den-emon tamari” are named after their founder. They stick to the traditional process, and allow ”miso” and ”tamari” to mature for three years in cedar casks. In addition, ”tamari” is made by squeezing the fermented soybeans, just as in making ”soybean miso”, so only a small quantity can be made even after 3 years of fermentation. It is concentrated down to one fourth of the ”soybean miso” during the squeezing process.

Because of the long maturation period, ”Den-emon Tamari” has a very mellow, yet rich taste. The difference between ”tamari” and soy sauce is that ”tamari” is sweeter and has a glaze, and it is often used as soy sauce for ”sashimi”. However, it is also suitable for ”nimono” dishes, seasoned rice and teriyaki, as ”tamari” will bring out the flavor of each ingredient. It is a great product to add to your everyday home cooking.

The post “Tamari”, delicious concentrated miso! “Ito Shoten Denemon Miso” first appeared on NIHONMONO.

Following their philosophy of “natural fermentation”

”Noda Miso Shoten” produces soybean ”miso”, a specialty of Aichi. The soybean ”miso” of Aichi is called ”Hatcho miso”. The ingredients are only soybeans, salt, ”koji”, and water. Hatcho miso is matured for a long time, so the taste differs by brewery. ”Masuzuka Miso” is a brand of ”miso” sold by Noda Miso Shoten, and has been a local favorite for a long time.

”Noda Miso Shoten” is very particular about preserving the ancient method of ”miso” making. In recent years many breweries control the temperature artificially in order to accelerate the activity of ”koji”, but at ”Noda Miso Shoten”, they believe in natural fermentation. Allowing the ”miso” to mature slowly but surely in time with the four seasons, it becomes mellow, and acquires a deep sweetness.

Making “miso” big new casks

The huge barrels used for maturing are, of course, all made of wood. Craftsmen who make wooden barrels are quickly decreasing, so the 400 barrels the brewery possesses are used with great care, being repaired as needed. In 2007, they acquired a new wooden barrel for the first time in 60 years. More than 70 Mikawa cedar trees, 80 to 90 years old, were cut down and brought from the mountains to make this single barrel. The barrel will be used to make ”miso” in the ”kura” at ”Noda Miso Shoten” for the next 150 years. There is a lot more involved in ”miso” making than one would imagine. It’s about Japanese sincerity and the eternal flow of time.

The post Miso created over the seasons “Noda Miso Shoten Masuzuka Mis” first appeared on NIHONMONO.