04. Hyakuju 100ml

A long-established Akita store that makes soy sauce using only human eyes and hands, without relying on machines

You can't make good soy sauce without good koji... That's why making koji in winter is said to be the most important part of soy sauce production. Making koji using koji lids requires a lot of manpower and effort, as you have to rearrange hundreds of koji lids and loosen the koji inside by hand one by one.

At Ishimagoto Honten, the mountains of koji lids are still in use, and visitors are amazed at the museum-like sight. The roaster that roasts the wheat needed to make koji is a brick-built machine that has been in use since the Taisho era, and the heat source is coal! The storehouse and tools are also old and repaired, but they continue to be used with care.

A versatile, traditional dark soy sauce

This dark soy sauce is naturally brewed in a huge wooden barrel of 30 koku (approximately 5,000 liters) using whole soybeans and wheat from Akita Prefecture. The soothing aroma that fills the air is the same as that found in Ishimagoto Honten's brewery, and the taste is strong yet refreshing, making it the ultimate traditional soy sauce! We recommend this as your first bottle of Shokunin Soy Sauce.

Goes well with butter, such as on buttered potatoes or toast.

The classic potato butter recipe is made by washing the whole potato thoroughly, wrapping it in plastic wrap and putting it in the microwave for 3 minutes. All you have to do is put butter on top and pour soy sauce over it. The soy sauce used in the butter is always delicious and irresistible for potato lovers. The unexpected combination of soy sauce on toast is also not to be underestimated. The subtle aroma of soy sauce is added to the bread, and the synergistic effect with the butter creates an addictive taste that you will never be able to describe.

The smooth richness of the butter and the refreshing saltiness of Hyakuju are a perfect match. Why not try other butters?

The classic vinegar and soy sauce for gyoza

I've tried a variety of vinegar and soy sauces to go with gyoza, but the vinegar and soy sauce made with dark soy sauce is the most reliable. Every brand has a good balance with the vinegar, and you can enjoy it without any discomfort. In particular, the vinegar and soy sauce made with Hyakuju has a unique aroma that makes the most of Hyakuju's unique aroma, and you won't feel unsatisfied even when paired with gyoza.

Rice cooked with ingredients that give off a nostalgic aroma

The versatile Hyakuju can be used as a dipping or marinade, and you can also enjoy its wonderful aroma when used in cooking.

White soy sauce or light soy sauce are also recommended for seasoned rice, but depending on the ingredients, you may want to use a stronger soy sauce flavor and enjoy the scorched rice. If you cook it in a clay pot, you'll be enchanted by the aroma that comes with the steam when you open the lid.