64. Naturally brewed soy sauce 100ml

Soy sauce made with soul

The fourth-generation soy sauce brewer, Mr. Iwamoto, says, "I want to make real soy sauce." By "real," Mr. Iwamoto means "something with soul." Over the three days of koji-making, the brewers keep watch day and night, glaring at the thermometer, putting their hands in to check the temperature, and checking the condition of the koji with their eyes. They pick it up, check the aroma, feel the temperature...the brewers' five senses become expert sensors. Once they have made "good koji" with their skill and passion, they then hand it over to the power of nature.

Many yeasts and microorganisms live in the wooden barrels and storehouses, and over the course of nearly 100 years, they have created a unique ecosystem through repeated generations. It is precisely because of this soulfulness that soy sauce has such a deep flavor.

Handmade soy sauce made in Arita, Kishu, Wakayama Prefecture, the birthplace of soy sauce

They chose to build a brewery in this area in order to use the high-quality water that springs from the Kii Mountains and Mount Koya, which are home to the Kumano Kodo trails, a registered World Heritage site. Using traditional methods in large wooden barrels, they use whole soybeans from Hokkaido, wheat from Shiga Prefecture, and sun-dried salt from Nagasaki Prefecture, and by carefully aging the soy sauce for two years, the various flavors develop a well-rounded umami flavor, and the soy sauce pressed from them has an authentic taste.

This traditional soy sauce is characterized by its deep black color and strong, tangy soy sauce flavor, and we add Hon-mirin to it to reduce the saltiness and give it a mellow taste. Although we do add mirin, it is only about 2%. There are other breweries in Wakayama that use mirin, but adding only Hon-mirin is rare nationwide. It is recommended not only as a soy sauce for cooking, but also as a soy sauce for pouring over sake for those who don't like a strong saltiness.

Mild saltiness for a gentle taste

If you want to take advantage of the umami flavor of naturally brewed soy sauce, try using it in simmered dishes first. It contains a small amount of hon mirin, which gives it a mellow saltiness and a gentle taste. Its vivid color and beautiful appearance make it a great addition to kiriboshi daikon radish and oden. You can also mix soy sauce and dashi in moderate amounts instead of tempura sauce, and it goes great with eggs, so it goes well with egg-topped rice and kamatama udon.