About soy sauce

Fermented in cedar barrels since 1897

The authentic taste of natural brewing, domestic ingredients, and no additives

Making soy sauce using natural fermentation in cedar barrels is more time-consuming than you might imagine, and it cannot be mass-produced.

Still, we have been cultivating it honestly, sincerely, and over time.

It has a unique flavor and tenderness.

01 Cedar barrel brewing

An environment that thrives on microorganisms

The cedar barrels are so old they look as if they might collapse at any moment, but they are not rotten; important bacteria coexist inside.

Fermented seasonings such as miso and soy sauce are made using the power of microorganisms such as lactic acid bacteria and yeast. Creating an environment where these microorganisms can live comfortably brings out the best flavor.

Making soy sauce in cedar barrels takes time and effort,
We will continue to stick to cedar barrel brewing.

02 Domestic ingredients, no additives

The origin of deliciousness

The most important thing we value in manufacturing is the materials.
Because it is simple, we place great importance on the selection of materials.

We visit the producers directly to find out how the ingredients are grown.

We use domestically produced products that we have carefully selected based on our own observations.

High-quality pesticide-free soybeans from Akita Prefecture, high-quality wheat from Tokushima Prefecture grown in the naturally rich soil of Tokushima, and Naruto salt from Tokushima Prefecture, which is the world's highest quality salt harvested from the beautiful waters of the Naruto Strait.

In particular, the proportion of domestically produced soybeans is extremely small at only 6% of the total, and many companies use a mixture of domestic and imported soybeans. However, we have contracted with farmers in Akita Prefecture to produce our products using 100% domestically produced soybeans.

We use these carefully selected ingredients and put love into every step of the process, sparing no time or effort in preparing our products.

Soy sauce and koji

We make our own koji, which is the key to the flavor.

Roasted and cracked wheat, steamed soybeans, and koji mold are mixed together and then moved to a room called a muro.
Let it sit for a day.

During this time, the koji is mixed thoroughly by hand and kept at the optimum temperature to infuse vitality into it, resulting in a powerful koji.

03 Natural brewing

The power of natural fermentation

Soy sauce brewing methods have changed over time, with fermentation techniques becoming increasingly mechanized.

However, for over 100 years since its founding, Hama Shoyu has not been obsessed with mechanization, and has continued to adhere to the traditional method of fermenting and aging the product over a long period of time, using the power of the microorganisms that live in the brewery.

This soy sauce is carefully aged over time and with great care, like raising a child in a cedar barrel, resulting in a unique soy sauce with a deep flavor and rich aroma.

How soy sauce is made

1. Roast the wheat

A large amount of wheat is roasted in a pot, and the perfect color is assessed, with the flavor being checked repeatedly.
2. Mix with soybeans

To facilitate fermentation, cracked wheat, steamed soybeans, and koji mold are mixed together.
3. Koji production

Step 2 is then moved to a room called a muro and left to rest for a day. During this time, the mixture is thoroughly mixed by hand and kept at the optimum temperature to infuse vitality into the koji, resulting in a powerful product.
4. Paddleing

The finished koji is transferred to a cedar barrel and salt water is added. To aid in fermentation, the contents of the cedar barrel are stirred, a process known as "paddle-in," which lasts for about a year.
5. Processing of moromi

The moromi, the base of soy sauce, is complete. The longer it is aged, the thicker it becomes, and the more distinct the flavor becomes.
6.Complete

Once filtered and pasteurized, our "secret soy sauce" is ready. It can also be used as a base for dashi soy sauce, tamari soy sauce, ponzu sauce, and other dishes.