Yuasa city in Wakayama Prefecture is the birthplace of soy sauce in Japan and designated as a Japan heritage site by the Agency for Cultural Affairs.
Soy sauce has become a commodity found all around the world. However, what is known as soy sauce today only imitates the original. Few people know that 750 years ago, a small town in Wakayama, Japan named Yuasa was the birthplace of soy sauce. It was discovered by a monk that the liquid produced in the making of miso could be used as a condiment in its own right.
Since this discovery, soy sauce was perfected and quickly spread throughout Japan, dramatically influencing the foods created and the tastes of the Japanese people. The original production method was long and labourious, but since the industrial revolution in Japan, the process has been streamlined in order to increase production and lower costs. The increased circulation of this product has, however, stripped much from the taste, aroma and experience of soy sauce.
YUASA Brewery
YUASA brewery has continued to produce soy sauce, adhering to the traditional techniques, but on a much smaller scale. Many brewers moved away from the area, to bigger cities and factories, but YUASA remained and continues to educate soy sauce enthusiasts and support their local community.
The brewery uses all-natural ingredients and no machines! The traditional fermentation process takes about 500 days, during which all processes are done manually. This method requires a lot more time and effort, but YUASA is committed to stick to the traditional way and is convinced it is the secret behind their high quality.
The ingredients used for YUASA Soy Sauce are sourced entirely within Japan and use no artificial preservatives, flavours or colours. The water that is used is sourced locally in Yuasa and has a mineral content ideally suited to the manufacture of soy sauce. The suitability of its water is one of the major reasons the country town of Yuasa became the only supplier of soy sauce to Japan after its invention.
Black soy beans (kuromame) are a unique addition, influenced by a style of production found in a cooking book written 1500 years ago. The beans are grown in Tanba, Kyoto; famous for being one of the only places in Japan producing them. These ingredients help towards creating the subtle complexity of soy sauce.
You can compare the process of finding the right soy sauce with a wine tasting for fine wines - even subtle differences are important and YUASA does not cut any corners.
Yuasa Soy Sauce has been received greatly by chefs in Japan and internationally. It has received Belgium's Mondo Selection award annually since 2006 and is being adopted by chefs in Europe. YUASA has a very comprehensive website and is very active on SNS to show people how soy sauce is made and how it originated.
The YUASA brewery is based on three concepts: MAKE, CONVEY and CONTRIBUTE.
By making soy sauce the traditional way, educating food enthusiasts on the history and production method, and supporting their local community in the hope that the traditional craft will live on, the business is not just passionate about making soy sauce, but also about preserving traditional Japanese culture.
Their mission is to be named the "best soy sauce in the world"!
All-natural Ingredients
Mineral Salt from Nagasaki
Domestic Soy Beans
Rare Black Beans
Japanese Wheat
Yuzu from Wakayama
Koji Bacteria
YUASA Production Process
Soy sauce is made in winter, and in the warm climate of Wakayama, dark soy sauce is naturally brewed for 500~700 days in large cedar barrels with a diameter of 2.3 meters that have been used over 100 years.
With the help of microorganisms, by carefully paddling (stirring), fresh air can be pumped in, and fermentation is activated. When aged in wooden barrels for a long time, a soy sauce with a soft feel and mellow taste is produced. The skill and passion of the brewers results in a premium soy sauce with a good aroma, umami, richness, and depth. Analysis shows that the umami value is very high, even without adding amino acids or umami seasonings.
