Shoyu – The black seasoning of the Japanese

Soy sauce is an indispensable seasoning in Japanese cuisine. A small manufactory in Shizuoka Prefecture has made it its business to pass on the traditional knowledge of the classic production of soy sauce to younger generations. But food-loving tourists can also enjoy a tour of the old Mejiiya Shoyu manufactory dating from 1872 near Hamamatsu. Shohei Nozue, who runs the company together with his wife in the sixth generation, has come up with a combination of a production tour and a workshop. Shohei has given the old craft tradition a modern marketing twist. Visitors have the final steps of Moromi on the way to a spicy soy sauce in their own hands.

Few ingredients for an intense flavor

Pfiffige Kommunikation: Shohei Nozue setzt in dem Familienbetrieb Mejiiya Shoyu von 1872 in Hamamatsu, Shizuoka auf Workshops und verpackt dabei ein altes Handwerk in modernes Marketing / © Foto: Georg Berg
Smart communication: Shohei Nozue focuses on workshops at the 1872 family-owned Mejiiya Shoyu in Hamamatsu, Shizuoka, wrapping an ancient craft in modern marketing / © Photo: Georg Berg

A visit to the Mejiiya Shoyu manufactory is worth seeing for the old production facility alone. Japanese wooden houses are not so common anymore. Many old buildings have been destroyed by earthquakes or fire, or demolished for lack of space and replaced by efficient new construction. The soybean factory is laid out on three levels. As a visitor, you first climb up a ladder to get a glimpse into the huge cedar barrels. They hold moromi, a viscous mass of cooked soybeans, roasted wheat and salt. Like so many good foods, soy sauce is based on the principle of fermentation. This is because the cooked soybeans have been inoculated with a fungus called tanekoji. For three days, the fungus sprouts on the soybeans before the few ingredients of soybeans, water, salt and wheat are brought together in a cedar barrel. The fungus now begins its work, splitting soybeans and wheat into amino acids. Completely new complex flavors are created. The addition of wheat distinguishes the Japanese version of soy sauce. The brewing process is also longer than for the original Chinese version of the condiment.

In riesigen Fässern aus Zedernholz fermentiert Moromi, eine zähflüssige Masse aus gekochten Sojabohnen und geröstetem Weizen zusammen mit Wasser und dem „tanekoji“, einem Pilz, der zuvor 3 Tage lang auf den gedämpften Sojabohnen gesprossen ist / © Foto: Georg Berg
Moromi, a viscous mass of cooked soybeans and roasted wheat, ferments in huge cedar barrels together with water and “tanekoji,” a mushroom that has previously sprouted on the steamed soybeans for 3 days / © Photo: Georg Berg

Similar to the production of miso, the components time and temperature are crucial for the production process. In the warm summer, the mold is more active and the moromi is stirred with a large paddle every seven days. In winter, the process is slower and stirring is sufficient every 14 days. Fermentation and time, Shohei Nozue is certain, are the most important components for a high-quality soy sauce. In “brewed” soy sauce, fermentation also produces natural glutamate, making the dark seasoning a natural flavor enhancer.

Shohei Nozue erklärt Reporterin Angela Berg, dass das Moromi im Sommer alle sieben Tage und im Winter alle 14 Tage mit einem großen Paddel gerührt wird. Fermentation und Zeit sind die wichtigsten Komponenten für eine hochwertige Sojasauce / © Foto: Georg Berg
Shohei Nozue explains to reporter Angela Berg that the moromi is stirred with a large paddle every seven days in summer and every 14 days in winter. Fermentation and time are the most important components for a high-quality soy sauce / © Photo: Georg Berg

Taru, as the large cedar barrels are called. On the lower floor of the three-story manufactory, the scale of the wooden giants really becomes clear to the visitor. Moromi, fermented here depending on the quality, between 1.5 to 3 years. Handcrafted using traditional fermentation, soy sauce tastes different from year to year and from barrel to barrel. In industrial production, as is often the case, time is a scarce and expensive commodity. Additives are added to speed up the process.

In diesen imposanten Fässern aus Zedernholz, dem Taru, fermentiert Moromi, je nach Qualität, zwischen 1,5 bis zu 3 Jahre. Handwerklich mit Hilfe der Fermentation hergestellte Sojasauce schmeckt von Jahr zu Jahr und von Fass zu Fass unterschiedlich / © Foto: Georg Berg
In these imposing cedar barrels, the Taru, Moromi ferments, depending on the quality, between 1.5 to 3 years. Artisanal soy sauce produced with the help of fermentation tastes different from year to year and from barrel to barrel / © Photo: Georg Berg

Getting down to business – making soy sauce yourself

After the guided tour through the old main building of the manufactory, it’s literally time to “get down to business”. Matured Moromi is presented to the workshop participants in a small bucket. What happens in the manufactory with 1,000 liters of the mash now takes place on a small scale. Moromi is pressed through several layers of cloth. Through the filter pressing, 800 liters of soy sauce come out in the end. The workshop version also requires a lot of physical effort. The small wooden presses require real physical effort.

Nach der Führung durch die Manufaktur geht es im wahrsten Sinne des Wortes ans „Eingemachte“. Moromi wird den Workshop-Teilnehmern im kleinen Eimer vorgesetzt. Im Kleinen findet nun statt, was in der Manufaktur mit 1.000 Litern Moromi passiert. Durch die Filterpressung kommen am Ende 800 Liter Sojasauce heraus / © Foto: Georg Berg
After the tour of the factory, it’s time to get down to the nitty-gritty. Moromi is presented to the workshop participants in a small bucket. What happens to 1,000 liters of Moromi in the manufactory now takes place in the small bucket. In the end, 800 liters of soy sauce come out through filter pressing / © Photo: Georg Berg
Schürze an und dann die Miniatur-Presse vorbereiten. Durch insgesamt drei Tuchlagen mit mehreren Schichten wird dickflüssiges Moromi, die Trockenmaische, gepresst / © Foto: Georg Berg
Apron on and then prepare the miniature press. Thick moromi, the dry mash, is pressed through a total of three layers of cloth with several layers / © Photo: Georg Berg
Man muss sich ganz schön ins Zeug legen, um die schwarze Sauce sprudeln zu sehen. Fest steht schon jetzt: Durch das Selbermachen wird der mehrstufige Prozess bis zur fertigen Sojasauce sehr anschaulich und macht sichtlich viel Spaß / © Foto: Georg Berg
You have to go all out to see the black sauce bubble. One thing is already certain: Do-it-yourself makes the multi-step process to the finished soy sauce very vivid and obviously a lot of fun / © Photo: Georg Berg

It’s a great feeling when, after some jerking and pressing, Shoju master Shohei Nozue gives the signal to pull the stopper and let the freshly pressed soy sauce flow into a porcelain bowl. To stop the fermentation process, the soy sauce is still heated over a Bunsen burner and then poured into sterile bottles. This creates a bottle of soy sauce for each participant to take home.

Es läuft! Holzstopfen raus und Sojasauce marsch! Die Sauce, die hier fließt, dürfen die Workshop-Teilnehmer mit nach Hause nehmen / © Foto: Georg Berg
It’s on! Wooden stopper out and soy sauce march! The sauce that flows here is for the workshop participants to take home / © Photo: Georg Berg
Unter den Augen von Shoyu-Meister Shohei wird die Soja-Sauce nun erhitzt, um die Fermentation zu stoppen und die Würze haltbar zu machen / © Foto: Georg Berg
Under the eyes of Shoyu master Shohei, the soy sauce is now heated to stop fermentation and make the seasoning durable / © Photo: Georg Berg

It takes about 570 days for the soybean and roasted wheat to become a finished soy sauce. At the end of the workshop, 100 ml of self-pressed soy happiness stands in front of you in a jar – there is no better souvenir of a trip to Japan.

Rund 570 Tage dauert es, bis aus der Sojabohne und dem gerösteten Weizen eine fertige Sojasauce wird. Am Ende des Workshops stehen 100 ml selbstgepresste Soja-Glück im Glas vor Einem - es gibt kein besseres Souvenir einer Japan-Reise / © Foto: Georg Berg
It takes about 570 days for the soybean and roasted wheat to become a finished soy sauce. At the end of the workshop, 100 ml of self-pressed soy happiness stands in front of you in a jar – there is no better souvenir of a trip to Japan / © Photo: Georg Berg
Die Manufaktur Meijiyashouyu. Selten sieht man noch diese alten traditionellen Häuser in Japan. Dieses hat drei Stockwerke, gebaut aus Zedernholz. Die unterschiedliche Höhe der Produktionsräume macht man sich beim Herstellungsprozess zu Nutze / © Foto: Georg Berg
The Meijiyashouyu manufactory. Rarely do you still see these old traditional houses in Japan. This one has three floors, built of cedar wood. The different heights of the production rooms are used in the manufacturing process / © Photo: Georg Berg
Generation fünf und sechs im Verkaufsraum. Familie Nozue weiß, wie eine nicht zu salzige, aber vollmundige Sojasauce entsteht / © Foto: Georg Berg
Generations five and six in the sales room. The Nozue family knows how to produce a soy sauce that is not too salty but full-bodied / © Photo: Georg Berg

Another Japanese specialty, on which you can also practice using soy sauce right away, is gyoza. Hamamatsu is considered the capital for gyoza in Japan. There are about 300 gyoza restaurants in the city alone. The dumplings are filled with minced pork, white cabbage, scallions, garlic and ginger and are traditionally served in Hamamatsu decorated in a circle. The simple dish is especially popular among the working population. Japanese work long and hard, often lacking the time to cook. That’s where gyoza restaurants come in handy. As a snack during the lunch break or as a take-away for dinner at home. A visit to one of the simple eateries, somewhat reminiscent of American diners, is highly recommended.

Eine weitere japanische Spezialität, an der man auch gleich die Verwendung von Soja-Sauce praktizieren kann, sind Gyoza. In Hamamatsu sind die Teigtaschen mit Schweinehackfleisch, Weißkohl, Frühlingszwiebeln, Knoblauch und Ingwer gefüllt / © Foto: Georg Berg
Another Japanese specialty that you can practice using soy sauce on right away is gyoza. In Hamamatsu, the dumplings are filled with minced pork, white cabbage, spring onions, garlic and ginger / © Photo: Georg Berg

There are about 300 gyoza restaurants in Hamamatsu, Shizuoka Prefecture. We visited the Ishimatsu Gyoza.
More information on food experiences in Shizuoka Prefecture.

More about the Mejiiya Shoyu Manufactory in Hamamatsu and a visit to a workshop at the Soy Sauce Factory.

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The stay in the prefecture was partly supported by the Shizuoka Tourism Association

Food topics on Tellerrand-Stories

Our mode of operation is characterized by self-experienced, well-researched text work and professional, vivid photography. For all stories, travel impressions and photos are created in the same place. Thus, the photos complement and support what is read and carry it further.

Never miss new Tellerrand-Stories again! Mithilfe eines Feed-Readers lassen sich die Information über neue Blogartikel in Echtzeit abonnieren With the help of a feed reader, all stories about the Tellerrand (edge of the plate) can be subscribed to in real time.

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