TOP 3 Japanese Soy Sauce (Shōyu) to buy online in 2024

QUICK CHART: EXCELLENT SOY SAUCE (AND TOOLS) TO FIND ONLINE IN 2024

Best-Japan-Tools-Kishibori-Shoyu-Pure-Artisan-Soy-Sauce 3. ARTISAN SHŌYU
( by KISHIBORI )

Smooth and balanced taste.
BJT RATE: ★★★★☆ Check the price HERE
Best-Japan-Tools-Yamaroku-Aged-4-Years-Japanese-Soy-Sauce-Tsuru-Bisiho 2. AGED SOY SAUCE
( byYAMAROKU )

Aged for 4 years
using ancient methods.
BJT RATE: ★★★★★ Check the price HERE
Best-Japan-Tools-Haku-Smoked-Shoyu-Soy-Sauce-Japanese-Oak 1. SMOKED SOY SAUCE
( by HAKU )

Cold smoked shōyu,
(with Mizunara Japanese oak)
BJT RATE: ★★★★★ Check the price HERE
Best-Japan-Tools-Traditional-Japanese-Style-Soy-Sauce-Shoyu-Dispenser Soy Sauce DISPENSER
(Japanese Traditional)

Handcrafted in Japan.
Capacity 9 oz.
Check the price HERE
Best-Japan-Tools-OXO-Good-Grips-Precision-Pour-Glass-Soy-Sauce-Dispenser-5-ozClear5-oz-Soy-Sauce-Dispense Soy Sauce DISPENSER
(Modern Design
)

Two flow speeds.
Capacity 5 oz.
Check the price HERE

QUICK CHART: EXCELLENT SOY SAUCE (AND TOOLS) TO FIND ONLINE IN 2024

Best-Japan-Tools-Kishibori-Shoyu-Pure-Artisan-Soy-Sauce
3. ARTISAN SHŌYU
( by KISHIBORI )

Smooth and balanced taste.
Check the price HERE
BJT RATE:
4/5
Best-Japan-Tools-Yamaroku-Aged-4-Years-Japanese-Soy-Sauce-Tsuru-Bisiho
2. AGED SOY SAUCE
( byYAMAROKU )

Aged for 4 years
using ancient methods.
Check the price HERE
BJT RATE:
5/5
Best-Japan-Tools-Haku-Smoked-Shoyu-Soy-Sauce-Japanese-Oak
1. SMOKED SOY SAUCE
( by HAKU )
Cold smoked shōyu,
(with Mizunara Japanese oak)
Check the price HERE
BJT RATE:
5/5
Best-Japan-Tools-Traditional-Japanese-Style-Soy-Sauce-Shoyu-Dispenser
Soy Sauce DISPENSER
(Japanese Traditional)
Handcrafted in Japan.
Capacity 9 oz.
Check the price HERE
Best-Japan-Tools-OXO-Good-Grips-Precision-Pour-Glass-Soy-Sauce-Dispenser-5-ozClear5-oz-Soy-Sauce-Dispense

Soy Sauce DISPENSER
(Modern Design)
Two flow speeds.
Capacity 5 oz.

Check the price HERE

SHŌYU, SOY SAUCE, TAMARI, SHIRO, PONZU.
LET’S MAKE THEM CLEAR AND GIVE YOU SOME EXCELLENT JAPANESE SHŌYU BRANDS (EASY TO FIND ONLINE).

Can you guess how many Soy Sauce makers you can find in Japan? Over 1200!

Quite a lot, you would say.
Well… just think that, some time ago, they were a team of 10.000! But their number has been decreasing.

1. SHŌYU DEFINITION: WHAT IS THIS SOY SAUCE THING?

Soy-Sauce-Shoyu-Best-Japan-Tools-BJT1

It’s a unique, incredible, versatile cooking ingredient.
Sweet and salty! Gentle but decise!

If is soy sauce vegan?
Sure! Both Really Tasty and Completely Vegan!
Such an holy liquid!

Shōyu: a unique, incredible, versatile cooking ingredient. Sweet and salty! Gentle but decise! Both really tasty and completely vegan! Such an holy liquid! Click To Tweet

 

Let’s give Shōyu dressing a definition (Shoyu = Japanese word for soy sauce).

Soy sauce is a liquid condiment, originated in China about 2,200 years ago. It is used as a tasty salty ingredient, as a dressing, as a marinade, to make broth or other hundreds of uses.

Today is extremely popular in the whole East and Southeast Asia (I should probably say “famous worldwide”).

What’s Soy Sauce impact in Japanese food culture?

Along with Kombu seaweed, Miso and Katsuobushi, Shōyu included in the chart of most used ingredients in Japanese cuisine.

2. WHAT GIVES SOY SAUCE ITS UNIQUE TASTE?

Shoyu Soy Sauce Shoyu Best Japan Tools BJT

Do you know that human can sense 5 different tastes, right?

1. Saltiness
2. Sweetness
3. Bitterness
4. Sourness
5. Umami

Well, you might not believe it.
Soy Sauce has ALL the 5 magic elements.
Impressive, right?!

Some Japanese experts say Shōyu aroma is made by 300 different scents. But how is such an intense and complex aroma even possible?

The magic word is Microbes!
Betcha that it wasn’t your first answer.

But why Microbes?
What do they do?

So.. first, they broke down the three main ingredients’ components. Then, turning this different molecules in an harmony of tastes.

(I’m gonna speak about all the ingredients and process in a minute)

So, depending on how ingredients and aromas are combined…
they can give birth to different types of soy sauce.

3. YEP! MANY DIFFERENT SOY SAUCE TYPES. DID YOU KNOW?

Soy-Sauce-Shoyu-Best-Japan-Tools-BJT2

You can find 5 mayor types of Shōyu (Soy Sauce) in Japan. 5 mayor levels, different in colors and aroma.

1. KOIKUCHI
2. USUKUCHI
3. TAMARI
4. SHIRO
5. SAISHIKOMI


1. Koikuchi

COLOR TONE
Traditional dark color.

WHERE IT’S FROM
It’s the most common one (around 80% of the market).

USE FOR COOKING
Koikuchi shōyu can be well used with many different dishes, especially for fish flesh. It’s probably the only type used in Western country (the one we generally call “Soy Sauce”).


2. Usukuchi

COLOR TONE
Lighter color (than standard black)

WHERE IT’S FROM
Originally from Kansai (it’s still the most used soy sauce in Kyoto).

SHŌYU TASTE
Despite its softer color, it’s actually saltier then the previous one.

USE FOR COOKING
Bonus feature: thanks to its lighter tone, when cooking vegetables, it preserves the color of the ingredients. (So can be used when the original color of an ingredients needs to be shown).


3.
Tamari

SHŌYU TASTE
It has a very rich taste without being too salty. It has less salt but more umami.

USE FOR COOKING
It’s usually paired with rich flavor meat, like beef stakes, due to the quality of the umami to enrich and enhance other strong flavors.

EXTRA
Since it contains little or no wheat, people with GLUTEN intolerance loves it double (You can even find wheat-free Tamari soy sauces).


4.
Shiro (White shōyu)

COLOR TONE
Shiro means “white” in Japanese language.
It’s even lighter than “Usukuchi”.

SHŌYU TASTE
It’s the opposite if Tamari, cause makers use mostly wheat and very little soybeans. That gives it a light color and a sweet taste.


5. Saishikomi

COLOR TONE
That’s much darker then Koikuchi and more strongly flavored.

SHŌYU TASTE
It’s also known as kanro shōyu or “sweet soy sauce”.
This sauce has a gentle sweetness that everyone comes to like.

How can you find those amazing ingredients?
You’ll find ‘em at the Bottom of this “Soy Story”.

But why so many different color shades and aromas?
How to create such a complexity?

It actually all depends by the dosage of the 3 main ingredients, when soy sauce is made.

4. HOW EXACTLY IS TRADITIONAL SOY SAUCE MADE?

X-Soy-Sauce-Shoyu-Best-Japan-Tools-BJT4

The three main components you need (if youll ever want to do it yourself) in order to make shōyu from scratches are:

  • Soy Beans
  • Wheat
  • Salt


BUT HOW IS SOY SAUCE MADE?

  1. Soybeans are steamed.
  2. Wheat is roasted. The grade of roasting here will define the richness of soy sauce.
  3. The steamed beans and the wheat are then mixed, and a microbe (named Aspergillus Oryzae) is added to the compound. This particular culinary mold, gives to the sauce the typical recognizable flavor.
  4. This mixture is then placed in wooden flat boxes and fermented for 3 days. Temperature control is critical to obtain a quality result (it has to stay at 30ºC, to enhance the fermentation process)
  5. On day 3 you can notice how the mix has turned in a vivid green color. That’s the sign that fermentation process is finally complete. At this stage the mixture is called Koji.
  6. The process continues with the Koji put in big wooden uncovered barrel, where salt and water are added (to the fermented soy sauce base).
  7. It’s now time to leave.. time to make its work. The mix stays in those wooden barrel for about 18-24 months.
  8. As time goes by, the color of the dense mixture gradually turns darker. In this phase it requires to be often mixed. The better you mix, the more air it can absorb, accelerating the fermentation process of the so-called Kura yeast. Imagine: every shoyu factory has is own yeast, and every yeast add to the sauce its own specific range of flavors. Amazing!
  9. After all the steps, soy sauce is finally completed by just filtering it.

If you have been so crazy…
please share your experience writing me on my social media.
🙃 I Wanna know everything about it!

I mean. I absolutely understand if you love this holy ingredient too. Do you?
We can really say shōyu has its own power.

5. THE SECRET POWER OF SOY SAUCE

Soy-Sauce-Shoyu-Best-Japan-Tools-BJT3

As a fermented ingredient it shares some peculiarities, smells and sensations with food like cheese, miso or sake. The complexity of taste and aroma really makes it a valid match with all the diverse culinary cultures.

I admit it!

The fact that soy sauce is created only with ingredients from nature is wonderful!

Not only soy sauce is perfect for vegetarian and vegan diet, but it also demonstrates what kind of amazing things human being can create, while choosing to live in harmony with the environment.

So let’s enjoy all together this subarashī ingredient (subarashī = wonderful, in Japanese language).

It’s maybe time to finally try some really excellent soy sauce out there.

6. TOP 3 SOY JAPANESE SAUCES (AND ITS TOOLS) YOU CAN FIND ONLINE

3. Kishibori Japanese Artisan Shōyu

Best-Japan-Tools-Kishibori-Shoyu-Pure-Artisan-Soy-Sauce

Kishibori – Japanese Artisan Soy Sauce

WHAT

This artisan Shōyu by Kishibori is a Japanese premium soy sauce.

 

TASTE

Smooth and Balanced.
It has a milder fuller flavor than many other Soy Sauce.

 

USES

To enjoy it the best, it’s better to use it raw.
However it can also be used in a wide variety of cooking applications.

 

FROM WHERE

It’s produced in Japan, by the Takesan Company.
This shōyu producer is located in Shodoshima, a small island in the Seto Inland Sea.

 

HOW IT’S MADE

This soy sauce is made from high quality whole soybeans, wheat and sun dried sea salt. Steamed soybeans, toasted wheat, salt, mineral water and koji are then left for one year to ferment in old cider barrels.

 

INFO

BJT Rate: ★★★★☆
Price: check it here

2. Yamaroku Japanese Aged Shōyu

Best-Japan-Tools-Yamaroku-Aged-4-Years-Japanese-Soy-Sauce-Tsuru-Bisiho

Yamaroku– Aged Japanese Soy Sauce

WHAT

That’s an original Japanese umami gourmet soy sauce.

 

TASTE

Deep and full rounded flavor. Very balanced umami taste.
If used with vanilla Ice cream this shōyu takes kind of caramel flavor.

 

USES

Great As Dip for Sushi, Sashimi, Grilled Fish.
For example to make Ponzu and Teriyaki sauce or directly in your ramen bowl.
That’s the secret ingredient to bring all your dishes to a brand new level.

 

FROM WHERE

Made in Japan.

 

HOW IT’S MADE

This soy sauce is Brewed and Aged for 4 years.
It’s made by following the authentic Japanese traditional method of fermentation with wooden barrels called “Kioke”.

 

INFO

BJT Rate: ★★★★★
Price: check it here

1. Haku Japanese Smoked Shōyu

Best-Japan-Tools-Haku-Smoked-Shoyu-Soy-Sauce-Japanese-Oak

Haku – Smoked Soy Sauce

WHAT

It’s a unique Japanese Smoked Soy Sauce.

 

TASTE

Haku Shōyu has a Complex, Full-bodied, Savory and Umami flavor.
It delivers uniqueness and complexity, that matches the finest cusines.

 

USES

It’s typically used in moderations as a finishing shoyu.

 

FROM WHERE

Made in Japan in Kyōto Prefecture.

 

HOW IT’S MADE

Haku Smoked Shoyu is brewed preserving ancestral methods.
After aging, the sauce is cold smoked using Mizunara Hard Wood, a particular Japanese Oak, which gives a lively smoke flavor.

 

INFO

BJT Rate: ★★★★★
Price: check it here


Bonus.
Perfect Tools for Amazing Soy Sauce

CONGRATULATIONS!!
You’ve finally purchased a really excellent Shōyu.

BUT WHAT’S THE BEST
SOY SAUCE DISPENSERS OUT THERE?
👇👇

We would like to recommend
THESE 2 SOY SAUCE CONTAINERS.
Different in style and approach.

01. JAPANESE HANDCRAFTED SOY SAUCE DISPENSER

Add a touch of  traditional Japanese Style on your Table

👉 Check the Price Here 👈

Best-Japan-Tools-Traditional-Japanese-Style-Soy-Sauce-Shoyu-Dispenser


Domo Arigatō 🙏
Thanks for reading.
If you’ve liked this Soy Story, please share!

Written by: Dromediary