YugetaShoyu Ltd. Brewery introduction




Yugeta Shoyu Ltd. 100th anniversary greetings




Yuegta Shoyu Ltd. is approaching its 100th anniversary, which will be celebrated on December 5, 2023. 

We would like to express our heartfelt appreciation to our customers, business partners, and local community members for their unwavering support throughout the years.

To commemorate this momentous occasion, we have planned several activities for the upcoming year. 

One of them is the construction of a wooden vat for fermenting soy sauce mash. This vat will serve as a symbol of gratitude to our predecessors and as a way to continue making soy sauce for the next 100 or 200 years.

The wooden vats will be crafted from local cedar (Nishikawa cedar) with the help of our employees and customers, under the guidance of a skilled wood vat craftsperson on Shodoshima, one of the few such craftspersons in Japan. 

We will post videos of the project as it progresses, so please enjoy them.

Yugeta soy sauce

Premium raw soy sauce “GINJOU” pure soy sauce

Premium raw soy sauce

Using domestic organic soybeans, domestic organic wheat, Mexico solar salt. Allowing to mature in pine wood vats for a long period of time

Some large producers produce raw soy sauce with bacteria filtration. It is because, for those producers, the bacteria of the soy sauce maybe one of their company’s secrets. Another reason is that when raw soy sauce is placed under room temperature at store, like Yugeta Shoyu raw soy sauce, it cannot be kept for a long time.

Normally, raw soy sauce is persistently produced as industrial products. It does not go through sterilizing by heating, but only filtration of yeast and lactic acid bacteria by microfiltration, in order to allow it to store under room temperature.

There is a product of ours called “Junnama shiboritate” (Pure raw freshly squeezed soy sauce), which is not sold online but is sold in Soy Sauce Kingdom. It does go through microfiltration like other raw soy sauce in the market. Premium raw soy sauce is placed in the frozen case, whereas Junnama-shiboritate is placed at room temperature on shelf. Please be careful when you choose.

Properly speaking, one of the good things about fermented food is that our body can take in the good germs from fermented food full of microorganisms like yeasts and lactic acid bacteria. Yugeta Shoyu’s “Premium raw soy sauce” is the soy sauce with bacteria living inside the vats. We will deliver this soy sauce to you by refrigerated delivery service.

“Day of squeezing” on the bottle and expiry date

“Day of squeezing” is the day of squeezing the unrefined soy sauce, but not the day of bottling. Before bottling and after squeezing, the raw soy sauce is poured in to a container, which totally blocks the oxygen from getting into it. Then it is kept in cool storage. So the taste of the raw soy sauce can be kept until it bottles. Please note that the expiry date would be 6 months from the date of bottling.

Rich aroma with well-rounded taste. This soy sauce is different from what you expected and you may think “Is this really soy sauce?”

This soy sauce is bottled just after squeezing from Moromi (unrefined soy sauce). No sterilization and filtration is processed and no ingredient is adjusted. It is mellow like Soup base soy sauce (Dashi Shoyu).

It uses the same ingredients and the same process as products with organic certificate. This brewed product is not sold normally in the market.

Upon request, we commercialized the product in 2003, which it could only be tasted at the brewery before, and delivery it to you directly by refrigerated delivery service.

The special taste of raw soy sauce is the best dipping sauce for sashimi and tofu. It’s sweetness can bring out the deliciousness of the dishes.
As it is not sterilized by heating, it is full of enzymes. Thought you can take in plenty of enzymes into your body, there are also disadvantages. When you use raw soy sauce for cooking and mix it with dashi, please heat it thoroughly to avoid the negative effects of those enzymes. As a result, Premium raw soy sauce is the best for dipping and sprinkling.
Moreover, as the ingredients are not adjusted, the taste is mellow by removing the sharp taste of salt. Normally, finished soy sauce is added with salt water to adjust the standard. By fermenting and maturing for a long period of time, the salt content dissolves very well and the taste of soy sauce becomes smooth. However, by adding salt water to raw soy sauce without fermentation and maturation, the sharp taste of salt is striking.
On the other hand, as the ingredients are not adjusted, according to different vats, you may be able to perceive subtle differences of flavor even for the same type of soy sauce. Number of vats, brewing period, raw material such as organic soy bean and organic wheat will also be different. As it is naturally brewed products, we would appreciate you understanding.

To improve the conservation and to aromatize the soy sauce, raw soy sauce will normally sterilized by heating. As Premium raw soy sauce have not been heated, so it is the best to enjoy within 6 months storing in the refrigerator, and also within 1 month after opening. After one month, it will not be rotten but will lose flavor. It should be kept in refrigerator no matter it is opened or not. Please enjoy as soon as possible.

The popular Premium raw soy sauce is using “Uminosei” instead of Mexico solar salt.

There is also a type of raw sauce called “Kasaeshikomi Kiage Shoyu” (Re-brewed in wooden vat soy sauce), which is not brewed in wooden vats. But it is also a raw sauce with living enzymes and lactic acid bacterium without sterilization by heating and microfiltration. Kasaneshikomi Kiage Shoyu is a soy sauce that Koji (malted rice) is added again to Premium raw soy sauce
and allowed to mature again. It is a luxury raw soy sauce with double ingredients and double brewing period. (i.e. the raw re-brewed soy sauce. The raw soy sauce of our Komao Murasaki.) This soy sauce is full of taste. As the salt content is 20% off, it is mellow and rich. We recommend using it with sashimi and tofu to bring out the deliciousness of the dishes.

Organic soy sauce “Yuki shoyu”

Yugeta Yuuki Shoyu

Traditionally brewed in wooden vats. Naturally brewed and Delicious.

This is soy sauce using domestic organic soybeans, which is in general grown with organic fertilizer instead of chemical fertilizer and pesticide, and is also qualified as organic JAS certificated products over 2 years.

As it is left for naturally brewed in wooden vats for over a year, the soy sauce is well-fermented and rich in taste. Since it is less salty, it is suitable for using as a dipping soy sauce and boiled dishes.

Special brewery for brewing in wooden vat (the exterior). Yugeta Shoyu Hidaka Factory. The brewing process of this soy sauce is separated from other soy sauce. It is now established together with Soy Sauce Kingdom, so the outside has changed a little bit.

Special brewery for brewing in wooden vat (Inside). Yugeta Shoyu Hidaka Factory. The soy sauce is left for fermentation and maturation in the wooden vats for over a year. You can also have a look with it at the snack corner of the Soy Sauce Kingdom.

100% domestic organic soybeans
This is the organic soy bean farms in Aomori prefecture that the soybeans is used for making organic soy sauce. Behind the fields, there is a famous world heritage, Shiragami mountain range.

This vat has already used from Meiji period (1868 to 1912). There are over 300 types of bacterium living inside to give the soy sauce with rich favor.
Due to the fermentation, it is very hot in summertime.

Staff only involves in moving and stirring the Moromi (unrefined soy sauce). Mainly the microorganisms make the soy sauce.

To decide the taste of the soy sauce, many manufacturers add lactic acid bacterium and enzymes artificially, but we are obsesses with natural brewing. Delicious soy sauce is finished through fermentation by microbes for a year.


This is Moromi (unrefined soy sauce). It is also delicious to taste only the Moromi (unrefined soy sauce). It also matched very well with hot rice and as a dipping sauce for cucumber. As the Moromi (unrefined soy sauce) is delicious, soy sauce squeezed from it is also tasty for sure.


This is scene looking from the bottom of the vats. Nowadays, craftsman who can fix these vats become less and less.

Kioke saishikomi-shoyu

(Double Fermentation)

It is called re-brewed soy sauce. Koji (malted rice) is added again into the Whole soybeans soy sauce (Marudaizu Shoyu) for the second time. It is allowed to ferment again and to mature again. Comparing with normal soy sauce, it is a luxury soy sauce as it uses double ingredients, double time for fermentation and maturing.

The rich taste is especially suitable when you want to taste the soy sauce flavor. It matches very well with sashimi, cold tofu, teriyaki and rice cake etc.
It is using ingredients, such as soybeans and wheat, produced in Saitama.

 

Safe soy sauce

Reasons why our soy sauce is safe and delicious

Soy sauce represents the taste of Japan. It was claimed that foreigners could even smell the scent from the soy sauce once they arrived at Narita airport in Japan.

The root of soy sauce is Kinzanji miso from ancient China 800 years ago. At that time, when Japanese intended to make it in Japan, they found that there was liquid gathered on the surface of the miso. After they tasted the liquid, they found that it was very delicious, so they especially began to make that liquid. This is the origin of the soy sauce. What became miso paste in China, became soy sauce in Japan. It is believed that the climate, natural features, ingredients, microorganism of Japan are suitable for making soy sauce. Therefore, even now, it is believed that, to make the most delicious soy sauce has to brew it naturally complying with seasonal changes in temperature, using ingredients from Japan, and also fermenting and ripening in wooden vats with microbes colonized in it.

However, the mainstream is that most of the soy sauce in the market are using ingredients from other countries and being brewed in a short period of time. Yugeta soy sauce uses ingredients from Japan. To make the selected “Yugeta organic soy sauce”, we use organic JAS authorization soybeans and wheat which are only around 0.018% and 0.009% of its domestic consumption, and then allow it to ferment and to ripen in wooden vats over a year.

Those soybeans and wheat from Japan are preciously and organically grown in the arms of mother nature. Therefore, apart from tasting them without worry, they are also very delicious. Using those ingredients, our organic soy sauce is safe and tasty. Besides, using our own pine wood vats with microbes colonized in it, the soy sauce with good smell and rich flavor is produced. With good fermentation, alcohol can be produced; therefore its preservative quality will be high, and no need to add extra alcohol for preservation. Also, as the pleasant taste was given out very well therefore no extra chemical seasonings, such as amino acid, is needed.

“Yugeta organic soy sauce” and “Komago whole soybeans soy sauce” etc. does not contain any preservatives, colorings and chemical seasonings, therefore it is heart easing and delicious to put it in your mouth.

Origin of the organic soybeans and organic wheat to make the “Yugeta organic soy sauce”

They are mainly grown under contract with farms in Aomori prefecture. The agriculture chemicals may be scattered if the fields next to the organic field are using agriculture chemicals. And because our fields are big and surrounded by forests, as a result, we have no such kind of concerns. Behind the fields, there is a famous world heritage, Shiragami mountain range.

Origin of the organic soybeans and organic wheat to make the “Komago whole soybeans soy sauce”

The soybeans of “Komago whole soybeans soy sauce” are mainly grown under contract with farms in Hatoyama town in the middle of Saitama prefecture. A 15 minutes’ drive from Yugeta Shoyu factory is needed to reach Hatoyama town, the producers of soybeans in Sue area and Mamedo area worked together to produce soybeans. Mamedo in Hatoyama town is the best place for growing soybeans. Because this area has a long history of soybeans so as there is old folk song singing “Hi Dove, we feed you soybeans here if you want!”

Brewing water

In the area of Soy Sauce Kingdom, Yugeta Shoyu Hidaka Factory, there is approximately 100 tons of underflow water gushes out in one day. Our factory is located on the alluvial fan covered from Chichibu mountain range to Kanto Plain where abundant underflow water is flowing underground. We uses this enrich and clear water to brew the soy sauce. A Sake brewery nearby is also using this water as well. There are Japanese freshwater crabs, crayfish and also golden-ringed dragonfly larva living and resting near where the underflow water comes out. (We are not using the water that gushes out but drawing it from 80m underground to brew the soy sauce.)

Overseas dealer

United States of America
The Japanese Pantry
NIJIYA MARKET

United Kingdom
The Wasabi Company

Australia
Jun Pacific Corporation Pty.Ltd.(TOKYO MART)

Singapore
Tanesei Trading Pte Ltd.(J-mart)

Hong Kong
city super
大棧 MaxChoice

Taiwan
city super

Company Profile

Company name: Yugeta Shoyu LTD (Yugeta Shoyu)
Location: 475, Tawame, Sakado-shi, Saitama 350-0246 Japan
President: Yugeta Yohichi
Director: Yugeta Shinji / Yamazaki Kanetake
Auditor: Okada Yoshikazu / Yamazaki Ryouichi
Capital: JPY 46,000,000
Established: 5th September 1923
28th May 1948 Yugeta Shoyu Store Co., Ltd.
28th September 1956 Yugeta Shoyu Corporation
Factory facilities outline: Salt water mixing and brewing machine, Nagata-style noodle making device, Stainless steel pressure cooker, Sand-bath wheat roasting machine, In-house fermentation tank, Yugeta-style squeezer with automatic metering machine, Nitto-denko microfiltration membrane, automatic bottling machine.
Brewing water: Underflow water from Chichibu Mountain Chain
Ingredients: Domestic whole soybeans, wheat from Saitama
Factory capacity: 1,100kl
Number of employees: 20
Our main customers: Agricultural cooperatives, natural foods wholesalers, consumer group, department store, provision of school meals, wholesalers for commercial use, food manufacturers, general wholesalers, liquor stores.
Main products: Komago Whole Soybeans Soy Sauce, Komago Topping Miso (Oname), Komago Hand Made Soup Base
List of products: Soy sauce, topping miso (oname), dipping sauce for soba, sauce for grilled meat, miso
Financial Institutions: Saitama Resona Bank,Ltd. Sakado Branch; Musashino Bank,Ltd. Sakado Branch
Affiliated union: Saitama soy sauce union, Kawagoe Corporation Association, Sakado City Society of Commerce and Industry, Hidaka City Society of Commerce and Industry, Saitama small and medium-sized entrepreneur association.

Head office, Sakado Factory Tel 049-286-0811 Fax 049-286-0828
Hidaka Factory, Soy Sauce Kingdom Tel 042-985-8011

virtual tour


Greetings from the Owner

Our brewery was founded here in Sakado city, Saitama prefecture in 1923. Before starting this business, our first master, Mr. Yugeta Saju, had done agricultural work but he was interested in zymurgy. At that time, he started the business by inviting the chief brewer and received the facilities from a soy sauce brewery in present Irima-shi, Saitama. From that time onwards, our brewery has a history of over 200 years.
Now, the fourth-generation owner, Yugeta Yohichi, continues making soy sauce, which represents the taste of Japan, with the wisdom of his family motto “We must treat each customer with honesty” and also having faith in our own thoughts “soy sauce is something to put in the mouth so it has to be safe to eat; soy sauce is a condiment so it has to be delicious”. We are making soy sauce with those wisdom and faith, so please have a taste of our soy sauce.

Characteristics of Yugeta soy sauce

We are using the whole soybeans and wheat only from Japan, and also solar sea salt. (As we are just using ingredients produced in Japan to make the soy sauce, Yugeta soy sauce only accounts for 0.2% of the total soy sauce quantity in Japan.)

We are brewing the soy sauce naturally in pine wood vats and letting it ripen for a year. (We also have tanks for brewing. According to the brewing seasons and soy sauce types, we also use different tanks for it.) (Organic soy sauce, Soy sauce brewed in wooden vats, Premium raw soy sauce etc. are using wooden vats for fermenting and ripening.)

We are making soy sauce with yeasts and lactose without sterilization by heating and microfiltration. (This type of soy sauce needs to be kept refrigerated. It is also very rare in Japan.) (These corresponds to Premium raw soy sauce, Re-brewed soy sauce, Freshely squeezed raw soy sauce on the second floor of Soy Sauce Kingdom.)

Yugeta Shoyu LTD
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