Nihon Chomiryo Tabi
What kanro shoyu is
- Kanro shoyu is another name for saishikomi (brewed twice, with shoyu instead of brine), made by brewing a second time with finished raw shoyu.
- It takes roughly twice the ingredients and twice the work of ordinary shoyu. Salt sits at about 12 to 14%, lower than koikuchi (the standard dark shoyu) at about 16%, while the savory depth goes past koikuchi: low salt, high umami.
- The name is said to come from an Edo-period story in which the lord of Iwakuni praised the taste by murmuring "kanro, kanro."
- Heat is not its friend. It shows its worth poured or dipped: over sashimi, over rice with raw egg, over chilled tofu.
- The standard-bearers are "Kanro Shoyu" from Sagawa Shoyuten in Yanai, Yamaguchi (founded 1830) and "Tsurubishio" from Yamaroku Shoyu on Shodoshima, Kagawa.
Anyone who reads the name "kanro shoyu" for the first time may picture a shoyu (soy sauce) as sweet as sugar. But the word says nothing about how sweet it is. It comes from a way of brewing, and from a single story.
The brewing method is saishikomi, brewing twice. The story is set in Yanai (柳井), the white-walled town in Yamaguchi Prefecture.
What kanro shoyu is: another name for saishikomi shoyu
Kanro shoyu is saishikomi shoyu. Ordinary shoyu is brewed by combining koji (the fermentation culture Aspergillus oryzae) grown on steamed soybeans and roasted wheat with brine. In saishikomi, finished raw shoyu takes the place of that brine, and the whole thing is brewed again.
Shoyu brewed with shoyu. That is why it takes roughly twice the ingredients and twice the work. In exchange, salt stays lower than in koikuchi (the standard dark shoyu), and the savory compounds run higher. What you get is a luxurious combination: low salt, high umami. It is thick and syrupy, and a taste of it leaves savoriness sitting on the tongue. A taste you want to call kanro, sweet dew.
What is the difference between kanro shoyu and saishikomi shoyu?
To answer plainly: what is in the bottle is the same. "Saishikomi shoyu" is the JAS category name, and "kanro shoyu" is the word long used around Yanai in Yamaguchi Prefecture. Two angles on one thing.
You can call any saishikomi shoyu from anywhere in Japan kanro shoyu without being wrong, but in the narrow sense the word is said to belong to the saishikomi shoyu Yanai has been making for 240 years.
Where the name comes from: a lord murmuring "kanro, kanro"
The story goes back to the Tenmei era of the Edo period (1781 to 1789). Takada Denbee (高田伝兵衛), a brewer in Yanai, presented a newly made shoyu to Lord Kikkawa (吉川公) of Iwakuni. The lord, so it is told, took a taste and said: "Kanro, kanro."
Kanro means sweet dew falling from the heavens. For the 240 years since, the special shoyu made in this place has been called kanro shoyu. The name itself is the highest compliment the taste could be paid.
There is no sugar in it, and no mirin. The sweetness comes not from sugar but from the low salt and the concentrated savory compounds. When the saltiness recedes, sweetness and savoriness step forward by comparison, the same logic behind why Saikyo miso tastes sweet.
How kanro shoyu differs from ordinary shoyu
Under the JAS standard, shoyu falls into 5 types: koikuchi, usukuchi, tamari, saishikomi, and shiro. Kanro shoyu is the saishikomi one. Lined up side by side, its position becomes clear.
| Type | Brewing | Salt, roughly | Best used for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Koikuchi | Once, with brine | about 16% | All-purpose, cooking included |
| Usukuchi | Once, with brine (more salt) | about 18% | Simmered dishes you want to keep pale |
| Saishikomi (kanro shoyu) | Again, with raw shoyu | about 12 to 14% | Pouring and dipping |
| Tamari | Almost all soybean | about 16% | Sashimi, glazing |
| Shiro | Mostly wheat | about 17% | Clear soups with no color |
The surprise for most people is that usukuchi carries more salt than koikuchi. Finishing pale means holding fermentation back, and salt is what does the holding. Pale does not mean weak.
Among these 5, kanro shoyu is the lowest in salt and the deepest in savoriness. It answers head-on the request for less salt without less satisfaction.
Kanro shoyu is not for cooking with heat
Here is the most practical warning. Simmer or stir-fry with kanro shoyu and almost nothing of what makes it good survives.
The aroma compounds built up by the second brewing escape easily with heat, and the savory depth gets buried under the other seasonings. Using a bottle made with twice the ingredients and twice the work in a hot pan is, frankly, a waste. Reserve it for dishes that see no flame and you will not go wrong. For your everyday simmered dishes, keep using koikuchi.
Kanro shoyu worth buying: Sagawa Shoyuten in Yanai and Yamaroku Shoyu on Shodoshima
If you are going to talk about kanro shoyu, these two bottles cannot be left out.
"Kanro Shoyu" from Sagawa Shoyuten (Yanai, Yamaguchi Prefecture)
The house the name itself belongs to is Sagawa Shoyuten, founded in 1830. Spring water from the Kotoishi range (琴石山), drawn up from 70m below ground, and big cedar barrels holding 30 koku. With old tools and old methods, they go on brewing saishikomi slowly. In Yanai, where white walls and latticed fronts still line the streets, the brewery is also open as a small museum and welcomes travelers.
At around 900 yen for 300ml, it sits within reach as a gift or for your own table.
"Tsurubishio" from Yamaroku Shoyu (Shodoshima, Kagawa Prefecture)
The other standard-bearer is "Tsurubishio" from Yamaroku Shoyu on Shodoshima (小豆島), the home ground of kioke (wooden barrel) brewing. Raw shoyu brewed for 1 to 2 years is used again in place of brine and goes back into the kioke with soybeans and wheat. Twice the ingredients, and roughly 4 years of time. At the end of that dizzying amount of work comes a thick, syrupy depth.
At the low 2,000 yen range for 500ml it costs more than Kanro Shoyu, but tasting the two against each other is the clearest way to understand how far saishikomi shoyu goes.
Where can you buy kanro shoyu?
Honestly, kanro shoyu does not turn up often in an ordinary supermarket. It moves mainly through 3 channels.
- Breweries' own online shops: Sagawa Shoyuten's "Kanro Shoyu" can be bought directly from the official site
- Mail-order marketplaces: on Amazon and Rakuten, the major saishikomi shoyu such as "Tsurubishio" circulate widely
- Specialist shops for careful seasonings: department store food halls, food select shops
There is no need to give up because the shop down the road does not stock it. If anything, kanro shoyu is a shoyu you are more likely to meet properly by mail order.
How to enjoy kanro shoyu: pouring and dipping
- Sashimi: good with mild fish such as white fish and squid, and the thickness clings to the slices
- Rice with raw egg, chilled tofu: pour it on and the savoriness stands right up
- Grilled eel: a last drizzle at the finish adds body
- Vanilla ice cream: an unexpected pairing, but a known way to enjoy saishikomi shoyu, Tsurubishio above all
- Poured or dipped: it shows its worth in dishes tasted as they are, not heated
Once you know it, going back to your everyday pouring shoyu gets hard. The name kanro is not an idle boast.
Frequently asked questions
What is kanro shoyu?
Kanro shoyu is another name for saishikomi shoyu, which is brewed a second time using finished raw shoyu in place of brine. It takes about twice the ingredients and twice the work of ordinary shoyu, and the result is thick and syrupy: salt lands at about 12 to 14%, below koikuchi's roughly 16%, yet the savory depth runs higher than koikuchi. The name is said to come from an Edo-period story in which the lord of Iwakuni praised the taste by murmuring "kanro, kanro."
Are kanro shoyu and saishikomi shoyu different things?
What is in the bottle is the same. "Saishikomi shoyu" is the JAS category name; "kanro shoyu" is the older word used around Yanai in Yamaguchi Prefecture. You can call any saishikomi shoyu from anywhere in Japan kanro shoyu without being wrong, though in the narrow sense the word belongs to the saishikomi shoyu that Yanai has been making for 240 years.
How does kanro shoyu differ from ordinary shoyu (koikuchi)?
Ordinary koikuchi is brewed once with brine. Kanro shoyu is brewed a second time with raw shoyu instead. That keeps the salt lower than koikuchi while pushing the savory compounds higher: low salt, high umami. It gives its best poured or used as a dip rather than cooked.
What dishes does kanro shoyu suit?
A dipping shoyu for sashimi of white fish or squid is where it belongs. It stands out in dishes that are finished by pouring: rice with raw egg, chilled tofu, a last drizzle over grilled eel. It is not suited to cooking with heat.
Is kanro shoyu sweet? Does it contain sugar or mirin?
No sugar or mirin is added. "Kanro" comes from the word an Edo-period lord of Iwakuni is said to have uttered in praise of the taste, and it does not describe a degree of sweetness. What sweetness you taste is relative: salt sits at about 12 to 14% against koikuchi's roughly 16%, and brewing a second time concentrates the savory compounds.
Where can you buy kanro shoyu?
You will rarely see it in an ordinary supermarket. It mostly moves through breweries' own online shops, mail-order marketplaces, and specialist shops that stock careful seasonings. "Kanro Shoyu" from Sagawa Shoyuten in Yanai, Yamaguchi, can be bought on the brewery's own site, and "Tsurubishio" from Yamaroku Shoyu on Shodoshima, Kagawa, is widely available by mail order.
Can kanro shoyu be used in simmered or stir-fried dishes?
You can, but it is not recommended. The delicate aroma built up by the second brewing escapes easily with heat, and the savory depth gets buried under the other seasonings. This is a shoyu made with twice the ingredients and twice the work, so use it in dishes that see no flame: sashimi, rice with raw egg, chilled tofu. For simmered dishes, koikuchi is the better fit.
How should kanro shoyu be stored, and how long does it keep?
Refrigerate it after opening and aim to finish it within 1 to 2 months. Shoyu oxidizes on contact with air, darkening in color and dulling in aroma. Aroma is the whole point of kanro shoyu, so decline shows up directly in the taste. The surest habit is to keep it off the table and return it to the refrigerator after every use.
