Nihon Chomiryo Tabi
What Soya no Shio is
- Pronounced so-ya no shi-o. A mineral salt made by Tagami Shokuhin Kogyo of Wakkanai, Hokkaido, from seawater off the seabed of the Soya Strait at the northern tip of Japan.
- The water is filtered and drawn from the seabed rather than near the surface, and the salt is certified under the city's "Wakkanai Brand."
- The method: concentrated brine is sprayed onto a heated drum so that only the water leaves. Magnesium and other minerals stay behind.
- Because salts high in minerals draw damp and clump, refined salt is easier to handle for baking and bread dough, where measuring matters.
"Soya no Shio" reads so-ya no shi-o. The name comes from the Soya Strait (宗谷海峡) at the northern tip of Hokkaido, and the salt is made by Tagami Shokuhin Kogyo in the city of Wakkanai (稚内市).
Say the word salt and most people think first of saltiness. But salt is a food whose mineral content and flavor shift considerably with where it comes from and how it is made. Soya no Shio, made at the Soya Strait in the northernmost sea in Japan, is said to be one of the easier places to feel that difference.
What Soya no Shio is
Soya no Shio is a mineral salt that Tagami Shokuhin Kogyo of Wakkanai, Hokkaido, makes from seawater off the seabed of the Soya Strait, at the northern tip of Japan. Selected for the "Wakkanai Brand" the city certifies, it is one of the specialties that stand for the area.
The essentials first.
- Origin: Wakkanai, Hokkaido / the Soya Strait
- Maker: Tagami Shokuhin Kogyo (certified under the Wakkanai Brand)
- Raw material: seawater filtered and drawn from the seabed of the Soya Strait
- Method: the brine is concentrated, then sprayed onto a heated drum so that only the water leaves
- Character: a mineral-rich salt whose magnesium content is said to exceed 3,000mg per 100g
- Size and guide price: 250g / around 1,450 yen
- Good with: Hokkaido seafood such as salmon and scallops, potatoes with butter, shio ramen, salted rice balls
Below, three angles - the place, the method, the taste - on why this salt can be called particular to the far north.
The northernmost sea, fed by drift ice
The Soya Strait is the stretch of water lying between Hokkaido and Sakhalin. In winter drift ice reaches the shore, and it is known as one of the harshest, coldest seas in Japan. That drift ice is what underpins the richness of the water here. It carries iron and other matter that plankton feed on, and as it melts it is thought to drive the cycling of nutrients through the sea.
Tagami Shokuhin Kogyo, which makes Soya no Shio, filters and draws its seawater up from the seabed of these waters. The reason for deliberately taking water from the bottom rather than near the surface is said to be that it is cleaner and more consistent in quality.
The method, and a character built on minerals
What makes Soya no Shio distinctive is how it is made. The brine is concentrated and then finished by spraying it onto a heated drum so that only the water leaves, which means a good deal of the magnesium and other minerals in seawater stays in the crystals. Magnesium content is said to run over 3,000mg per 100g, among the highest figures for salt made in Japan.
Unlike refined salt, a salt carrying plenty of minerals is said to give a rounder saltiness with the edges taken off. Even within the single category of sodium chloride, the state of the sea and the method of making shift the impression on the palate - one of the easier discoveries to make once you start tasting salts from around Japan side by side.
Set beside refined salt and sun-dried salt
Where Soya no Shio sits becomes clearer next to the salts most people know.
| Refined salt (table salt) | Sun-dried salt | Soya no Shio | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Method | Concentrated and refined with ion-exchange membranes | Water driven off by sun and wind | Brine concentrated, dried on a drum |
| Sodium chloride | 99% and above | Roughly 85 to 95% | Keeps much of its mineral content |
| Magnesium | Almost none | Varies by origin | Said to exceed 3,000mg per 100g |
| On the palate | Sharp, pointed saltiness | Round, varying widely by origin | No edges, with a lingering finish |
| Best for | Prep work, cooking that needs measuring | Finishing, letting an ingredient speak | Finishing, letting an ingredient speak |
Magnesium is the main component of nigari. Easier to picture, perhaps, as the thing that sets tofu. It brings a faint bitterness and depth that soften the outline of the saltiness. The absence of edges in Soya no Shio is what that figure is describing.
It is not, however, an all-purpose salt. Salts high in minerals draw damp and clump, so refined salt is easier to handle in baking and bread dough, where measuring matters. This salt does its best work as a finishing salt, where the point is to let the ingredient speak.
The Wakkanai Brand, crystals from the far edge
Tagami Shokuhin Kogyo, the maker behind Soya no Shio, is based in Wakkanai. As a salt made at the northern limit of Japan, it has been selected for the "Wakkanai Brand," the city's certification for outstanding local products. Even the packaging carries the character of this place: drift ice and a cold sea.
Hokkaido is a land rich in what its seas and soil give up, from salmon and scallops to potatoes. Matching a salt raised in the same northern water with ingredients from the same island is a way of tasting the story of a place directly at the table.
How to use it
- As a sprinkle when preparing seafood such as salmon or scallops
- A pinch on steamed potatoes alongside the butter
- A shake to finish ramen broth
- In a plain salted rice ball, to check the mineral finish
- To season grilled fish, before or after cooking
Simply swapping your everyday salt for Soya no Shio can change the impression a familiar dish makes. Start with something plain, a salted rice ball for instance.
Where to buy Soya no Shio
Soya no Shio is sold at souvenir shops in Wakkanai, at Hokkaido regional shops, and at roadside stations. From further afield, Amazon and Rakuten and other online retailers carry it. As a guide, a 250g package runs around 1,450 yen (the price moves with the season). It is the kind of product where it is easy to try a small size first and switch to keeping it on hand once you like it.
Frequently asked questions
What is Soya no Shio?
It is a salt made by Tagami Shokuhin Kogyo in Wakkanai, Hokkaido, from seawater filtered and drawn up off the seabed of the Soya Strait at the northern tip of Japan. The brine is concentrated and then sprayed onto a heated drum so that only the water leaves, which keeps much of the seawater's mineral content, magnesium in particular. It has also been selected for the "Wakkanai Brand" certified by the city.
How is the name Soya no Shio pronounced?
It reads "so-ya no shi-o" (そうやのしお). The name comes from the Soya Strait at the northern end of Hokkaido, and the maker, Tagami Shokuhin Kogyo, is in the city of Wakkanai (わっかないし).
How does Soya no Shio differ from ordinary table salt?
Ordinary salt is refined to a sodium chloride purity of close to 100%, whereas Soya no Shio is made by concentrating seawater and so carries a good deal of the sea's own minerals, magnesium above all. Its magnesium content is said to exceed 3,000mg per 100g, a figure that stands out among salts made in Japan.
Where can I buy Soya no Shio, and what does it cost?
Souvenir shops in Wakkanai and Hokkaido regional shops carry it, as do online retailers such as Amazon and Rakuten. As a guide, a 250g package runs around 1,450 yen, though the price moves with the season.
What dishes does Soya no Shio suit?
Use it to prepare Hokkaido seafood such as salmon and scallops and you get a sense of the ingredient and the salt coming from the same place. It is also known to sit well with Hokkaido staples, from potatoes with butter to a finishing pinch in ramen broth.
My Soya no Shio has clumped. Is there a way to prevent that?
Salts high in minerals draw moisture out of the air and clump readily. This is not a sign that the quality has fallen off. Move it to an airtight container and keep it at room temperature, away from places where damp and heat collect, such as beside the stove or the sink. If it has clumped, break it up with a dry spoon and it will work exactly as before.
