Nihon Chomiryo Tabi
Asamurasaki Kaki Shoyu (アサムラサキ かき醤油)
The story behind it
Asamurasaki began in 1910, when Fujii Kunigoro opened a shop devoted to brewing shoyu (soy sauce) in the old village of Fukatsu, now part of Fukuyama in Hiroshima Prefecture.
In 1923 the brewery became a supplier to the Imperial Household Ministry, and an adviser to the imperial court gave it the name "Asamurasaki." Murasaki, "purple," was an old court word for shoyu, so the name means shoyu offered to the imperial court. The company still carries it.
Kaki Shoyu arrived in 1992. Extract drawn from Hiroshima oysters is blended into brewed shoyu, then rounded out with bonito and kombu dashi, sugar and mirin. The maker calls it a rich tsuyu: use it straight as a pouring shoyu, or dilute it with water as a base for simmered dishes and clear soups.
The head office is still in Fukuyama, and since 1980 the shoyu has been made at the company's plant in neighboring Kasaoka, Okayama. Kaki Shoyu received the Grand Gold Award at Monde Selection ten years in a row.
How to use it
The maker's first suggestion is tamago kake gohan, rice with raw egg. It also goes straight onto chilled tofu or sashimi. Dilute it 10 to 12 times with water for udon, soba or chawanmushi, 12 to 15 times for oden, yosenabe hot pot or clear soup, and use it in the same amount as shoyu when simmering fish or vegetables.