Inoue Koshiki Shoyu (井上 古式じょうゆ)

The story behind it

Okuizumo is the country of Japanese myth. Inoue Shoyuten, founded in 1867, has been brewing shoyu in these mountains since the end of the Edo period.

What sets Koshiki Shoyu apart is the old method behind it, which uses a generous proportion of soybeans. Whole Japanese soybeans and Japanese wheat are brewed by tennen jozo (naturally brewed, no temperature control) with no added yeast, then aged slowly. The strength of the soybean dissolves straight into the liquid, giving a dense, sturdy savoriness.

This is a small brewery in the San'in region that does no loud advertising, yet chefs and serious cooks keep buying it without comment. "My usual simmered dish went up a level." That kind of remark is the best proof there is.