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While many people come here for the olive trees, the island is also famous for a very special treasure: Shodoshima Shoyu. This is a rich, dark sauce that has a deep flavor and a very long history. If you love food made with care, you will love the story of this island!
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What is Shodoshima Shoyu?
Shodoshima Shoyu is a high-quality sauce made from soybeans, wheat, salt, and water. What makes it truly special is how it is aged. Most sauces today came from making it in giant metal tanks in just a few months. However, on this island, brewers still use giant wooden barrels made of cedar wood.
The island is known as the “Kingdom of Wooden Barrels” because it has over 1,000 of these old barrels still in use. These barrels are homes for “tiny heroes”—good bacteria and yeast that have lived in the wood for over 100 years. They work slowly to give the sauce a mellow taste and a sweet, woody smell that is unlike any other sauce in the world.
A Proud 400-Year-Old History
The history of Shodoshima Shoyu is very exciting! It began about 400 years ago during the Edo period.
Long ago, workers came to the island to find big stones to build the famous Osaka Castle. These workers brought a tasty food called “Kinzanji Miso” with them. The islanders noticed a yummy liquid coming from the miso and loved the flavor. They wanted to learn the secret, so they traveled across the sea to a town called Yuasa to study how to brew it.
Before this, Shodoshima was a world leader in making salt. During the Genroku era, the island produced the second-highest amount of salt in all of Japan! But later, the salt business became very difficult because there was too much salt in the market and not enough wood to burn for the salt-making fires. The smart islanders decided to use their salt to start a new business making shoyu instead! Because the island is warm and dry, it was the perfect place for brewing.
Reference: Sauce Village
A Must-Visit Spot to try Shodoshima Shoyu
Yamaroku Shoyu (ヤマロク醤油)
This brewery has been run by the same family for five generations! You can take a free tour to walk among wooden barrels that are 150 years old.
After the tour, you can sit at the cafe and try their world-famous Soy Sauce Pudding. It is thick and creamy, and the shoyu adds a wonderful flavor that tastes like rich caramel. You should also try the Soy Sauce Ice Cream, which is a huge favorite for kids and adults! In the winter, they even serve warm grilled rice cakes that smell amazing. It is a very friendly place where you can feel the heart of the island.
Address: 1607 Yasuda-ue, Yasuda-ko, Shodoshima-cho, Shozu-gun, Kagawa 761-4411
Phone number: 0879-82-0666
Hours open: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM (Open every day of the year!)
Website: https://yama-roku.net/en
Takeaway
Shodoshima Shoyu is a beautiful part of Japanese culture. It uses very old traditions and the power of nature to create a flavor that is truly special. Visiting the historic warehouses is a great way to taste the island’s history and see the hard work that goes into every bottle.
I am so excited for you to try all the island’s flavors, so you absolutely must also try Shodoshima Somen, Tsukudani, and Olive Beef for the ultimate food adventure!
English (US) · 