{"id":25185,"date":"2017-02-16T12:00:50","date_gmt":"2017-02-16T03:00:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/voyapon.com\/?p=25185"},"modified":"2020-08-08T20:17:12","modified_gmt":"2020-08-08T11:17:12","slug":"hamamatsu-soy-sauce","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/voyapon.com\/hamamatsu-soy-sauce\/","title":{"rendered":"Hamamatsu: Making Your Very Own Bottle of Soy Sauce at Meijiya Soy Factory"},"content":{"rendered":"
Sponsored by Shizuoka Prefectural Tourism Association<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n While I was visiting Shizuoka prefecture, I visited Meijiya Shoyu, a traditional soy factory which produces\u00a0organic soy sauce. This family-run company was established in the 8th year of the Meiji era around 1875 (hence its name) and its technique has been closely protected as it has passed down the generations.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Meijiya Shoyu is made up of several old-fashioned wood buildings: the factory, the shop and a tearoom. The shop and the tearoom overlook a charming Japanese garden!<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n The factory tour (which is free) explains the production process, and any equipment, machines and materials that are necessary for making soy sauce. Even if you\u00a0are not interested in the soy sauce squeezing experience, it\u00a0definitely worth taking a\u00a0look if you plan\u00a0on going around\u00a0Hamamatsu!<\/p>\n To make their delicious soy sauce, the factory mixes 300kg of steamed\u00a0soybeans<\/u>, 300kg of light brown roasted\u00a0wheat<\/u>,\u00a0salt<\/u>\u00a0and\u00a0seed malt<\/u>. This mixture is called\u00a0kouji\u00a0<\/em>and the matured mixture of\u00a0kouji<\/em>\u00a0is called\u00a0moromi.<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n To obtain\u00a0moromi<\/em>, the factory puts\u00a0kouji<\/em>\u00a0in a tank for about a year and half to three years, controlling the temperature throughout the years.\u00a0Traditional brewing methods involve waiting until\u00a0moromi<\/em>\u00a0has matured through the heat of summer and cold of winter.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Then, moromi\u00a0<\/em> is squeezed through 300 pieces of fabric to produce the soy sauce.\u00a0<\/em>The\u00a0maturation of the\u00a0moromi<\/em>\u00a0will determine how rich the flavor of the soy sauce will be (a hot summer will change the taste of the soy sauce; a bit like a wine actually).<\/p>\n All the ingredients used by Meijiya Shoyu are organics and made in Japan (except for the salt that comes from Mexico and Australia). But the main ingredient is patience!<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The 7th generation master has made special workshop presses so you can try your hand at squeezing\u00a0moromi<\/em>, then straining, filtering and capping your own bottle of soy sauce to take home with you so you can enjoy the fresh taste of your own artisan sauce.<\/p>\n First step<\/u>: Put pieces of fabric in a special small tub with an integrated tap.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Second step<\/span>\u00a0: Pour the moromi<\/em> with a ladle in the\u00a0small tub and cover it\u00a0with the fabric and a cling film.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Third step<\/span>: Put the small tub in a press with a bowl below the tap. The soy sauce will flow in the bowl under the pressure of the press.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n After each compression, it is very satisfactory to see all the soy sauce flowing from the tap!<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Fourth step<\/u>: Filter the soy sauce through a piece of fabric and filling the bottle with a\u00a0funnel. Then, cap the bottle with a special machine.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Fifth step<\/span>: Tag\u00a0the bottle to make it your very own artisan sauce.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n I was very proud to come back home with my personalized bottle and when I tried the sauce on a tuna chirashizushi (raw fish and rice), it was delicious!<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n After the workshop, I was invited into the tearoom to try a homemade soy ice cream. The taste was really original\u2014not really sweet, not really salty, very good! The ice cream comes with a pot of green tea. The wooden tables are located along the big windows that overlook on the garden:\u00a0it is very zen!<\/p>\n <\/p>\n You can make a reservation in advance, for more detailed please find it out through here<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n By\u00a0public transportations<\/u>, take a train on the \u201cEnshu line\u201d from Hamamatsu station to\u00a0\u201cEnshu Komatsu\u201d and then you will need to walk 10 minutes.<\/p>\n By\u00a0car<\/u>, it takes 40 minutes from\u00a0Hamamatsu station.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Need more information? You can find up to date information about Shizuoka\u2019s history, sightseeing locations, accommodations, food, and transportation by clicking on the link below:<\/p>\nMeijiya Shoyu<\/h2>\n
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Production\u00a0process<\/h2>\n
Soy sauce squeezing experience<\/h2>\n
The 5\u00a0steps<\/h3>\n
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Soy ice cream tasting<\/h2>\n
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Information<\/h2>\n
Price and Reservation<\/h3>\n
How to get there<\/h3>\n
SHIZUOKA GUIDE<\/a><\/strong><\/h2>\n