Yamakawa Jozo

Founded in 1943 (Showa 18), Yamakawa Brewery produces tamari soy sauce using whole soybeans grown in Gifu Prefecture, salt produced from Seto Inland Sea seawater, and subterranean water from the Nagara River. Its tamari soy sauce takes more than two years to produce. Soy sauce naturally brewed in traditional wooden barrels accounts for less than 1% of Japan’s total soy sauce production and is renowned for its distinctive aroma and flavor, which enhance a wide variety of dishes.

Yamakawa Brewery’s popular guided brewery tour takes visitors through a brewing area lined with two-meter-tall wooden barrels. Advance reservations are required, and a fee applies. A guide provides detailed explanations of the ingredients and production process used to make soy sauce, as well as the role of the wooden barrels. The tour also includes a soy sauce tasting and product sampling, offering visitors an opportunity to deepen their knowledge of soy sauce.

The brewery also has an on-site shop. Its shelves are stocked with more than 50 products, including tamari soy sauce, ponzu, dashi-infused tamari soy sauce, and soybean miso, all ideal for everyday use at home or as souvenirs.