The History of Shoyu (Japanese Soy Sauce)

“Shoyu”, the Japanese name for soy sauce, first came into usage during the Muromachi Period, and the word appears in a dictionary written in the early 1500s. Thus, it can be assumed that during the mid-Muromachi Period soy sauce began being used as a liquid seasoning.

During the Azuchi-Momoyama Period (1573-1603), under the rule of Oda Nobunaga and Toyotomi Hideyoshi, the development of a monetary economy among the merchant and artisan class served as the gateway to the modern era, increasing the circulation of goods. Against this historical background, soy sauce spread quickly among the common people, and demand for the product increased.

During the Edo Period (1603-1867), wheat was used to produce a fragrant kind of soy sauce called koikuchi shoyu, perfect for flavoring the fish caught in the Edo Bay, the popularity of which contributed greatly to the culinary culture particular to the era. In response, the first soy sauce factories emerged during the late 16th century and early 17th century.