Yamaroku Soy Sauce The First Brewing of The Barrel 2025　ヤマロク醤油 2025年度 新桶初搾り 500ml

Yamaroku Soy Sauce has been producing traditional soy sauce using only domestically sourced ingredients, natural fermentation, and wooden barrels (kioke) for over 150 years.

An essential part of their brewery is the cedarwood barrels, which also serve as a home to the beneficial microorganisms that drive fermentation.
In the past, wooden barrels were widely used in the production of all kinds of fermented foods—sake, miso, soy sauce, pickles, and more. However, after World War II, stainless steel and plastic containers became common, and demand for expensive wooden barrels declined. As a result, traditional barrel-makers (oke-ya) are now on the verge of extinction.

A wooden barrel has a lifespan of about 150 years. Fearing that "if the knowledge of barrel-making disappears, authentic soy sauce production will too," the fifth-generation owner, Mr. Yasuo Yamamoto, trained as a cooper himself and began making wooden barrels by hand.
Today, he leads the Kioke Craftsman Revival Project, which not only holds annual barrel-making events but also promotes the value of foods fermented in wooden barrels across Japan.

The soy sauce introduced here—“Shin-Oke Hatsu-Shibori” (First Pressing from a New Barrel)—is brewed in one of these freshly made barrels.

While Yamaroku’s classic soy sauces like Kiku-bishio (aged for about two years) and Tsurubishio (double-brewed and aged for about four years) are well-known, this soy sauce is aged for just one year, giving it a fresh, once-in-a-lifetime character that varies by vintage.

The 2024 release was aged two months longer than usual, resulting in a slightly deeper color and richer umami. Unlike light soy sauces (usukuchi shoyu), it’s not overly salty, making it suitable for a wide range of dishes.
It pairs especially well with foods that complement white wine—try it with white fish sashimi, for instance.

Not only is this soy sauce rare due to being the first batch brewed in a barrel that will be used for over 100 years, but it also carries the heartfelt vision of Mr. Yamamoto, who is committed to preserving real soy sauce for future generations.
This is truly a special product that shines a light on the future of food.

We hope you’ll take this opportunity to experience its unique flavor.

Ingredients:  Soya, wheat, salt
NET Weight: 500ml
Gross Wight: 800g
Manufacturer: Yamaroku Soy Sauce


国産原料、天然醸造、木桶仕込みの伝統的な醤油作りを150年以上にわたって続けられているヤマロク醤油さん。
その蔵に欠かせないのが、微生物たちの棲家でもある杉材の木桶です。
昔はお酒、味噌、醤油、漬物など、あらゆる発酵食品作りに使われていた木桶ですが、戦後、ステンレス樽やプラスチック桶が普及してからは、高価な木桶の需要はなくなり、桶屋さんも絶滅の危機に瀕しているそうです。
桶の寿命は約150年。「桶作りのノウハウが消えてしまえば、本物の醤油作りもできなくなる！」という切実な危機感から、五代目（山本康夫さん）自ら桶屋さんで修行をし、ご自身で木桶を作るように。
今では『木桶職人復活プロジェクト』を主宰し、年一回の桶作りと、木桶で仕込んだ食品の魅力を全国に伝える活動もされています。
そうして出来上がったまっさらな木桶で仕込まれたのがこの『新桶初搾り』。
ヤマロクさんのお醤油は約二年熟成の『菊醤』や、再仕込みで約四年熟成の『鶴醤』などが定番ですが、一年仕込みのこちらは年によって味わいが変わる一期一会のフレッシュさが特徴です。
2024年リリースの今年の新桶は例年より2ヶ月熟成期間が長かったので色はやや濃い目、旨みも例年より高い仕上がりになっています。薄口醤油のような塩っ気が強いものでは無いので、幅広いお料理にお使いいただけます。
白ワインに合う食材と相性が良い印象。白身のお刺身などと合わせるのがおすすめです。
今後100年以上使われる木桶の初仕込みという希少性もさることながら、「子や孫の代まで本物の醤油を残したい」という山本さんの熱い想いが詰まった、食の未来を照らしてくれる本当にありがたい逸品です。
ぜひこの機会にご賞味ください。

原材料：大豆(国産)、小麦(国産)、塩
内容量：500ml
総重量：800g
製造者：ヤマロク醤油