【Reading】たまりしょうゆ

【English Name】Tamari Soy Sauce

Tamari shoyu is a form of brewed soy sauce in which soybeans account for nearly the entire raw material. Because the proportion of wheat is extremely low, it is characterized by a deep umami and rich color that cannot be achieved with koikuchi (dark) soy sauce. The prevailing view holds that tamari shoyu originated from the liquid that collects at the top during the brewing of miso.

The oldest example in which the word "tamari" appears in historical records is the Nippo Jisho (Vocabulario da Lingoa de Iapam) published in 1603, where it is described as a cooking liquid obtained from miso. Although multiple theories exist regarding its origin, a well-known tradition holds that it arose by chance as a byproduct while Kinzanji miso, brought from China around the 13th century (Kamakura period), was being brewed in the Yuasa area of Wakayama Prefecture. Another theory holds that the miso-making method transmitted by the monk Shinchi Kakushin, who had returned from the Southern Song dynasty, marked its beginning.

Until the early Edo period, the mainstream soy sauce throughout Japan was tamari, with production concentrated around the Kinki region and Sanuki. As the population grew, however, demand expanded rapidly, and the existing production areas could no longer keep up with supply. Against this backdrop, koikuchi soy sauce came to be created in the Kanto region.

In the world of sushi, tamari is often prized as the soy sauce to accompany sashimi. Believed to have the power to elevate the inherent flavor of the topping (neta), many artisans still regard this soy sauce as an indispensable tool.