Founded in 1950, a soy sauce brand in Hamamatsu preserving the traditional koji-tray method and cedar-vat aging

Yamakou

Yamakou is a soy sauce brand founded in 1950 in Hamamatsu, Shizuoka Prefecture. Its story began when the founder, wishing to start a business of his own, trained at a local soy sauce shop in the city and opened his own store.

The brand name carries a wish: "May happiness as great as a mountain visit everyone." Delivering genuine flavor and bringing a smile to the family table are values Yamakou has always cherished.

Yamakou is committed to domestic ingredients, incorporating local materials as well. Koji is made using the traditional koji-buta (koji tray) method, and the soy sauce is slowly aged in cedar vats.

Production takes place in Hamamatsu, a city known for some of the sunniest weather in Japan. The handmade process is labor-intensive, but the teamwork of the family supports the craft every day.