The Kikkoman soy sauce story: how it’s made, why chefs love it and its rise from Japan’s favourite to global popularity
- Kikkoman was founded in 1917, when eight soy sauce makers in the Japanese town of Nodu decided to work together
- It is the most popular brand of soy sauce in Japan and the company is also the largest manufacturer of soy sauce in the world
The Goyogura is where soy sauce exclusively for the Japanese imperial household is made, brewed in processes that have been handed down through generations.
Whitewashed and with the gateway, tiled roofs and foundation stones of a traditional Japanese structure, it was originally built on the banks of the Edo River in 1939, but Kikkoman Corp dismantled and rebuilt the ageing facility in the town of Noda, in Chiba Prefecture, just north of Tokyo.
It still produces top-quality soy sauce for the imperial family today. Tradition, after all, is one of the cornerstones of Kikkoman’s philosophy.
The company was founded in 1917 as Noda Shoyu (“Noda soy sauce”), when eight soy sauce makers in the town decided to work together. Some of the eight family-run companies had beginnings that dated back to the 17th century, but their owners realised they would be better off sharing their knowledge and committing to using the best ingredients available.
The company was a success from the start and it opened a plant in 1931 in Kansai to meet demand from the Osaka region. In 1940, it changed its name to Kikkoman to build on its growing popularity.