Kaneyoshi soy sauce brewer smiling beside a large traditional wooden kioke fermentation barrel.

Wooden kioke fermentation barrels inside the Kaneyoshi shoyu brewery in Fukuoka

Vintage soy sauce canvas sack with white Japanese kanji characters at Kaneyoshi brewery.

Shokuya buyer tasting soy sauce from a bamboo ladle over a Matsuai wooden kioke fermentation barrel.

Marudaizu soybeans cupped in hands, scooped from a kraft paper bag for Matsuai soy sauce brewing.

Kaneyoshi

Shoyu • Fukuoka, Kyushu

Founded over a century ago in Iizuka City, Fukuoka, Kaneyoshi brews shoyu with chemical-free Kyushu soybeans and wheat. The brewery is known for reviving "kioke," traditional wooden barrel brewing.

About

Kaneyoshi Shoyu Brewery has been crafting shoyu in Iizuka City, Fukuoka Prefecture for over a century. Founded in the late Taisho period with a simple mission to create shoyu that brings joy to people, the brewery remains one of Japan's most dedicated traditional producers. Rooted in the Chikuho region, once a coal-mining heartland that supported postwar Japan, Kaneyoshi combines time-honored techniques with a deep respect for natural ingredients and the environment. Using soybeans and wheat grown in Kyushu without pesticides, chemical fertilizers, or herbicides, alongside sun-dried salt and pure underground water, the brewery is committed to crafting shoyu that works in harmony with nature. Their revival of traditional wooden barrel brewing, and their efforts to preserve these skills through the Wooden Barrel Craftsmen Revival Project, have earned them wide recognition as a custodian of one of Japan's most cherished culinary traditions.

Why Kaneyoshi?

Kaneyoshi has revived the ancient practice of wooden barrel brewing, slowly fermenting and ageing shoyu in traditional wooden vats. The microorganisms living within these barrels develop over time, creating a depth of flavor and aroma shaped by generations of accumulated brewing culture. Through their Wooden Barrel Craftsmen Revival Project, Kaneyoshi is also actively working to preserve and pass on these skills to future generations.

Quality Local Ingredients

Every batch is brewed using whole soybeans and wheat grown in Kyushu without pesticides, chemical fertilisers, or herbicides, alongside sun-dried salt and pure underground water. Kaneyoshi maintains a strong commitment to local sourcing, using ingredients from Kyushu and Fukuoka Prefecture wherever possible. Koji mold is cultivated by hand over three days each early spring, a tradition upheld without exception since the brewery's founding.

Slow Fermentation

After the koji is prepared, it is mixed with saltwater and left to naturally ferment and age for two full years. The shoyu matures through the changing seasons, developing complex umami and rich aromas shaped entirely by time and environment. All production is carried out in a JAS-certified, HACCP-compliant facility, with quality verified through both analytical testing and sensory evaluation by skilled artisans.