A Journey to Shodoshima

Somewhere in the Seto Inland Sea, between Honshu and Shikoku, there is a small island where time moves at the pace of fermentation. Shodoshima taught Japan to grow olives, and still makes soy sauce the slow way — in barrels older than anyone living. Come with us.

An island the world just noticed

In 2025, UN Tourism named Shodoshima one of its Best Tourism Villages — not Kyoto, not Tokyo, but a farming-and-fishing island of terraced hills and quiet harbors. Here the scenery — the Kankakei gorge, olive groves sloping to the sea — and the way people live are still one and the same.

Where Japan learned to grow the olive

Shodoshima is the birthplace of olive cultivation in Japan. The olive is woven into island life: saplings are given to mark births, marriages, and new beginnings, and nothing is wasted — pressed fruit becomes feed, pruned branches become compost for the next trees. A Mediterranean tree, made wholly Japanese.

The home of soy sauce

On the island’s east is a district locals call Hishio no Sato — “the home of soy sauce.” Here, in tall cedar kioke barrels, soy sauce is still brewed as it was a century ago — slowly, through the seasons, by the wild yeasts living in the wood. Fewer than 1% of Japanese makers still work this way. One of them is Yamaroku.

Yamaroku — five generations in wood

For five generations, the Yamamoto family has brewed soy sauce on Shodoshima. Their saishikomi method brews soy sauce twice, creating exceptional depth without shortcuts.

Tsuru Bishio is deep, mellow, and richly layered — especially suited to sashimi, grilled foods, and dishes where soy sauce takes the lead.

Kiku Bishio is lighter and brighter, with a balanced character that fits naturally into everyday cooking.

The Yamaroku Tasting Set brings these two expressions together with Yamaroku’s ponzu, adding the fresh lift of citrus to the island’s deeply rooted soy sauce tradition.

→ Tsuru Bishio · Kiku Bishio · Yamaroku Tasting Set

Bring the island to your table

You can’t walk the olive groves with us — yet. But you can taste what the island makes, brought straight from Shodoshima to your kitchen.

Complete the table

Tsuru Bishio is made to be tasted at the table — and a few simple things complete it. Here is a hand-roll spread to set the whole table around the soy.

• Gokujo Kontobi Nori — Tsukiji’s prized blue-green nori, crisp for wrapping.
• Tamaruya Wasabi Paste — real Shizuoka hon-wasabi for sashimi and hand-rolls.
• Chidori-su Rice Vinegar — Kyoto’s two-century rice vinegar, for the sushi rice.

Or start simply: Tokyo Corn Rice — sweet summer corn folded into donabe rice, finished with a spoonful of Tsuru Bishio. For the hottest evenings, Hiyayakko — cold tofu, a few drops of this soy sauce, and no stove at all.

This is the first of our Journeys — the places, and the people, behind everything we sell. We are a connection. Your kitchen to Japan.