Usuki, a castle town with a tradition of miso and soy sauce production

In the castle town of Usuki,
The headquarters of Kyushu's two leading soy sauce manufacturers are located here.
Its roots are in the Edo period.
It is said to be traced back to the Inaba clan, who founded the town of Usuki.
Walking through the elegant streets of the town,
Get a taste of Kyushu's brewing history.

Shopping district dating back to the Warring States period, soy sauce shop dating back to the Keicho era

　Although it may not be familiar to people outside of Kyushu, there are two well-known miso and soy sauce makers in Usuki City. They are "Fundokin Shoyu", founded in 1861, and "Fujijin Shoyu", founded in 1883. However, it is "Kani Soy Sauce Joint-Stock Company" with the trade name of "Keya" that has its roots in this company.
　Located in a shopping street called "Hachimachi Oji," it was founded in 1600 (Keicho 5), the year of the Battle of Sekigahara. This was the year of Sekigahara. When Sadamichi Inaba, the feudal lord of Mino (Gifu Prefecture), was transferred to Usuki, seven samurai scouted Usuki. One of them got permission from the feudal lord to start a business of miso and soy sauce. Since then, it has been the oldest miso and soy sauce shop in Kyushu. It is said that the brewing techniques of "Keyuya" developed the brewing industry in Usuki. Today, the family, led by Aiichiro Kaji, the 12th generation, still makes and sells miso and soy sauce.
　Alongside the Crab Soy Sauce shop on this "Hachimachi Oji" is also the Fujiya Jinbei antenna store of Fujigin. It is housed in a rented old merchant house from the Meiji era, and many old merchant houses remain in the shopping district. It is said that Otomo Sorin laid the foundation of the merchant town about 450 years ago, and the Inaba family completed the form of the shopping street. It should be tasteful.

　Hama-cho, Usuki City, on the west side of town, is the birthplace of "Fundokin Shoyu". The company boasts the largest production of miso and soy sauce in Kyushu and the largest production of barley miso in Japan. Currently, the company has its headquarters and factory on the sandbank at the mouth of the Usuki River. At the end of the Edo period, the family split off from "Kotegawa Sake Brewery" in the same Hamacho area and started making miso and soy sauce under the name of "Kotegawa Shoten".
　Across the street from the Kotegawa Sake Brewery is the company's antenna store, Kotegawa Shoten, which sells products and also serves Usuki's local cuisine. Yellow rice, dyed yellow with beech nuts, is said to have been popularized by the feudal lord, who was in financial difficulties, as a substitute for sekihan (red rice), or to have imitated Spanish paella during the reign of Sorin Otomo. Kayaku" is a dish of busy merchants, made by simmering vegetables such as radish and burdock root, and minced somen in light soy sauce. It can be served over yellow rice. Then, there are "Miso-zuke" (egg yolk marinated in miso) and "Miso-zuke" (tofu marinated in miso). Both are made by marinating them in a secret miso broth for several days. The miso soup is made with the company's signature barley miso.
　The company also contributed greatly to the establishment of the Oita Soy Sauce Cooperative Association. In 1977, the cooperative's factory was completed near the Usuki Interchange. The late Rikiichiro Kotegawa, the fourth president of the company, was instrumental in the formation of the cooperative and the construction of the factory.
　Currently, the cooperative has 19 members in the prefecture. Factories undertake all or part of the manufacturing process of the cooperative members' products. In an industry where the majority of businesses are family-run, the cooperative supports the stable supply of products and business continuity. This is how the taste of local soy sauce, loved by people in small towns, is preserved. The founding pledge of the cooperative was "to aim for the best soy sauce in Japan. The Guinness World Records-recognized world's largest wooden barrel is said to be for the purpose of producing the taste of traditional handmade soy sauce. The passion for making soy sauce is there.

crab sauce

Fundokin Soy Sauce