For the Japanese soy sauce most Americans know best, the essential condiment to sushi, we can thank the town of Yuasa, Japan.
Japanese soy sauce originated there in the 13th century, and it’s been produced in Yuasa ever since. In this short documentary from Mile Nagaoka, we get a tour of the small coastal town and watch how soy sauce is made. It’s produced by artisans in a long, complicated process in which the soybeans ferment for between 18 months and three-and-a-half years.
As if Yuasa wasn’t already gastronomically vital, it also produces one of Japan’s most well-known Mandarin oranges, the Arida mikan.
