Igeta nōkō shōyu made in Nara

Nōkō shōyu, sometimes called saishikomi or "twice-brewed" soy sauce, is made by using finished koikuchi in place of the salt water that would normally be used to start fermentation. At Inoue Honke, this process runs for three years, producing a sauce that is noticeably thicker, darker, and more intense than their standard koikuchi. The website describes the result as luxuriously rich while remaining surprisingly light in use. It is the kind of soy sauce that earns its place undiluted: as a dipping sauce for sashimi or sushi, a finishing touch on cold tofu, or alongside grilled fish. A small amount carries considerable depth. Ingredients: Japanese wheat, Japanese soybeans, salt.