In the late Edo Period, Tomatsu, a brew master from Kanazawa made long journeys onboard his kitamaebune to the far northern island of Hokkaido. Aboard were tightly packed kegs of Shoyu (soy sauce) which he traded for lumber and fresh seafood. At the time, this took a very adventurous spirit and was much like traveling to a foreign land. This early trade route Tomatsu established drove the success of his shoyu brewery. Today, his family still crafts his shoyu in same cedar casks Tomatsu had built over 100 years ago. Like fine wine, shoyu aged in old wood coveys its unique flavor and aroma.
