Step inside the world of traditional Japanese soy sauce at Meijiya Soy Sauce, a family-run brewery that has been preserving its craft since 1875. Located in Hamamatsu, this historic brewery continues to produce soy sauce using time-honored techniques inside a beautifully preserved wooden factory designated as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property of Japan.
Your experience begins with a guided tour of the brewery, where you’ll learn how soy sauce is made—from cultivating koji and fermenting moromi to pressing and heat pasteurization. Along the way, discover why different types of soy sauce play such an important role in Japanese cuisine.
The highlight of the experience is pressing naturally fermented moromi yourself using traditional equipment. After your freshly extracted soy sauce is heat-treated, you’ll bottle it to take home as a unique souvenir of your visit.
This experience is available with two departure times. Please select your preferred start time when booking.
Meet your Professional, English-speaking guide at Meijiya Soy Sauce Brewery. After a brief introduction, learn about the history of this family-owned brewery, which has been crafting soy sauce for over 150 years.
Explore the historic wooden brewery, a Registered Tangible Cultural Property of Japan. Follow the journey of soy sauce production—from koji cultivation and fermentation to pressing and pasteurization—while discovering traditional equipment that has remained in use for generations.
Experience one of the most rewarding parts of soy sauce making by pressing naturally fermented moromi using traditional tools. Your freshly extracted soy sauce will then be heat-treated and bottled for you to take home.
Compare four distinctive soy sauces served with tofu: fresh unpasteurized soy sauce, freshly pasteurized soy sauce, three-year-aged soy sauce, and light soy sauce. Discover how differences in aging and production create unique aromas, flavors, and uses in Japanese cuisine.
Receive an original Hamamatsu Chusen-dyed tenugui as a souvenir before browsing the brewery shop, where you can purchase handcrafted soy sauces and specialty sauces to take home.
Meijiya Shoyu
Be prepared for a fair amount of walking – While the tour covers a significant walking distance, most of the route is flat. Where there are inclines or stairs, elevators and escalators are available in many areas. Comfortable walking shoes are recommended.
To protect the brewery’s delicate koji culture, please do not eat natto on the morning of your visit.
The tasting includes tofu and soy-based products.
This experience is booked on request. We will respond to the request within 5 days
| Cancellation Date | Cancellation Fee |
|---|---|
| On the tour date | 100% of the tour price |
| 2 to 1 day prior to the tour date | 50 % of the tour price |
| 3 to 7 days prior to the tour date | 30% of the tour price |
| 8 or more days prior to the tour date | Free |
Meijiya Shoyu