San-J: Communicating the Precious Tradition of Japanese Soy Sauce for 45 Years

Our guest Takashi Sato is the ８th generation family member of Sanjirushi Jozo in Mie Prefecture and the president of San-J International in the U.S. 

Sanjirushi Jozo has been making soy sauce and miso since 1804, and in 1978 the company decided to expand its business to the U.S. Now, 45 years later, San-J is one of the most familiar soy sauce brands in the U.S. and you may have seen its labels at Whole Foods Market, for instance. 

Soy sauce is a quintessential ingredient of Japanese food, but many of us don’t know the different types and their unique flavors. San-J specializes in Tamari, which is a rare type. 

Also unknown is the fact that the precious tradition of fermented food production has been declining in Japan and Takashi is very much concerned about the situation. That is why he created the Hakko Hub, which aims to revitalize the artisanal fermented food industry. 

In this episode, we will discuss the diverse types and flavors of soy sauce, what exactly Tamari soy sauce is, how Takashi’s unique product line can help people with allergies, his efforts to revive the traditional fermentation industry in Japan, and much, much more!!!

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