While most mayonnaise is made with vinegar, Hotaru Foods uses 100% yuzu juice as its acid of choice, which adds a bright, citrusy kick and subtle sweetness reminiscent of Kewpie mayonnaise, a Japanese favorite. We especially like to pair it with seafood, which doesn't need its usual squeeze of lemon thanks to the tart yuzu flavor.

Yuzu Kosho is a Japanese condiment prepared from fermented yuzu, chilies, kombu and salt. This spicy, briny paste combines chili heat with yuzu, the best-tasting citrus fruit you’ve never heard of that is used broadly in Japanese cooking as an accent note. We like this kosho's fruity, bright red bell pepper aroma and subtle sweetness.

A traditional condiment made from fermented malted rice, shio koji is known in Japan for packing a punch of umami into everything from marinated meats to savory soups. All shio kojis aren’t created equal, though, for Hanamaruki Foods distills the powerful flavor properties of this essential Japanese ingredient into an easy-to-use liquid form—the only Liquid Shio Koji available on the market—to create the ultimate pantry secret weapon. We love the condiment’s clean, yet bold flavor: salty rounded out with a pronounced sweetness and burst of umami. It’s made by pressing shio koji in its original paste form and filtering until it yields the clear, golden-hued liquid. The product isn’t heat-treated, so its enzymes remain active and effective in rendering meat remarkably moist and juicy, balancing bitterness in veggies like eggplant and adding amino acids for a full-flavored finish to any dish to truly change the way you cook. Use as a marinade for meats and fish, drizzle into salad dressings and sauces to balance savory flavors, or incorporate into baked goods to add a layer of tantalizing complexity.

This Japanese soy sauce has a light-tasting without being too thin or watery, with a rounded, mouth-filling umami flavor and clear, bright salinity that quickly yields to a light, wheaty nuttiness. Its clarity of flavor and clean finish are perfect for delicate foods like chicken and fish, as the shoyu won't overwhelm but rather enhance other flavors in a dish.

Aromatic yuzu peel meets tangy rice vinegar and green peppers with a hint of heat in this uniquely Japanese hot sauce. It’s crafted with yuzu from the Higashimera region of Japan’s Miyazaki Prefecture (known for yielding exceptionally fragrant fruits) and—for a touch of acidity—a rice vinegar that was carefully selected after tasting hundreds of different options. The green pepper offers a satisfying bite without being overwhelming: Think of it as a citrus-flavored Tabasco that’s a little less hot, so it’s even more versatile.

This balanced sushi vinegar is wonderful for those who are just dipping their toe in the world of sushi making. Rice vinegar (which can sometimes be astringent on its own) is usually mixed with sweeteners before it’s added to sushi rice, but this one takes the guesswork out of doing it yourself—perfectly softening the high-quality rice vinegar with rich brown sugar and floral honey. A dash of sea salt brightens the mixture and melds the flavors together.

This traditional Japanese chili condiment—made from red chilis, tart yuzu peel and koji (rice mold best known for its role in producing sake and miso)—is citrusy, bright and a little funky. And it gets a balanced boost from bright, acidic shishitos. The heat is palpable, but pleasant—it won’t send you running for a glass of water.

This traditional Japanese chili condiment—made from red chilis, tart yuzu peel and koji (rice mold best known for its role in producing sake and miso)—is citrusy, bright and a little funky. And it gets a balanced boost from sweet and earthy black garlic. On the palate, that sweetness is what leads, followed by a rich, musty fermented flavor; it finishes with a lingering kiss of heat.

The tangy tartar sauce you love, but better. This Japanese-style tartar sauce gets an upgrade with daikon radish, pickled ginger, kombu and shiso folded into a creamy, tangy mayo base. The flavor is unlike any other tartar sauce we’ve tried: A touch of umami from the kombu. Briny, tangy notes from the pickled veggies (which also lend a satisfying crunch). A hint of pepper from the shiso, but no spice—just smooth, layered flavor.

If mayo is your go-to condiment, you have to try this Japanese version. Japanese mayo is famous for being extra rich, ultra decadent and flavorful, since it uses just egg yolks and not the entire egg unlike the majority of American mayonnaises. Even the eggs themselves in this particular brand of Japanese mayo are special: They’re sei-agri eggs, which come from chickens hand-fed a special vegetarian diet to yield better flavor. A little apple cider vinegar brings brightness, while mustard brings balance. And a vacuum-sealed pot is used during the mayo’s emulsification process to further preserve the complex flavor. Plus, it contains no additives like other brands—just bold taste and creamy texture.

Marudaizu soy sauce is made with whole soy beans that don’t undergo a degreasing process first, which results in a unique, mild flavor. This one uses organic beans from Hokkaido and barley harvested in Japan and is brewed and aged outdoors in the Izumo region. It’s also smoked using real cherry wood (unlike many smoked soy sauces that use artificial flavorings), which imparts an incredible aroma and a smoky taste that comes through immediately—a bonfire-like scent hits your nose as soon as you uncap the bottle. Overall the taste is smoky, earthy and filled with umami-laden soy flavor.

Unlike grocery-store teriyaki sauces that include artificial preservatives or sweeteners, Bachan's uses only fresh, natural ingredients in its Original Japanese Barbecue Sauce. Authentic Japanese shoyu—soy sauce made with wheat—provides an umami flavor base, while cane sugar and mirin add the signature complementary sweetness. Bachan's also layers green onion, ginger and garlic, which add aromatic complexity and ground the sauce in earthy, savory notes. In a nod to Western barbecue sauce, the secret recipe also includes tomato paste, which adds a nuanced, natural fruitiness and thickens the sauce. Unlike grocery-store teriyaki sauces that include artificial preservatives or sweeteners, Bachan's uses only fresh, natural ingredients in its Original Japanese Barbecue Sauce. Authentic Japanese shoyu—soy sauce made with wheat—provides an umami flavor base, while cane sugar and mirin add the signature complementary sweetness. Bachan's also layers green onion, ginger and garlic, which add aromatic complexity and ground the sauce in earthy, savory notes. In a nod to Western barbecue sauce, the secret recipe also includes tomato paste, which adds a nuanced, natural fruitiness and thickens the sauce.

Unlike grocery-store teriyaki sauces that include artificial preservatives or sweeteners, Bachan's uses only fresh, natural ingredients in its Original Japanese Barbecue Sauce. Authentic Japanese shoyu—soy sauce made with wheat—provides an umami flavor base, while cane sugar and mirin add the signature complementary sweetness. Bachan's also layers green onion, ginger and garlic, which add aromatic complexity and ground the sauce in earthy, savory notes. In a nod to Western barbecue sauce, the secret recipe also includes tomato paste, which adds a nuanced, natural fruitiness and thickens the sauce. And the addition of red jalapeños packs a mouth-watering heat.

Crafted by a 330-year-old esteemed Japanese soy sauce maker, this premium unpasteurized soy sauce is packed with umami flavor. Its rich, slightly sweet, malty flavor has a subtle pleasing funkiness and strikes just the right balance of salty, deep and sharp. For the price, it fares well when compared to other brands that cost much more, and a little goes a long way. It can be used for any recipe that calls for soy sauce in cooking, but the depth of this one stands out when used raw as a dipping sauce to elevate everyday food. The Shibanuma Soy Sauce Company employs a traditional production method, brewing and aging their sauces in wooden barrels that have been in use for decades. Winner of a Superior Taste Award, this sauce will elevate any dish—meat, fish, vegetables or tofu—but it also goes particularly well with white fish sushi and sashimi.

Most low-sodium soy sauces lack flavor or complexity, but this premium product from Marukin packs a ton of rich umami flavor with half the salt. Established in 1907, Marukin is one of only 1% of Japanese soy sauce producers that maintain traditional production methods from the past century. Their low-sodium sauce is made from the same ingredients as regular soy sauce and is fermented in cedar barrels over a hundred years old; the natural bacteria and yeast that live on the barrels and in the air slowly ferment the soybeans into this naturally sweet, malty and complex sauce. It's the perfect substitute for regular soy sauce for anyone who is looking to reduce their sodium intake without sacrificing flavor. Add this reduced sodium soy sauce to any number of dishes, marinades and sauces.

Made from only two ingredients—organic rice and water from the mountains of Northern Hiroshima—this organic rice vinegar is a cut above standard supermarket varieties. Slightly sweeter, with a rounder flavor and more umami notes than most rice vinegars, its subtle acidity offers a much more balanced outcome, so no bitterness or harshness comes through. Sennari, a brewery established in Japan in 1927, uses a traditional static fermentation process to produce their vinegars. Koji, a natural fermentation culture, is combined with steamed organic rice and nearby mountain water featuring a soft PH of 7. The combination ferments and develops naturally over the course of six months, resulting in a rice vinegar with a more mild acidity and elevated taste. Conventional mass produced vinegar is usually made in just one week using an automatic fermentation method, the result of which we found lacking in taste.