Namikura Kyoto-Style White Miso
Savory, sweet and flavor-dense, white miso is an absolutely essential pantry item. Winey-sweet, buttery and deeply rich, this organic version from Japanese family producer Namikura Miso Co. is more complex and less salty than other brands, which means it can be used more freely with soy sauce without dishes tasting overly seasoned.
Nihonichi Umami Soy Sauce Seasoning
An ingenious blend of dried soy sauce, salt, pepper, garlic and an array of spices, this versatile seasoning amplifies the flavors of meats, fish and vegetables. We reach for it when we want the hit of salt and savoriness that soy sauce provides, without adding a wet ingredient to a dish. Produced in Japan by a revered shoyu manufacturer that traces its roots back to the 1700s, the seasoning starts with a soy sauce base, but its bright salinity is balanced with warm spices like paprika and turmeric. The overall effect is pleasantly salty, with tangy, peppery and vegetal notes. Try it to elevate French fries and popcorn, to enrich sauces, flavor steaks and short ribs, season crispy tofu or bring depth to fried dishes. The bottle’s compact size means you can easily take it on the go, ideal for barbecues, picnics, camping meals and even lunch boxes.
Nihonichi Yaki Senka Grill Sauce
Produced in Japan by a revered shoyu manufacturer that traces its roots back to the 1700s, Nihonichi’s “Japan’s Best” Yaki Senka Grill Sauce offers a unique gingery profile that’s salty-sweet and carries a kick. Exclusive in the U.S. to Milk Street, it features a base of Nihonichi’s natural brewed soy sauce made in wooden vats, mixed with miso and garlic, then offset by sweet apple juice and ginger zest. Sweet and fruity, balanced by the salinity of rich soy and savory miso, use this gently spicy sauce to marinate fish, glaze grilled meats and tofu, toss into stir-fries, noodles, vegetables and more. It’s also great as a dipping sauce or thinned out in a dressing.
Yamashin Ginger Shiro Dashi – Concentrated Soup Base
For over 200 years, Yamashin Jyouzou has been creating exceptional soy sauce, featured prominently in their Ginger Shirodashi Concentrated Soup Base. The rich, umami-packed base of salty bonito stock and savory white soy sauce are accented with a bright zing of fresh ginger. A common broth base or seasoning in Japan, this shirodashi is ideal for enhancing broths, seasoning rice, drizzling over tofu and more with its refreshing ginger spice and complex depth.
Yamashin Tosa Bonito Shoyu
Yamashin Tosa Shoyu, a unique dashi shoyu from Japan, offers a remarkable smoky-sweet flavor profile. A combination of deep, rich bonito (katasubushi) stock from Tosa, Kochi Prefecture—free of added sugars, yet naturally sweet—and soy sauce, the result is smoky, salty and umami-rich. A flavorful stand-in for regular soy sauce, it's ideal for enhancing fish, sushi, soup, eggs and more.
Yuasa Ki-ippan Kuromame Shoyu
Made from premium black soybeans and aged in cedar barrels for over two years, this Ki-ippan Kuromame Shoyu is thick and rich in flavor—full of funk, earthiness and a bit of sweetness. Crafted by fifth-generation Japanese company Yuasa Soyu Sauce Co. in Yuasa—a traditional brewing city that’s like a living soy sauce museum—it has won the Grand Gold Medal at the Monde Selection for 10 consecutive years. The deep umami and sweet notes that make this shoyu stand out come from the premium black soybeans, sourced from Tanba in Hyogo Prefecture. Known also as “Kuromame,” they have a black skin and white interior, and contain a distinctive taste. Use this anywhere you would soy sauce, from dumplings to meat to noodles, or in marinades, dipping sauces and salad dressings.
Namikura Red Miso
Red Miso is stronger, saltier and more assertively flavored than yellow or white miso due to its six-month aging process and has a higher proportion of soybeans for a richer taste. This particularly interesting version has sweet flavors reminiscent of sherry and milk chocolate that are perfect for pairing with red meat and other robust dishes.
Kimchi Toasted Sesame Seeds - (Set of 2)
Adding a punch of flavor and texture, these toasted Japanese sesame seeds are the definition of “good things come in small packages.” Available in a set of two, this Kimchi-flavored crunchy topping far surpasses your standard sesame seed. Tangy, garlicky and sweet, it pairs well with the warm, gentle nuttiness of sesame. Add them just about anywhere, from sauces and oils to stir-fries, salads, noodles, veggies and meat. You may even find yourself popping a handful on their own—we certainly have.
Marukin Koikuchi 40% Reduced Salt Soy Sauce
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.
Sennari Vinegar Brewery Organic Rice Vinegar
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.