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.

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.

Translating to “grilled meat” in Japanese, yakiniku is a social style of cooking and eating around a communal grill. Popular throughout Japan, family and friends gather around a tabletop grill to cook meat, vegetables and fish together before dipping them into a several kinds of yakiniku sauces. Shibanuma’s Yakiniku BBQ Sauce is inspired by this concept. Crafted by a 330-year-old esteemed Japanese soy sauce maker, it is no surprise that the first ingredient in this sauce is an umami-rich soy sauce, which is brewed and aged in wooden barrels. The soy is then combined with onion, fruity apple and zingy sansho pepper—a fragrant and floral Japanese peppercorn—to cut through the richness and balance out the flavors. The result? A complex grilling sauce that works just as well as a marinade as it does drizzled over rice.

Bright yet surprisingly layered, Shibanuma’s Yuzu Ponzu is one of the “deepest and most balanced” versions our testers have tried. The sauce is made by combining fresh yuzu juice and Shibanumba’s signature soy sauce, which is brewed and aged in wooden barrels. The 330-year old soy sauce producer also blends vinegar and bonito flakes (a type of dried tuna) into the mixture to strike the perfect balance between sweet, salty, tart, acidic and delightfully funky. It’s both refreshing and complex, making it the perfect dipping sauce accompaniment for tempura, dumplings, sashimi, sushi, meat, fish and vegetables. Or add it to a vinaigrette or marinade for extra umami punch.