Soy sauce company Marusen Shoyu, who are based in Yamagata Prefecture, are selling bottles of soy sauce with limited edition packaging. Get your hands on either the ukiyo-e soy sauce or sengoku busho crest soy sauce.
Yamagata Prefecture has a long history of ‘dashi soy sauce,’ which takes regular soy sauce and adds stock like bonito and kelp which brings an exquisite balance of sweetness and deliciousness and deepens the flavour of the soy sauce. Aji no Daimyo Shoyu is a type of dashi soy sauce made with dashi bonito. It was developed 40 years ago and remains a best seller among customers.
When the 2011 Tohoku earthquake hit Japan in 2011, Marusen Shoyu began to think up ways they could cheer up customers, locals and Japan as a whole from Yamagata by using their soy sauce. This is what led them to start producing dashi soy sauce. First and foremost was putting a smile on people’s faces, and so they used the great local ingredients at their disposal as well as delicious ingredients in Japan to enable people to enjoy a bit of luxury and brighten up.
The new limited-edition packaging is linked to this idea.
Ukiyo-e Packaging 220ml x 3 Bottles
These make for a perfect souvenir outside Japan. The bottles are designs on the ukiyo-e pieces of Sharaku, a print designer of the Edo Period.
Sengoku Busho Crest Packaging 50ml x 3 Bottles
These mini bottles bear the family crests of Nobunaga, Hideyoshi and Ieyasu from the Sengoku period. They each have their own flavours and make for a great gift.
Both package designs come with 3 bottles each containing 3 different flavours. The Aji no Daimyo Shoyu is made with bonito dashi to make a sweet and deep flavoured dashi soy sauce. The Kombu Daimyo Shoyu is made with a delicious and fragrant kelp dashi. The Tokugawa Shoyu, which isn’t made with dashi, has the same kick you’d find in a high quality soy sauce for sashimi.
Try these soy sauces for yourself, you’re guaranteed to get addicted to each and every one of them!
■Information
Ukiyo-e Packaging 220ml x 3 Bottles – ¥1,300 (Tax Included)
Sengoku Busho Crest Packaging 50ml x 3 Bottles – ¥420 (Tax Included)
Product Page: https://www.mrsn.co.jp/ukiyoe/index.html
Marusen Shoyu Website: https://www.mrsn.co.jp/
RELATED ENTRIES
-
Ukiyo-e paintings became popular during the Edo Period of Japanese history. For those weaning to see some of the most rad ukiyo-e paintings around, the new book Edo Punk! The Dynamic World of Ukiyo-e is now available at bookstores nationwide and online. Luckily, the book is also bilingual in English and Japanese! Kuniyoshi Utagawa, popular in Japan and abroad and known for his unique perspective, and Yoshitoshi Tsukioka, the inspiration for many modern manga series, are both featured in this tome. The many pieces featured combine elements of fantastical beauty and harsh realities, and fans can read commentary by Shoko Haruki. Haruki worked at the Hokkaido Museum before becoming a curator at the Edo-Tokyo Museum in 2017. She specializes in Japanese art history. The book is now available at bookstores nationwide and online.
Information
Edo Punk! The Dynamic World of Ukiyo-e
Release Date: November 24, 2022
Price: ¥2,400 (Excluding Tax)
Author: Shoko Haruki
Official Site: https://pie.co.jp/book/i/5414/
-
Craft beer subscription service Otomoni opened orders for a new Tsundere-themed Hazy IPA on November 15, 2022. The beer has a sweetness level that changes on its temperature and was brewed as part of the 15th installment of the JAPANESE BEER ODYSSEY, which aims to share aspects of both traditional and modern Japanese culture through craft beer.
For better or worse, Japan’s otaku culture is now a major part of the country’s appeal to people around the world. Japan’s video game and anime market is now legendary around the globe, and millions flock to the country each year to become more immersed in its popular culture. Just look at the annual Comiket event–over 700,000 visitors attend each year! To celebrate the upcoming Comiket, a new beer has been brewed that pays homage to modern otaku culture. The Tsundere Hazy IPA is perfect for otaku who love a little challenge when it comes to their love life. Brewed with NOMCRAFT Brewing in Wakayama Prefecture, the Tsundere Hazy IPA features two distinct flavors, each coming out more strongly depending on the beer’s temperature. When poured, the beer has a very tropical aroma, and when ice-cold, it’s more refreshing and less sweet. As the temperature of the beer rises, the smell becomes more fruity and strong, with the smell of hibiscus certain to make your mouth water. Whether you like bitter or sweet, this may be the perfect beer for you. Would you try this tsundere-themed beer? -
The Sumida Hokusai Museum in Sumida-ku, Tokyo, will be holding the ‘Hokusai at Play with the 100 Poems’ exhibition from December 15, 2022 until February 26, 2023. The exhibition will focus on the Hyakunin Isshu, a famous collection of 100 poems integral to Japanese traditional culture.
Hyakunin Isshu Uba ga Etoki - Sojo Henjo / Katsushika Hokusai, The Sumida Hokusai Museum.
Hyakunin Isshu Uba ga Etoki - Ariwara no Narihira / Katsushika Hokusai, The Sumida Hokusai Museum. (Phase 2)
The Five Great Poets, Tsuki - Katsushika Hokusai, The Sumida Hokusai Museum. (Permanently on Display)
By the middle of the Edo period, the Hyakunin Isshu, or 100 classical poems, had become an established part of Japanese culture. Hokusai, an ukiyo-e artist of the period, painted a total of 27 of these famous poems, incorporating his own ideas and views to create unique pieces still beloved so many years later. This exhibition features 24 paintings from the museum’s Hyakunin Isshu collection along with dozens more items pertaining to this legendary collection of writings. Don’t miss it!Information
Hokusai at Play with the 100 Poems
Running: December 15, 2022 – February 26, 2023
*Certain exhibits will be changed between the first and second phases.
Phase 1: December 15, 2022 – January 22, 2023
Phase 2: January 24 – February 26, 2023
Hours: 9:30-17:30 (Last entry at 17:00)
Official Site: https://hokusai-museum.jp
-
The historic Hotel Gajoen Tokyo, which blends a hotel and a traditional Japanese museum, will offer a tour of the Hyakudan Kaidan (Hundred Stairs) from December 3 until December 25, 2022. This Tangible Cultural Property of Tokyo is an incredible sight, and those with an interest in Showa-era architecture won’t want to miss it. In 1988, part of the old Gajoen structure was torn down to make way for new structures along the Meguro River basin, and the hotel underwent a large-scale renovation over a period of three years. The Hundred Stairs were originally built in 1935 and designated as a Tangible Cultural Property by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government in 2009.
Over the years, the Gajoen has served as a restaurant and gathering place for visitors from both the Showa-era and Heisei-era. Filled with traditional Japanese aesthetics, the location is now filled with art and pieces of cultural significance. A number of special exhibitions are held throughout the year. Why not come enjoy this tour of a piece of Japanese history? Information
Winter Tour: Hyakudan Kaidan 2022
~Architecture, Beauty, and Tales of Tradition~Running: December 3 – December 25, 2022
Hours: 12:30 – 18:00 (Last entry at 17:30)
Venue: Hyakudan Kaidan (Hundred Stairs)
Tangible Cultural Property of Tokyo, Hotel Gajoen Tokyo
Details: https://www.hotelgajoen-tokyo.com/100event/tour2022 -
The historic Nagoya Castle will hold a special nighttime viewing event for 14 days only, from November 25 until December 8, 2022. During this period, Honmaru Palace will be open to the public at night, and the Chrysanthemum Corridor inside will be open to visitors for the first time. The Ninomaru Garden will also be illuminated and will transport guests to a different place and time by showing a space only possible during dark hours. Inspired by the relationship between light and shadow, this event focuses on changes that occur over time and the creation and emergence of new ideas and things. Honmaru Palace, Typically Closed to the Public, to be Open at NightNagoya Castle’s Honmaru Palace was completed in 1615 and served as the primary residence of the Lord of the Owari Domain and as the Domain’s government office. The interior of the palace was lavishly decorated with paintings and other art pieces and was praised as a masterpiece. Sadly, it was destroyed by an air raid in 1945. Restoration work began in 2009 and was completed in 2018 with unparalleled accuracy. The Honmaru Palace gives off a completely different aura at night.
First Public Viewing of the Jodan-no-ma in the Joraku-den
The Joraku-den was added to Nagoya Castle to accommodate the third Shogun, Iemitsu, on his way to Kyoto. It is the most luxurious of all the Honmaru Palace buildings, and this event marks the first time that the Chrysanthemum Corridor on the north side will be open to the public. Visitors are welcome to admire the golden-blue paintings as they stroll through the historic site.See Spectacular Paintings when Entering the Tsugi-no-ma Room
During this period, visitors can enter the Tsugi-no-ma room to view classical period paintings, giving a more clear idea of how people acted and dressed during this time in history.[Ninomaru Garden Special Viewing]
~Witness a Never-Before-Seen Feudal Lord's Garden through a Spacial Presentation~Scenography for this unique show was provided by the creative label PERIMETRON. In order to show another side of the Ninomaru Garden at night, the company focused on light’s characteristics, from reflection and transmission to refraction and absorption. Light and shadow intertwine in various ways, and guests will be transfixed by this curious showing.Information
Nagoya Castle: Autumn Night Special Viewing ~KEI~
Running: November 25 – December 8, 2022
Viewing Hours: 9:00-19:30 (Gates close at 20:00)
Official Site: https://www.nagoyajo-kei.jp/
-
The online sake shop KURAND is now selling TIGER & BARNABY SPARKLING, a special sparkling sake made in collaboration with the TIGER & BUNNY 2 anime series.
TIGER & BARNABY SPARKLING is a sparkling sake that will surprise customers with its delicate bubbles and light flavor. The label features an outline of the city of Sternbild, the setting of TIGER & BUNNY, and each bottle will be delivered in a decorated box. This is perfect for Christmas and New Year’s celebrations! Those who purchase TIGER & BARNABY SPARKLING will receive a TIGER & BARNABY Champagne Stopper as a gift. The bubbliness of this sake is sure to impress, so kick back and relax with friends and family this holiday season with a few glasses of this limited-edition goodness. Information
TIGER & BARNABY SPARKLING
Order Period: November 4 – November 17 at 16:59
*Orders will be delivered by Christmas
Second Order Period: November 17 at 17:00~
*Orders will be delivered during or after January 2023
(Bottles available for Christmas are only available in limited quantities. Those ordering bottles for a January 2023 delivery should be aware that items are only available to order while supplies last.)Price: ¥8,600 (Tax Included)
Details: https://kurand.jp/collections/tigerandbunny