KAORU-MURASAKI SHOYU by Suehiro - Tatsuno, Japan
Traditional brewing and natural, slow smoking since 1879
Long ago, a Zen monk brought the method of making miso back to Japan from Song China, spreading it to Yuasa in Kishu, and then to Harima. The "delicious soup" that accumulated on top of that miso became the beginning of soy sauce.
Since then, the Harima region, and especially the town of Tatsuno, has flourished as a renowned soy sauce production area. During the Edo period, with the protection and encouragement of the feudal lord of Tatsuno, soy sauce was highly valued not only in the Kamigata region (Osaka and Kansai areas) but also as far away as Edo (present-day Tokyo). For hundreds of years, numerous soy sauce breweries competed with each other in skill and taste, refining and perfecting the traditional flavour and aroma. It is Suehiro's mission to preserve this tradition and pass it on to the next generation.
The Town and the Terroir
Tatsuno, located northwest of the Harima Plain, is blessed with the mild climate unique to the Seto Inland Sea - a town with abundant greenery and natural scenery. The Ibo River, which flows through the centre of town, is known as a clear stream where many sweetfish swim upstream in summer. The underground water is soft, making it ideal for soy sauce production, and the light soy sauce made using this water is essential for Japanese cuisine, as it retains the vivid colours of ingredients.
Living Fermentation
As with all naturally fermented foods, soy sauce cannot be made by human power alone. To create soy sauce from soybeans and wheat, the help of various microorganisms is necessary. One of these, the soy sauce yeast, resides in the brewery for many years and plays a major role in creating the taste and aroma unique to each producer. This "brewery-dwelling yeast" supports the unchanging taste of Suehiro's soy sauce. It is one of the irreplaceable assets bestowed upon them through tradition.
The history and techniques of soy sauce production in Tatsuno have been passed down from person to person and from brewery to brewery through the efforts of countless artisans. At Suehiro, many predecessors have continued to protect their soy sauce through dedicated work. They currently have a staff of over a dozen "brewers" who work hard every day, incorporating new techniques and knowledge while keeping in mind what "must not be changed" and "what must be preserved and passed down." Above all else, they aim to cherish the relationships of trust built with customers over generations.
A Rare Smoked Treasure
Among Suehiro's range, one product stands apart as truly extraordinary: Kaoru-Murasaki. Made from whole soybeans and wheat grown in Hyogo Prefecture, naturally fermented using traditional methods for one full year, then directly smoked for 8-9 hours over cherry wood. This isn't smoke flavouring - the actual soy sauce is exposed to real wood smoke, creating a gentle, subtle smokiness that enhances rather than dominates.
Originally created at the request of a roast beef restaurant, this smoked shoyu excels as a finishing touch. The smoke aromatics are heat-sensitive, so to preserve that delicate character, add this after cooking rather than during - drizzled over grilled meats, eggs, vegetables, or stirred through rice. Their website notes that this soy sauce is perfect for western cooking, which makes complete sense given its origins.
The name "Murasaki" (purple) is an old Japanese nickname for premium shoyu, referring to the deep, almost purple colour of excellent soy sauce - the colour associated with emperors and preciousness.
