Itsukushima

Interview: Keiko Kuroshima, the world’s first soy sauce sommelier - SilverKris

"This island, about five hours from Hiroshima, is a long-standing centre of traditional soy sauce production where 20–30% of Japanese soy sauce is still fermented in wooden vats. Despite nationwide mechanisation, small local producers continue time-honoured koji-based fermentation methods that yield distinctive aromas and flavours tied to the island’s climate, geography and food culture — yet many face falling sales and a shortage of successors. Keiko Kuroshima, a soy-sauce sommelier based here and recognised by leading traditional makers in 2009, honed her tasting skills through monthly inspections, visits every manufacturer, and by cooking with their products; she now educates chefs and consumers on correct pairings (for example, using a lighter usukuchi for delicate fish rather than a rich sashimi sauce). The island’s makers contribute key regional shoyu styles found around the Seto Inland Sea and play an outsized role in preserving Japan’s soy sauce traditions." - Tom Miyagawa Coulton