<Miso and Soy Sauce>
An Ideal Climate for Brewing
With its clean water and air, gentle breezes from Ise Bay, seasonal climate, and moderate temperature changes, Mie Prefecture is an ideal location for brewing miso and soy sauce. Most factories in the prefecture still use the perfected traditional techniques they have inherited, such as patiently allowing the mixtures to ferment in wooden barrels, in order to carefully preserve the traditional flavors. Miso and soy sauce made carefully by hand have the exceptional taste and unique aroma still loved by the locals.
<Vinegar>
A Pleasant Aroma and Mellow Body
Mie Prefecture still has brewers that make vinegar in the traditional way, using wooden barrels to allow the vinegar to ferment and mature slowly over many years. These brewers are extremely selective in choosing the rice to be used to make their vinegar, and only use unpolished rice grown by contracted farmers who don’t use agricultural chemicals. From the initial malting to the refining of the mash mixture, the vinegar is handmade through the entire manufacturing process. Vinegar made using the traditional brewing process is characterized by an unobtrusive, pleasant aroma and a mellow body.
<Salt>
The Sacred Masterpiece Offered at Jingu
Futami has been making the sacred salt used for offerings at Jingu since ancient times and the area is home to shops that make pure Japanese salt using natural seawater. The salt is characterized by its abundant minerals and a subtle touch of sweetness. The only seawater used for making the salt is drawn off the Kozaki coast, where the ground water flowing from the forests of Jingu enters the sea. No additives or nigari coagulants are used. The seawater is boiled in iron pots over firewood for two days until only salt remains. In that salt dwells a prayer to the gods and the spirit of the artisans involved in its production.