Arigato no Sato: Discover White Soy Sauce and the Power of Thank You

Although Hekinan City isn't a typical tourist stop, mentioning its name to Japanese locals will elicit a gleam of recognition. This is because the city is synonymous with premium culinary ingredients like white soy sauce and mirin. 

To delve into the secrets of Japanese cuisine and understand the origins of umami, we recommend a visit to Arigato no Sato, operated by Hichifuku Brewing Co., Ltd., a well-known producer of white soy sauce and white dashi.

Join a factory tour to see how white soy sauce and white dashi are made, and sample dishes featuring these ingredients – recipes you can easily recreate at home! Beyond purchasing these key Japanese ingredients, you'll gain valuable insights into Japanese culinary culture.

• Table of Contents
• What Is White Soy Sauce? Brief History of Hichifuku Brewing
• Factory Tour at Arigato no Sato: The Secret of Excellent Soy Sauce is “Thank You”!?
• Tasting Session: See the Power of White Soy Sauce Ingredients at Work
• Take Home Japanese Flavors, with Hichifuku Brewing Products
• Summary:

What Is White Soy Sauce? Brief History of Hichifuku Brewing

Regular soy sauce is produced by fermenting equal parts soybeans and wheat. In contrast, white soy sauce is made with a significantly higher proportion of wheat (90%) and a smaller amount of soybeans (10%). This wheat-dominant composition gives it a pale amber color, leading to its designation as "white soy sauce."

Founded in 1950, Hichifuku Brewing Co., Ltd. originally specialized in the production of white soy sauce. They are currently the only Japanese producer with JAS organic certification for their white soy sauce. At the same time, Hichifuku Brewing is renowned for being the originator of white dashi in Japan. Their high-quality white dashi is loved all around the country.

Dashi, the cornerstone of Japanese cuisine, imparts a savory depth to dishes ranging from miso soup to elaborate vegetable preparations and omelets. Typically, dashi is brewed from bonito flakes and konbu seaweed.

What sets Hichifuku Brewery's white dashi apart is its complex and nuanced flavor. They achieve this by combining high-quality bonito, shiitake mushrooms, konbu seaweed, and their own white soy sauce. This meticulous selection of ingredients results in a rich, satisfying dashi that has garnered widespread acclaim throughout Japan.

Hichifuku Brewing offers a free factory tour that provides an excellent introduction to white soy sauce and white dashi. Conveniently, no prior booking is necessary; simply ask the Arigato no Sato shop staff for a tour.

*Please be aware that the tour is only available in Japanese. We suggest attending with a Japanese-speaking friend or interpreter. To ensure that sample tastings are available, we recommend making a reservation in advance. Please note that in some cases, the factory tours may be fully booked.

Factory Tour at Arigato no Sato: The Secret of Excellent Soy Sauce is “Thank You”!?

During our visit, we had the privilege of being guided by Mr. Motohiro Inuzuka, the third-generation president of Hichifuku Brewing Co., Ltd. Established by his grandfather in 1950, the brewery is now under his leadership. Mr. Inuzuka's unparalleled knowledge of white soy sauce and his passionate advocacy for it were truly inspiring.

The Arigato no Sato factory tour opens with an introduction to Hichifuku Brewing's products and their dedication to quality. You'll witness the raw ingredients of white soy sauce in small pots, and learn about their special selection of sun-dried salt, prized for its mineral richness.

Beyond the ingredients, the tour unveils the meaning behind the facility's name. Hichifuku Brewing's philosophy centers on gratitude—for customer support, the foundations laid by past artisans, and the contributions of staff families. "Arigato," the Japanese word for "thank you," is the heart of "Arigato no Sato," translating to "Home of Thank You."

Japan has a long-held belief in kotodama, the power of words. It's thought that surrounding yourself with positive words, like "Arigato" (thank you), leads to positive outcomes.

To vividly illustrate this belief, the staff will show you two jars, each containing fermented rice. One is labeled "Arigato" (thank you) and the other "Bakayaro" (idiot). The "Arigato" jar appears noticeably cleaner and more aesthetically pleasing, demonstrating the power of positive words.

As you enter the factory, you'll observe that the large tanks used for maturing white soy sauce are prominently marked with "Arigato."

During the tour, you may have the opportunity to sample freshly squeezed white soy sauce. You'll learn the production process, starting with steaming approximately three tonnes of wheat and soybeans. After cooling, the mixture is fermented with koji mold (Aspergillus oryzae) and then matured in large tanks for about six months.

The factory staff will also present a comparison table of major Japanese soy sauce types, highlighting the unique characteristics of white soy sauce.

The tour then shifts to Hichifuku Brewing's acclaimed white dashi (soup stock). Its exceptional quality stems from carefully selected ingredients, which you'll see firsthand. Notably, they use the rare and costly Hongare bonito, contributing to the dashi's rich umami. This is complemented by premium Hokkaido konbu kelp, Oita shiitake mushrooms, and their own white soy sauce.

White dashi,　like typical dashi, is versatile in Japanese cuisine, enhancing miso soup, simmered dishes, omelets, and pickles.

Through large windows, tour participants can also witness the cutting-edge, German-made machinery used for bottling the products.

The tour's conclusion features a collection of historical artifacts from Hichifuku Brewing. These items, such as the grandfather's transport containers and a large wooden fermentation tank, exemplify the ingenuity of Japanese artisans. 

They feel less like museum exhibits and more like treasured family heirlooms. These palpable artifacts provide a direct connection to Hichifuku's history, illuminating the enduring sense of gratitude that defines the company's philosophy.

Tasting Session: See the Power of White Soy Sauce Ingredients at Work

The tour concludes with a tasting of simple Japanese dishes prepared with Hichifuku Brewing's products. You'll begin with a warm and flavorful egg soup, crafted from beaten egg, water, and white dashi, reminiscent of heartwarming home cooking. Then, you'll try cucumber pieces, enhanced with just a few drops of white dashi and allowed to sit for ten minutes, resulting in an unexpectedly refreshing and addictive snack.

You'll also sample an omelet made with beaten eggs and a spoonful of "Kyo mo Tamagoyaki ♪," a product designed to enhance omelets with white dashi. The flavor is remarkably rich, showcasing a perfect harmony of umami, saltiness, sweetness, and the natural deliciousness of eggs. Easy to recreate at home, this dish is a perfect way to bring the genuine taste of Japanese cuisine to your home table.

Take Home Japanese Flavors, with Hichifuku Brewing Products

*Prices are as of the end of May 2025.

At the Arigato no Sato shop, you'll find all of Hichifuku Brewing's products, such as Shiro Shoyu (white soy sauce) and Shiro dashi (white soup stock), along with their premium offerings, including the acclaimed Organic Shiro Shoyu, which was highly praised by Japan’s Imperial Household. 

You’ll also find a selection of tsuyu, a type of broth used in Japanese noodle dishes. This prized product was awarded the grand prix in the Japan Soba Preservation Society's 'Delicious Soba Soup of the Year 2023' competition.

For a taste of authentic Japanese omelets at home, we recommend "Kyo mo Tamagoyaki ♪," a special ingredient mix designed for easy preparation.

You'll discover unique souvenirs at the shop, including cookies and other edible items made with white soy sauce, showcasing its adaptability in a variety of culinary creations, from savory to sweet.

The shop also features non-alcoholic beverages crafted from Japanese plums aged for over 15 years, offering a sweet and fragrant experience.

The products you buy are accompanied by a practical Japanese cooking guidebook, available in Japanese and English, which includes recipes designed for home cooking using Hichifuku Brewery products.

Summary:

Access : How to Get to Arigato no Sato

Arigato no Sato is conveniently located a 15-minute walk from Kita-Shinkawa Station, accessible via the Meitetsu Line.

Kita-Shinkawa Station is easily reached by train, with a 46-minute journey from Nagoya or a 1 hour and 20-minute journey from Central Japan International Airport, Nagoya (NGO).

To deepen your understanding of Japanese culinary culture, consider combining your trip to Arigato no Sato with visits to other notable Hekinan establishments, including the unagi restaurant Kobanten, the Kinbara Saketen liquor and souvenir shop, and the local mirin producer, Kokonoe Mirin.