Why source from Japan
Hekinan (Aichi) region niche specialty; very high wheat ratio (90%+) gives golden-light colour unique to this Japanese soy-sauce category.
Key spec
Wheat ratio 90%+; salt 16-18%; light-amber to gold colour; cooked alcohol pickle-like aroma.
Typical end-product
Fine-dining clear-broth soup, Kyoto-cuisine ingredient-colour preservation, fine-dining hospitality.
At a glance
- Suppliers listed
- 1 supplier
- Typical MOQ
- 10–50 L; 1–10 L specialty
- Typical lead time
- 6–10 weeks
- Regions of origin
- Aichi (Hekinan)
- Category
- Food ingredients
- Harvest season
- Year-round (continuous fermentation; shorter cycle than koikuchi)
- Japan regulatory status
- Food product; Hekinan regional specialty; soy / wheat allergen
- Japanese name
- 白醤油
- Romaji
- 白醤油
About this ingredient
Niche Japanese soy sauce variant produced primarily in Aichi (Hekinan, Mie). Distinguished by very light golden colour and high wheat content (90%+, vs ~50% in standard koikuchi), with proportionally less soybean. Used as a 'colourless' soy sauce in Kyoto and chef-sushi cuisines where koikuchi would darken delicate ingredients (clear soup, white-fleshed fish). Production is small (under a dozen producers); Yamasa Shouyu and Hekinan-region niche producers anchor supply. Distinct from existing soy-sauce entries.
Regulatory status
| Japan | Food product; Hekinan regional specialty; soy / wheat allergen |
|---|---|
| EU | Food import; allergen labelling |
| United States | GRAS; soy / wheat allergen labelling |
| China | GACC; allergen labelling |
Looking for alternatives?
Common reasons buyers swap to a different ingredient — and what we'd suggest based on this ingredient's profile.
Vegan / plant-based alternatives
Shiro Shōyu (White Soy Sauce) is animal-derived. If you need a non-animal source with similar functions, consider:
Sansho Pepper
山椒
Zanthoxylum piperitum source; INCI Zanthoxylum Piperitum Fruit Extract; MOQ from 1–10 kg (dried peppercorn); 100 g – 5 kg (powder).
Plant-based· shares 3 categories
Wasabi Powder
山葵粉末
Wasabia japonica (Eutrema japonicum) source; INCI Wasabia Japonica Root Powder; MOQ from 1–10 kg (powder); 100 kg+ (bulk paste).
Plant-based· shares 3 categories
Shio Koji
塩麹
MOQ from 20–100 kg.
Plant-based· shares 3 categories
When does it make sense to swap an ingredient? Read the swap guide →
Japanese suppliers
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Last updated: 2026-05-05