Fujiyoshi Shoyu Co., Ltd.

Fujiyoshi Shoyu Co., Ltd. (フジヨシ醤油株式会社) is a small, family-run Japanese manufacturer of soy sauce, miso and related seasonings based in Beppu, Oita Prefecture. Its origins trace to 1948, when Kamekichi Yamashita, whose family had run a rice shop in Beppu since the Taisho era, began making miso at the request of regular customers and then started producing soy sauce. The business was formally organized as a limited partnership, Fujiyoshi Shokuhin Kogyosho, in 1951, and was reorganized as Fujiyoshi Shoyu Co., Ltd. in 2000. The company is best known for its Cattleya Soy Sauce (カトレア醤油), a special soy sauce developed over roughly ten years and launched in 1987, and for Kabosu Soy Sauce (カボス醤油), launched in 1968. The Cattleya name comes from a photograph of founder Kamekichi Yamashita with a cattleya orchid he had grown; the orchid appears on the label. The product line also includes Cattleya White Soy Sauce, Cattleya Low-Salt Soy Sauce, dressings, fried chicken seasoning, yakiniku sauce, miso, koji amazake and gift sets. Fujiyoshi Shoyu remains a small company, with stated capital of 20 million yen and 19 employees. It sells through its own stores in Beppu, including its main store and a Beppu Station market store, as well as through mail order and online sales, and it continues direct delivery in the Beppu area. Its motto is to deliver delicious, safe products with care so that customers are pleased with their purchase, and its corporate creed is 'sincerity, safety, gratitude, and thanks.' The company celebrated its 70th anniversary in 2018 and has entered its fourth generation of leadership.

Fujiyoshi Shoyu's history begins in Beppu, Oita Prefecture, where the Yamashita family had operated a rice shop since the Taisho era. In 1948 (Showa 23), Kamekichi Yamashita started a soy sauce manufacturing business, initially making small batches by hand with rationed soybeans and delivering bottles to customers one by one. In 1949, a miso production facility was added and miso manufacturing began. In 1951, the business was incorporated as the limited partnership Fujiyoshi Shokuhin Kogyosho, with Kamekichi Yamashita as representative partner. In 1968, the company began selling Kabosu Soy Sauce, a citrus soy sauce using kabosu, a specialty citrus of Oita Prefecture. In 1980, Yoshimi Yamashita became representative partner. In 1987, after roughly ten years of development, the company launched Cattleya Soy Sauce, a special soy sauce with bonito dashi intended to give home cooks restaurant-quality flavor. The name came from a photograph of founder Kamekichi Yamashita with a cattleya orchid he had grown, and the orchid image was used on the label. In 1995, Cattleya White Soy Sauce was launched as a sister product, and the company opened its website. In 2000, the business was reorganized as Fujiyoshi Shoyu Co., Ltd., with Yoshimi Yamashita as Representative Director, and in December of that year it merged with Fujiyoshi Shokuhin Kogyosho. In 2005, the company began producing and selling Genki Miso and was recognized by the prefecture as a management innovation company. In 2017, Kabosu Soy Sauce won the Oita Prize at the Japan Gift Awards. In 2018, Fukue Shuto became Representative Director and President, and the company marked its 70th anniversary. The company continues to operate as a small, family-run maker in Beppu, selling through its stores and online channels and maintaining direct delivery in the local area.

• 2018

  Fukue Shuto became Representative Director and President; company marked 70th anniversary.

• 2017

  Kabosu Soy Sauce won the Oita Prize at the Japan Gift Awards.

• 2005

  Began producing and selling Genki Miso; recognized by the prefecture as a management innovation company.

• 2000

  Reorganized as Fujiyoshi Shoyu Co., Ltd.; Yoshimi Yamashita became Representative Director; merged with Fujiyoshi Shokuhin Kogyosho.

• 1995

  Launched Cattleya White Soy Sauce and opened the company website.

• 1987

  Launched Cattleya Soy Sauce.

• 1980

  Yoshimi Yamashita became representative partner.

• 1968

  Launched Kabosu Soy Sauce.

• 1951

  Established Fujiyoshi Shokuhin Kogyosho as a limited partnership; Kamekichi Yamashita became representative partner.

• 1949

  Added miso production facility and began making miso.

• 1948

  Started soy sauce manufacturing business in Beppu, Oita.

Small-batch, family-run maker of additive-free-style traditional soy sauce and miso, emphasizing handcrafted production and local Beppu identity.

• Cattleya Soy Sauce

  Special soy sauce with bonito dashi, developed over about ten years and launched in 1987.

• Kabosu Soy Sauce

  Citrus soy sauce using kabosu, launched in 1968; won the Oita Prize at the 2017 Japan Gift Awards.

• Cattleya White Soy Sauce

  Sister product to Cattleya Soy Sauce, launched in 1995.

• Cattleya Low-Salt Soy Sauce

  Low-salt version in the Cattleya line.

• Genki Miso

  Miso product launched in 2005.

• Soy Sauce Dressing

  Dressing made with soy sauce.

• Miso Kabosu Dressing

  Dressing combining miso and kabosu.

• Fried Chicken Seasoning

  Seasoning mix for karaage fried chicken.

• Yakiniku Sauce

  Sauce for grilled meat.

• Koji Amazake

  Sweet rice drink made with koji.

1. 1フジヨシ醤油株式会社 公式サイトf244.com
2. 2会社情報f244.com
3. 3フジヨシのことf244.com
4. 4Fujiyoshi Shoyu - Wikidatawikidata.org