Japanese Soy Sauce Types Explained: Koikuchi, Usukuchi, Tamari, Saishikomi & Shiro
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Japan / Food & Kitchen / Japanese Food
Japanese Soy Sauce Types Explained: Koikuchi, Usukuchi, Tamari, Saishikomi & Shiro
Soy sauce shelves in Japan look deceptively simple, so I wanted to make the five main types easy to spot before you buy.
Japan officially recognizes five main soy sauce types.
Kikkoman explains that the JAS system classifies soy sauce into koikuchi, usukuchi, tamari, saishikomi and shiro.
The five names to recognize
Koikuchi is the everyday all-purpose style and accounts for more than 80% of Japanese soy sauce production. The other four styles differ in color, raw-material balance, richness and regional use.
Japan's dominant all-purpose style.
Lighter color, often used when preserving ingredient color matters.
Traditionally soy-rich and associated with the Chubu region.
If you want a versatile first bottle, koikuchi is the easiest starting point. If a recipe specifies usukuchi, tamari, saishikomi or shiro, do not assume ordinary dark soy sauce is identical.
The five JAS soy sauce categories
| Japanese | Romanization | Simple guide |
|---|---|---|
| こいくち | Koikuchi | All-purpose, widely used across Japan. |
| うすくち | Usukuchi | Lighter color; common in Kansai-style cooking. |
| たまり | Tamari | Richer style traditionally associated with a high soybean proportion. |
| さいしこみ | Saishikomi | “Re-brewed” soy sauce with a deep, rich character. |
| しろ | Shiro | Very pale soy sauce, traditionally wheat-forward. |
I would not buy five bottles at once. Start with koikuchi, then add another type only when a recipe or favorite dish gives you a real reason.
Why Japanese product pages are worth checking
Kikkoman's Japan lineup also includes reduced-salt, dashi, raw-style and regional sweet soy sauces. Those are separate dimensions from the five JAS type names, so the exact label matters.
Official sources
Kikkoman — soy sauce types
Official classification guide
Kikkoman — current Japan lineup
Official product lineup
Bottom line
Learn the five category names first. Once you can recognize them, Japanese soy sauce shelves become much easier to navigate.
