Jul 8, 2013 - 1 min read

Old Masters of Miso & Soy Sauce

An Ando House Tradition since 1853 in Akita

By Jeremy Yap

Community writer

Modern setting within a century old house

Watering hole for you to wash down the saltiness of the miso and soy

This store front really caught my eye. I´ve never been to a store with such a great display of Soy sauce bottles

Warehouse that dates back to 1882 and its fire proof!

I tried the miso! its honestly, really good and different from what you get in other restaurants around Japan. Its more light and less salty

It's tough doing business in Japan, so Ando House must be doing something good to be in business since 1853. Before World War II, the family were manufacturing soy sauce and miso, a soya bean extract, as a side business but after the war when farm lands were emancipated, they went all out and since then, it has been their primary business activity. Before entering the house, you get hit by the aroma of soy sauce which is delightfully sweet and delicate. Inside the store, there is a warehouse that dates back to 1882 and built to be fire proof through its thick layered brick walls. lnside the store, you can sample the famous century old miso, but in a setting so modern, you do not feel like you´re in a building probably older than your great grandparents. Before making your exit, take a moment to take in the degree of effort and sophistication it took to display the bottles of soy sauce, miso and other delicacies. You might be tempted to buy a bottle of miso after!