The finds
Write-ups worth reading, for products worth finding.
For every condiment we carry we publish its story: the region and the maker, what it tastes like, what it's great for, and recipes to get you started.
Our first finds are on their way. We meet producers at JFEX Tokyo in November 2026, and the stories will appear here as the founding range lands. Follow the streams to see them first — and to see the sourcing as it happens.
What we're hunting for
Eight categories, chosen because each one has regional makers doing something a national brand cannot.
Shoyu & the shoyu family
Regional brewing traditions, wooden-vat fermentation, and the sweeter and thicker styles that never travel.
Miso & koji
Rice, barley and soybean miso by region, plus koji for cooks working with fermentation directly.
Vinegar & citrus
Aged rice vinegar, and seasonal citrus — yuzu, sudachi, kabosu — as juice, ponzu and dressing bases.
Dashi & umami
Kombu by growing area, katsuobushi, dried shiitake, and concentrated bases built for weeknight speed.
Spice, paste & chilli
Yuzu koshō, shichimi blended by region, karashi, and fermented chilli pastes with real provenance.
Noodles & kits
Dried noodles from named mills, and ambient kits that carry a region's cooking into your kitchen.
Oils, salt & sugar
Sesame oil pressed in small batches, sea salt by coastline, and unrefined regional sugars.
Ambient specialties
Shelf-stable preparations — the everyday things a Japanese household knows and nobody here has seen.