Marusho: the Gift of Nature since 1879

Photo : traditional method of steaming rice used in the production of vinegar. Source: Marusho Vinegar

Marusho was established in Tenma, in the town of Nachikatsuura, Wakayama Prefecture, at the foot of the sacred Mount Nachi. Founded in 1879, the brewery draws its water from a well fed by the same spring that feeds the famous Nachi Falls, and stands on land long considered a source of purity and blessing by pilgrims of the nearby Kumano Kodo.

The company's story began when founder Shohichi Kosaka started brewing vinegar with friends near Daimon-zaka, the gateway to the Kumano pilgrimage route. In 1879 he struck out on his own and established Marusho in Tenma, on the very spot where the brewery still stands today.

The brewery faced many challenges during the post-WWII era. To restart production, the owners of the brewery had to carry borrowed starter vinegar back to the brewery (kura) wrapped in furoshiki cloths to revive the dormant barrels. Today, the company is led by Kazuko Kosaka, the 5th generation owner of the Kosaka family.

Photo : Marusho Craftsman in the process of vinegar-making. Source: Marusho Vinegar

What sets Marusho's vinegar apart starts with what goes into it. The spring water drawn from Mount Nachi is remarkably mild and holds a constant 16°C year-round, having flowed without interruption since the Edo period. The rice is grown nearby in the Kumano region with reduced use of agricultural chemicals, and the brewery also works with local citrus and plum harvests for its fruit vinegars. Fermentation itself takes place in twelve kioke— wooden barrels carved from the core of rare Kumano cedar (kumanosugi), prized for its natural water resistance and for the community of beneficial bacteria that lives in its grain.

That care extends to the brewing itself; rice, koji, and water ferment for anywhere from 45 to 70 days, with the temperature inside each kioke rising to around 40°C. After the natural static fermentation period, the vinegars are matured in the kioke wooden barrels at least 5 months.

 

Discover Marusho's products made from their elegant vinegar: