Long-Established Soy Sauce Brewery Founded in 1688 Passes on the 1% 'Wooden Barrel Culture' to the Future — Opening Wooden Barrel Renewal Process with Artisans (For 10 Days Starting April 16) Available for Coverage and Photography
Shibanuma Soy Sauce Brewing Co., Ltd., founded in 1688, will carry out the renewal of its wooden barrels over a 10-day period starting April 16, 2026, to inherit the traditional 'wooden barrel brewing' method, which accounts for only 1% of domestic production. The valuable process, crafted by artisan Yushi Ueshiba, is open to media coverage.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: March 30, 2026 at 19:00
- 🔍 Collected: March 30, 2026 at 22:56 (3h 56m after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 22, 2026 at 06:04 (535h 7m after Collected)
Shibanuma Soy Sauce Brewing Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Tsuchiura City, Ibaraki Prefecture; CEO: Hideatsu Shibanuma), a long-established brewery with over 330 years of history since its founding in 1688 (Genroku 1), will carry out the replacement (renewal) of wooden barrels for about 10 days starting April 16, 2026.
This initiative aims to pass down the culture of 'wooden barrel brewing,' which accounts for only 1% of domestic production, to the next generation.
Furthermore, this work is open for media coverage and photography, allowing you to witness the site of wooden barrel making directly.
## Wooden Barrel Brewing is a Rare Method Making Up 1% of Domestic Production
Currently, most soy sauce in Japan is produced in stainless steel tanks.
On the other hand, wooden barrel brewing remains at about 1% of the total national production, making it a highly rare manufacturing method.
While wooden barrels can be used for over 150 years, their numbers continue to decline due to reasons such as:
- Time-consuming
- Low production efficiency
- Difficulty in management
## Crisis of Wooden Barrel Culture — Only a Few Artisans Left
Even more serious is the decline in artisans capable of manufacturing wooden barrels.
Around 2010, there was only one barrel manufacturing company left in the entire country, and currently, the number of successors remains at the level of a few individuals.
At this rate, there is a possibility that the wooden barrels themselves can no longer be maintained.
## 'Wooden Barrel Renewal' Conducted with Artisans
In this initiative, we plan to remove the existing wooden barrels and introduce new ones (4 barrels).
The work will be carried out over about 10 days, welcoming wooden barrel artisan Yushi Ueshiba from Osaka.
Wooden barrels cannot be mass-produced by machines; they are assembled one by one through the techniques of artisans.
## Cross-Industry Initiative 'Wooden Barrel Artisan Revival Project'
Shibanuma Soy Sauce also participates in the Wooden Barrel Artisan Revival Project. This project is an initiative where brewers of soy sauce, miso, sake, etc., and artisans collaborate to make new barrels in Shodoshima every year.
Under the concept of 'not fighting over 1%, but turning 1% into 2%,' we aim to pass down the wooden barrel culture.
Shibanuma Soy Sauce also participates in and supports this project through regular orders for wooden barrels and participation in related initiatives.
## ■ Regarding Coverage and Photography
This work will be a precious opportunity to see the process of actually assembling wooden barrels on-site. Usually conducted privately, opportunities to cover the frontline of wooden barrel culture are limited.
The following are possible for this initiative:
- On-site coverage (anytime during the period)
- Photography of the factory and brewery
- Interviews with the artisan and CEO
- Photography of the wooden barrel assembly work
*We will guide you after adjusting the schedule.
## Implementation Overview
Period: Scheduled for about 10 days starting April 16, 2026
Location: Shibanuma Soy Sauce Brewing (Tsuchiura City, Ibaraki Prefecture)
Content: Wooden barrel replacement (renewal) work
Barrel Artisan: Yushi Ueshiba (From the long-established 'Fujii Barrel Factory' in Sakai, Osaka)
This initiative aims to pass down the culture of 'wooden barrel brewing,' which accounts for only 1% of domestic production, to the next generation.
Furthermore, this work is open for media coverage and photography, allowing you to witness the site of wooden barrel making directly.
## Wooden Barrel Brewing is a Rare Method Making Up 1% of Domestic Production
Currently, most soy sauce in Japan is produced in stainless steel tanks.
On the other hand, wooden barrel brewing remains at about 1% of the total national production, making it a highly rare manufacturing method.
While wooden barrels can be used for over 150 years, their numbers continue to decline due to reasons such as:
- Time-consuming
- Low production efficiency
- Difficulty in management
## Crisis of Wooden Barrel Culture — Only a Few Artisans Left
Even more serious is the decline in artisans capable of manufacturing wooden barrels.
Around 2010, there was only one barrel manufacturing company left in the entire country, and currently, the number of successors remains at the level of a few individuals.
At this rate, there is a possibility that the wooden barrels themselves can no longer be maintained.
## 'Wooden Barrel Renewal' Conducted with Artisans
In this initiative, we plan to remove the existing wooden barrels and introduce new ones (4 barrels).
The work will be carried out over about 10 days, welcoming wooden barrel artisan Yushi Ueshiba from Osaka.
Wooden barrels cannot be mass-produced by machines; they are assembled one by one through the techniques of artisans.
## Cross-Industry Initiative 'Wooden Barrel Artisan Revival Project'
Shibanuma Soy Sauce also participates in the Wooden Barrel Artisan Revival Project. This project is an initiative where brewers of soy sauce, miso, sake, etc., and artisans collaborate to make new barrels in Shodoshima every year.
Under the concept of 'not fighting over 1%, but turning 1% into 2%,' we aim to pass down the wooden barrel culture.
Shibanuma Soy Sauce also participates in and supports this project through regular orders for wooden barrels and participation in related initiatives.
## ■ Regarding Coverage and Photography
This work will be a precious opportunity to see the process of actually assembling wooden barrels on-site. Usually conducted privately, opportunities to cover the frontline of wooden barrel culture are limited.
The following are possible for this initiative:
- On-site coverage (anytime during the period)
- Photography of the factory and brewery
- Interviews with the artisan and CEO
- Photography of the wooden barrel assembly work
*We will guide you after adjusting the schedule.
## Implementation Overview
Period: Scheduled for about 10 days starting April 16, 2026
Location: Shibanuma Soy Sauce Brewing (Tsuchiura City, Ibaraki Prefecture)
Content: Wooden barrel replacement (renewal) work
Barrel Artisan: Yushi Ueshiba (From the long-established 'Fujii Barrel Factory' in Sakai, Osaka)