Pure water is considered essential for making good tofu, and indeed it was Shimamoto’s reputation for clear, sweet-tasting water that drove the purveyors of Ichimaru Tofu to set up shop in this suburban area northeast of Osaka back in 2005. Using a traditional production process in which concentrated soy milk is coagulated at a high temperature and scooped up before the tofu has fully solidified, the shop makes artisanal soybean curd that tastes delicious as such – no soy sauce needed.
Besides being committed to quality, Ichimaru is notable for its sustainability initiatives, including using the soy pulp left over from the tofu-making process as fertiliser and animal feed. Vegetables grown in fields fertilised with soy pulp and eggs from chickens fed leftover soy are sold at the store, along with light snacks such as soy milk doughnuts.