しょうゆ製造 しょうゆ製造
What しょうゆ製造 do
An English description is being prepared. Japanese description:
製造法は本質的に江戸時代から変わらず、原料処理、製麹（せいきく）、仕込み、圧搾（あっさく）、火入れ、充てんの6工程に大別される。
しょうゆの主原料は、大豆、小麦、食塩である。大豆は、浸漬（しんし）槽で水に浸した後、蒸煮（じょうしゃ）する。小麦は炒って砕く。この大豆と小麦をほぼ等量混合したものに麹菌を純粋培養した種麹（たねこうじ）を加え、高温多湿の麹室（こうじむろ）と呼ばれる部屋で3日間管理すると、大豆と小麦の表面に麹菌が繁殖し、しょうゆ麹が出来上がる。
出来上がった麹に食塩水を加え、タンクに仕込んだものを諸味（もろみ）という。諸味は6ヶ月以上、温度、湿度を調整しながら発酵・熟成させる。これを布に包んで搾るとしょうゆになる。この搾ったままのしょうゆは生揚げ（きあげ）しょうゆと呼ばれ、火入れという加熱工程を経てしょうゆとなり、びん、ペットボトル、缶などに充填し出荷される。
全工程を一貫して行う工場と、圧搾までと火入れ以降を分業して行う工場がある。また、工場の規模によって各工程の機械化の度合いも異なり、あえて昔ながらの手造りを行っている工場もある。
工程の中で最も機械化が難しく、経験とノウハウを必要とするのが諸味の発酵・熟成工程である。この工程では、日々発酵・熟成が進む諸味の状態を見ながら、温度と湿度の調整や攪拌の要・不要などを判断しなければならない。
Employment type of workers
しょうゆ製造 salary
The average annual pay for しょうゆ製造 in Japan is ¥3.97M (≈ $25,230; Basic Survey on Wage Structure (2025), national). The estimated median is ¥3.69M, the typical range is ¥2.86M–¥6.47M and the top 10% earn about ¥5.63M.
How does your pay compare with people your age?
Your numbers are not sent or stored. The distribution is estimated from Japan's national wage statistics, including pay differences by age.
Pay by ageest.
Estimated from the average pay and average age (43.5) using the age-wage curve of the Basic Survey on Wage Structure.
Pay by experienceest.
Pay by employment typeest.
The average hourly wage of ¥1,847 is 1.6× Japan's national average minimum wage of ¥1,177 (fiscal 2026). Minimum wage by prefecture →
Japanese pay is shown in yen (¥5.57M = 5.57 million yen ≈ 557万円). Dollar figures use the current rate of 157.25 yen per dollar and are for reference only; purchasing power differs.
Pay over time
| Year | Average pay | Employment | Openings ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | ¥3.41M | — | — |
| 2022 | ¥3.45M | — | — |
| 2023 | ¥3.42M | — | 1.96x |
| 2024 | ¥3.66M | — | 1.78x |
| 2025 | ¥3.97M | — | 1.67x |
Projected pay for しょうゆ製造 (3, 5 and 10 years)est.
Today ¥3.97M → in 3 years ¥4.28M → in 5 years ¥4.50M → in 10 years ¥5.11M (10-year range ¥4.39M–¥5.93M). The model assumes pay growth of +2.6% per year.
What drives the annual growth rate
Projected pay = current pay × (1 + annual growth)^years. The annual growth rate starts from a base wage-growth rate and adds or subtracts labor demand (the job-openings-to-applicants ratio), wage momentum and AI replacement risk for each occupation. Projections are not guarantees. How it is calculated →
Outlook score for しょうゆ製造
Each component is a percentile rank among all occupations in the same country (0–100). Weights: labor demand 25, wage momentum / openings 15, pay level 15, AI resistance 25, aging workforce 10 (Japan only), entry barrier 10.
Will AI replace しょうゆ製造? AI replacement risk
How AI is changing this job
A written analysis for this occupation is being prepared.
AI replacement risk compares the parts of a job that are easy to hand to AI or software (processing information, documentation, repetitive computer work) with the parts that are hard to automate (physical work, working closely with people, judgment in unpredictable settings), using the MHLW job tag survey on work activities, work context, skills and knowledge. The result is a relative position among all occupations in the country, scaled to 0–100%. Methodology →
Labor demand for しょうゆ製造
A ratio above 1.0 means there are more job openings than applicants (a labor shortage). The 5- and 10-year figures are estimates from the openings ratio, wage momentum and AI replacement risk.
The same job in the United States
| しょうゆ製造 Japan | Food Batchmakers United States | |
|---|---|---|
| Median / average pay | ¥3.97M ≈ $25,230 | $42,290 |
| Pay in 10 years (est.) | ¥5.11M | $56,200 |
| Outlook score | 45 | 53 |
| AI replacement risk | 47% Moderate | 58% Moderate |
| Workers | — | 175K |
Matched by occupation (SOC code). Yen converted at 157.25 JPY/USD for reference; Japanese figures are averages, U.S. figures are medians, and the surveys define occupations differently.
Skills, education and requirements for しょうゆ製造
Key skills
Skill levels from the MHLW job tag worker survey.
Key knowledge areas
What the work involves
Licenses and certifications (Japan)
No specific license or certification is required.
Education of workers
Training before entry
Related work experience
Difficulty of entry: ★★☆☆☆ Fairly easy (from education, training, experience, licenses)
How to become しょうゆ製造
The typical path in Japan is shown by the education, training and experience of current workers above and in the Japanese guidance below. A detailed English guide for this occupation is being prepared.
Guidance from job tag (Japanese)
しょうゆ製造業ではしょうゆ単品を製造するだけでなく、しょうゆを主原料としたつゆ・たれ類などの二次製品を併せて製造する企業もある。更に消費者の本物志向・自然志向ニーズから食品開発に対する意欲や、食品衛生についての知識を有する人材が求められるケースもある。
企業や業界には醸造に関する長年の経験や知識が累積されており、関心と意欲があれば入職後でも学習できる機会は多い。
Career path and how to earn more as しょうゆ製造
Career-path guidance is being prepared. Pay by experience is shown in the Pay section.