Fundokin Shoyu – Factory Tour
Fundokin Shoyu is a well-esteemed Japanese food manufacturer based in Oita Prefecture, Kyushu that produces high quality soy sauce, miso (fermented soybean paste) and salad dressing. The company operates three factories all in Oita.

Corporate Information
- Company: Fundokin Shoyu
- Foundation: 1861
- Location: Oita Prefecture
- Main Business: Manufacturing of soy sauce, miso and salad dressing

Fundokin Shoyu – Lean Characteristics
5S, Minimal Inventory, Just-In-Time Approach
Nestled in amongst the small rural city of Usuki is a food company operating at the forefront of manufacturing excellence in their industry. Founded in 1861, Fundokin Shoyu produces a range of miso paste, salad dressing and soy sauce products that not only taste exquisite, but carry with them a high brand value that is impressively marketed across Japan from this small city on the coast of Oita Prefecture.
Our tour captures the charm and history of this company by incorporating shop floor tours of its soy sauce, miso and salad dressing manufacturing plants. As these products are perishable in a highly competitive market, the volume of finished goods is kept to an absolute minimum through a just-in-time approach.
The level of standardization that has been achieved through its 5S activities must be seen to be believed. The salad dressing plant is a stand-out in this regard with 5S applied to every corner of the building.
Their continual commitment to waste elimination doesn’t stop in the factory either. It also extends to their office processes and environment.



Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia
Excellent, from preparing the tour group on do’s and don’ts to guidance on what to watch out for every step of the way. Cannot recommend this enough if you are looking to learn how to resolve issues, and want to understand the lean approach from philosophy to theory to practice. Thank you very much, Paul,…
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Orange, California, United States
Outstanding lean tour hosted by Shinka Management. When researching lean tours in Japan, I wanted to choose the provider offering the most credible program – rich in technical depth and practical, hands-on learning. I’m happy to say this turned out to be a world-class experience that I highly recommend. The program combined expert training and…
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Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
The Lean Japan Tour was well organized and full of passion, knowledge and hands-on practice. I was glad to join the program. Thanks a lot to the Shinka Management team.
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Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
A high quality, professional and first-hand experience of how just-in-time and lean are mastered. Great for professional development and a genuine motivator to go further using the lean tools available. A marvelous cultural experience.
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Quito, Pichincha, Ecuador
I really liked the Lean Japan Tour, since it combines theoretical training, workshops and visits to different companies. It is different to see firsthand how the different methodologies work and take the time to understand that it is part of the organizational culture. Thank you Shinka Management team. Now let’s get to work…!!
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Dubai, United Arab Emirates
The tour was a great experience on both a personal and a professional level. There was much learning and the culture we encountered was inspiring. I want to thank the Shinka Management team for their efforts in organising such a great and professionally detailed program. It was a pleasure meeting you all.
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The Shinka Management Lean Japan Tour is a professional development program run several times annually. The program includes a mix of lean and kaizen seminars, hands-on lean training and visits to several benchmark lean companies. For further information and program dates, see the lean tour overview page.
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