Using Yamaroku's Aged 2 Years Kiku bishio Soy Sauce as the base, the Kiku Tsuyu Soy Sauce is made with the use of dried bonito flakes, dried kelp, Japanese mirin (sweet cooking rice wine) and has a bit of sweetness using sugar from the southern Japanese island of Tanegashima. Kiku (菊) is the flower Chrysanthemum and, like the Cherry Blossom, it is chosen as a representative flower symbol of Japan. Kiku can also be interpreted as being "Ultimate" or "Final", and Yamaroku wanted this aged soy sauce to be the ultimate symbol. Tsuyu (つゆ) means soup mixed with soy sauce. Suggested usage are with soumen (fine white noodles), udon (thick wheat noodles), soba (buckwheat noodles), food cooked in boiling water, oden (winter dish with various ingredients like boiled eggs, processed fish cakes, daikon radish, etc. stewed in light soy flavored broth) and as sauce for tempura (battered and deep fried seafood or vegetables). No preservatives or chemical seasonings are used.