When you having sushi for dinner, you might not pay much attention to the Kikkoman soy sauce container. Well, do you know that the iconic teardrop shape was the result of 3 years researches and hundreds of prototypes? This unique shape container with dripless spout was designed by Kenji Ekuan, a Naval academy student who decided to dedicate his life to design when he left the service, and it’s been more than 300 millions bottles sold since it was first introduced 1961.
This time, Nendo was tasked by Shimogamosaryo, an established Japanese-style restaurant in Kyoto, to come up with iconic design for its Kona-Shoyu, a powdered soy sauce seasoning. This type of seasoning won’t dampen the food ingredients, unlike liquid soy sauce. Inspired by traditional ladles used in tea ceremonies where user doesn’t put their hand directly into the water, instead first draw water with a water pail then use it from the pail.
Kona-shoyu container from Nendo features a bowl-shaped mouth section, it allows user to check the quantity of the kona-shoyu per usage. It requires a turning wrist to sprinkle this powder soy sauce on the food evenly. The back of the bowl is designed slightly flattened so that user can easily lay it down, allowing the mouth to act as a funnel to the process of refilling. Any kona-shoyu left can go back smoothly into the container. So, what do you think? Can Kona-Shoyu container be compared with the iconic Kikkoman So Sauce container?
More images of Kona Shoyu Container: