Japanese soy sauce is usually made from a mixture of soy and wheat, usually 50 / 50. While tamari is made from more soybeans, shiro (white soy sauces) is made from more wheat. While the traditional Chinese soy sauce was made from 100% soy, it is no longer made from 100% soy. Modern Chinese soy sauce also contains wheat, but the wheat is used differently, resulting in darker, thicker sauces with a stronger flavor.

The thickness of the soy sauce varies because it is a liquid that is pressed into a semi-solid soy bean mash made from the soybeans that have been cooked, pureed, fermented and matured over a long period of time. This results in a thicker consistency, but most other soy sauces are pressed with the liquid that is obtained from the solid beans during fermentation.

The brine used to ferment soybeans in soy sauce is often saltier than the tamari process, resulting in a thicker consistency and a stronger flavor profile than other soy sauces. If you need to replace your light soy sauce, look for ingredients that add salt and umami, such as garlic, ginger, coriander, chili powder, garlic powder and salt. Since dark soy sauce has a slightly different flavour and consistency than light soy sauce, you can add it with a pinch of salt to balance the saltiness. Make sure you check the ingredients before buying, especially if you buy a darker version of the same sauce or a lighter version with other ingredients.

You can also be sure to find a variety of other traditionally fermented soy sauce, such as soy sauce from other parts of the world as well as from China.
Many of the Japanese names for soy sauce appear on the labels of beer, wine and other alcoholic beverages such as beer and wine. The brew does not specify the type of label, but is described as "dark soy sauce."

Japanese soy sauce is more delicate and has a complex umami flavor compared to other soy sauces, but you probably won't be willing to substitute an equal amount. Those who like soy sauce and tolerate it well should stick to the naturally brewed variety. Following tradition in southern China and the United States, zhongba is often referred to as "dark soy sauce," as opposed to dark soy, which is added to molasses. It has the spicy and umami qualities of soyatchup, but with a slightly sweeter flavor, similar to that of a dark sauce.

Sukuchi is usually brewed with a light, salty soy sauce that uses fermented rice ingredients, called amazake, to sweeten the sauce. Saishikomi is a soy sauce that is brewed to make a more spicy, sweeter and spicier soy sauce. It has the spicy and umami qualities of soyatchup, but more of the sweetness of a lighter - colored, sweeter, lighter - soy sauce, similar to zhongba.

If you like the pungent taste of fish sauce, you may have to behave, but it's a pretty good substitute. This colour is like soy sauce because it is sweet, spicy but not as spicy as zhongba or saishikomi.

Moreover, soy sauce is not limited to one variety - it is an umami - a richly fermented product, and therefore brings much more to a dish than seasoning. What most Westerners know as "normal" soy sauces is light soy sauce, darker than molasses - which thickens like dark soy sauce but tastes sweeter. As the name suggests, light soy sauce is lighter and also saltier than dark soy sauce, so a good substitute for the sweet taste of dark sauce.
Compared to soy sauce, Worcestershire is slightly less sweet, slightly spicy and less salty. Liquid amino acids are gluten-free, low in calories, high in protein, light in taste, but not as sweet as dark sauce.

Typically, light soy sauce is used as a dip sauce for fried tofu, rice noodles and other pasta. The Vietnamese version of soy sauces is called tuong and is called xi dau, but there are other variants of it, which are also called tai dai, tao dao or even tau dong ("light soy" in Chinese).