This vinegar is really like no other, which is due to its combination of ingredients: Iio Jozo Pure Rice Vinegar, brown sugar from Tanegashima, Australian sea salt processed in Hyogo prefecture, and a dashi made from organic sun-dried tomatoes from the USA, organic bay leaf from Shizuoka prefecture & organic black peppercorns from Sri Lanka. The vegetable dashi adds such a unique umami component that works beautifully for pickling. Iio-san says to simply add cut veggies, place in Ziplock bag, add some vinegar, put in the fridge overnight and then you have wonderful pickles. I also often use it as base for a vinaigrette. About the producer: Iio Jozo is a 123 year old vinegar company located on the Sea of Japan near the town of Miyazu. By controlling the process from start to finish and sticking to traditional production methods, Iio-san produces what is arguably the highest quality rice vinegar in Japan.