Shoyu-tai

South Australia is set to become the first place on Earth to ban the iconic plastic soy sauce fish, known in Japan as shoyu-tai or the “soy-sauce snapper.” Invented in 1954 by Teruo Watanabe, these adorable polyethylene soy sauce dispensers were initially dubbed the “Lunch Charm.”

Source: wiktionary

If you’ve ever indulged in takeaway or delivery sushi, you may be familiar with shoyu-tai, a tiny, fish-shaped plastic container created in Japan and now widely popular. These single-use bottles that often only contain a few drops of soy sauce have a less-cute destiny, contributing to the plastic waste problem in our global oceans. Australians Angus Ware and Jeffrey Simpson of Sydney-based Heliograf were inspired both by the iconic, cute fish, and the desire to lessen their environmental impact. The duo designed a portable lamp made from 75% recycled ocean-bound plastic, and funds 2 kilograms of plastic cleanup for every lamp sold.

Source: wiktionary

Launched in the 1950s, the single-use soy packets shaped like a fish – and called “shoyu-tai” in Japanese – were invented to replace glass or ceramic soy bottles. They also became popular with takeaway sushi vendors because of their convenience and cuteness.

Source: wiktionary