Japan's major restaurant chain labels three sauces simply as "sauce" in English.

Matsuya's three yakiniku sauces are all labeled "Yakiniku Sauce" in English, causing confusion for non-Japanese speakers.

Japan's major restaurant chain labels three sauces simply as "sauce" in English.

So, you headed to Matsuya, one of Japan’s top gyudon spots, and they hit you with a question: Yakiniku Sauce, Yakiniku Sauce, or Yakiniku Sauce? Now, Matsuya’s got these sauces meant for grilled beef or pork, and they’re popular enough that folks are adding them to their beef bowls, too. You’ve got sweet, citrusy ponzu, and a barbecue one—all clearly labeled… in Japanese.

But here’s where it gets wild: the English labels all just say “Yakiniku Sauce.” Matsuya even asked for name suggestions on Twitter over a year ago, but they still haven’t figured it out. I mean, come on! Amakuchi is sweet, just call it that! And the barbecue? Just call it “Matsuya original yakiniku sauce.” It boggles the mind that Matsuya is one of Japan's biggest chains, yet still can't label sauces properly for international customers. Hope they sort it out soon because who wants to guess the sauce of the day?

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