In the city of Fukui, the capital of Fukui Prefecture, lies the “Kunishima Seihei Shoten” established in 1520. Today, the company mainly produces koji and other fermented foods such as miso, shio koji, soy sauce koji, and amazake, etc. Having supported local food culture for 500 years, what is the vision of this long-established company in the modern age?

Koji Making from Edo to the Present

Kunishima Seihei Shoten is located in the Junka district in the center of downtown Fukui. It is a bustling place, with a busy shopping district called Katamachi adjacent to it, and the Ashiba River flowing nearby.
In this day and age, koji shops like this one, which mainly deal in koji, are rare. Although it may not be familiar, a koji shop is a store that makes and sells koji used for making miso and amazake, and until around the early Showa period, there was a koji shop in every neighborhood. In the past, it was common in Japan for households to make fermented foods such as miso by hand, and “chinkoji,” in which farmers brought rice or wheat to a koji shop to have it made into koji, was also popular. However, as time went by, the opportunities for households to use koji decreased, and the number of koji makers also declined. Under such circumstances, Kunishima Seihei Shoten has continued to manufacture miso and other products in addition to koji, and has kept the store’s reputation intact.

Incidentally, koji is made by fermenting steamed grains such as rice, wheat, and beans with koji mold attached. At this store, local rice produced in Fukui Prefecture is steamed, coated with white koji mold, and fermented and aged to make koji. The store makes koji by naturally drying rice in the traditional way, instead of rapidly drying it by machine as is often done with dried koji sold in supermarkets, and it is called “fresh rice koji.

Deep connection with Fukui’s history

The Junka area where Kunishima Seihei Shoten is located is close to the ruins of Fukui Castle, and the area prospered as a castle town ruled by famous historical figures such as Katsuie Shibata, a warlord who built Kitanosho Castle, and Hideyasu Yuki, the first lord of the Fukui domain who built the Fukui Castle. In fact, the restaurant is also related to the Asakura family, which was based in Fukui.
The store’s origins date back to the time when a member of the Kunishima family, who was a vassal of the Asakura clan, moved here as a merchant after the fall of the Asakura clan and started manufacturing miso and soy sauce,” said store owner Kuji Nakabayashi, who is the 18th generation of the Kunishima family. According to Nakabayashi, the store was a large soy sauce warehouse as well as a money changer at the end of the Edo period. The head of the family was a man of such distinction that he was allowed to bear his family name and to carry a sword at his waist, and he must have been a very wealthy merchant, since he was said to have been visited frequently by Fukui clan official Hashimoto Sanai and Confucian scholar Umeda Unhama, among others.
However, the store was destroyed by fire in the Fukui air raid of 1945 and the Fukui earthquake of 1948. Mr. Seihei Kunishima, Nakabayashi’s grandfather and the man behind the current store name, rebuilt the store on a smaller scale and focused on manufacturing and selling koji and miso.

Returning to the hometown and preserving the store’s history

Born in Fukui in 1947, Mr. Nakabayashi left the prefecture for college and joined a major general contractor in Osaka. His father died early, and Mr. Nakabayashi’s mother and aunt ran the family business, but he could not shake off his anxiety about the future of the store due to his advanced age. He was very conflicted about whether he should return to Fukui to take over the store or continue working in Osaka.
He discussed this with his wife, Noriko, and they decided to move to Fukui with their two sons, who were in elementary school at the time. She agreed to help out at the store. Mr. Nakabayashi also commuted to Fukui on weekends and continued to work in Osaka for more than ten years. In 2009, when Mr. Nakabayashi reached retirement age, he made a U-turn to Fukui to take over the business, saying, “We must not let the history of the store die out.

Raw koji made using traditional methods

Mr. Nakabayashi has made a complete change from his life as a businessman in Osaka to become the 18th generation in charge of koji production. What saved Mr. Nakabayashi, who was almost an amateur, was the traditional method of making raw koji, which he says he has watched closely since he was a child.
In recent years, “mechanical koji” made by a koji fermentation machine has become the mainstream, and it is rare to find a company like Kunishima Seihei Shoten, which insists on making koji by hand using a process that has been used since the Edo period. Koji made by the traditional method is dried naturally and slowly, without using machines for rapid drying, so it is covered with fluffy mycelium, which is the source of the sweetness. This is why he does not want to stop using this method, even if it is time-consuming and labor-intensive.
Mr. Nakabayashi puts steamed rice into a small, shallow-bottomed wooden box called a koji-buta, attaches koji mold, and spends two full days preparing koji in a specialized, hot and humid room called a koji-muro. Since the temperature and humidity vary slightly depending on where the koji room is placed, the koji lid is moved periodically to adjust the conditions under which the steamed rice becomes koji to be as uniform as possible. The shallow bottom of the koji lid and its small size make it easy to carry for transportation.
The shelf life of the raw koji that Mr. Nakabayashi carefully and painstakingly produces is about 10 days in the cold season. Although it does not last as long as dried koji, Nakabayashi says, “Raw koji has stronger fermentation power and better flavor because the fungi are still alive.

Disseminating the appeal of koji along with its recipes at cooking classes

In 2009, Mr. Nakabayashi decided to renovate the second floor of his store into a modern interior, and his wife, Noriko, started a “good food class using koji” to make people in the community more aware of the appeal of koji.
In those classes, he has been offering a variety of dishes from traditional cuisine to unusual sweets using his own koji, including pickles and miso making, kabura-zushi (turnip sushi), pickled radish and herring with koji, and chiffon cake made with miso. Demand for koji increases dramatically especially during the winter season, which is considered the best time to prepare miso. Ahead of the season, Noriko held cooking classes every day to increase the number of koji fans. In addition, to let as many people as possible know the appeal of koji, the cooking classes are open to the public with only the cost of ingredients.

The fermentation boom was a turning point.

The koji cooking class had been steadily continuing with a few students, but in 2011, “shio koji” became a big boom and attracted a great deal of attention. Since then, the popularity and demand for koji has continued to grow, with “amazake” becoming increasingly popular as a “drinkable infusion” for beauty and health, and the classes are now crowded with students every time they are held.
Mr. and Mrs. Nakabayashi have developed products using koji and amazake, such as “sweet pepper miso” and “pickled eggplant with hot chili peppers. Green pepper miso” is made by adding soy sauce to koji and letting it sit overnight, then adding finely chopped green peppers and green chili peppers to the mixture and simmering it slowly over low heat. Eggplant spicy pickles” is a dish that has been handed down in the Kunishima family for generations, and is arranged by adding amazake (sweet sake) to the pickled eggplant. The spiciness of the pickled eggplant is combined with a mild aftertaste.

Making the most of 500 years of history as a tourism resource

In today’s age of growing interest in beauty and health, interest in koji has also exceeded the expectations of those in charge. The Fukui Prefectural Tourism Federation took notice of this and launched a project called “Fukui Fermented Gelato” in 2022 to make fermented food one of the attractions of tourism in preparation for the Hokuriku Shinkansen extension in the spring of 2024. Mr. Nakabayashi agreed, and with the cooperation of a famous gelato specialty store in the prefecture, developed his own amazake-based gelato. It became a hit product.
This led Mr. Nakabayashi to realize that the traditional food culture of fermentation was being reevaluated and had become one of the tourism resources. He is now thinking of making use of the store’s long history, which dates back more than 500 years, for tourism.
This is a reasonable idea, since the restaurant is tastefully constructed in the traditional style and the floor is covered with precious shakudani-ishi (stone scepter). Eventually, in addition to preserving this historic building, he would like to create a multipurpose space near the restaurant that displays his own historical items. While discovering the value of the shop as a base for passing on the historical value inherited from the time of its founding to the present day and into the future, he is also making daily efforts to lead Fukui’s fermentation culture as a long-established local koji maker.

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Hatcho miso, which originated in Okazaki City, Aichi Prefecture, is a type of soybean miso made from only soybeans and salt. It is an indispensable seasoning for Nagoya dishes such as miso nikomi udon. Hatcho miso has a strong umami taste and does not lose its flavor when heated. Maruya Hatcho Miso, one of the manufacturers of Hatcho miso, is making efforts to preserve Hatcho miso for future generations by maintaining the production process that has been handed down since the Edo period, and by vigorously promoting it overseas.

Hatcho miso was born because of the high temperature and humidity of Aichi Prefecture.

Okazaki City is located in the center of Aichi Prefecture. The Yahagigawa River runs north-south and the Otogawa River runs east-west in the city, providing abundant water sources, and rice paddies are spread out in the city. Because of the hot and humid climate, soybeans have long been grown in the rice paddies along with rice.
Hatcho miso is a product of this region’s ability to grow soybeans. It is matured for a long period of time using only soybeans and salt. The production method has not changed since ancient times,” said Shintaro Asai, president of Maruya Hatcho Miso. He is one of the people who are making efforts to preserve the taste of Maruya Hatcho Miso, which was founded in 1337 (Engen 2), for future generations.

Started organic with experience from study abroad in Germany.

While studying abroad in Germany in his 20s, Mr. Asai became interested in organic food. This was because he met people there who were trying to popularize Japanese food and who were studying macrobiotics, and was impressed by their discussions and sympathized with their content. At the time, there was little awareness of organic farming in Japan, and no one was interested in it.
At the age of 34, he joined Maruya Hatcho Miso Co. Using his knowledge from Germany, he poured his heart and soul into making Hatcho miso using organically grown soybeans, despite opposition from within the company. Exporting only to overseas, where interest in organic products was already growing, the company obtained certification from the U.S. organic food certification organization OCIA in 1987. The company was also certified by ECOCERT, the European Organic Certification Organization, and Kosher, a Jewish organization with strict food regulations, and already had a great track record when the organic JAS system was established in Japan.

Popularized in Europe along with macrobiotics

Maruya Hatcho Miso began exporting Hatcho miso to the United States in 1968. The following year, the company began exporting to the United Kingdom and other European countries, and in 1971 to Australia and New Zealand. Along with the spread of macrobiotics, Hatcho miso has been accepted by local people, including those who care about their health and those who recognize it as a traditional Japanese food, and is now exported to more than 20 countries around the world, where it is sold mainly at natural food stores. Mr. Asai himself also visits restaurants overseas to propose Hatcho miso. He is looking forward to seeing how they make the most of Hatcho miso as an ingredient.

The taste that only two companies in Okazaki have kept alive.

The name “Hatcho Miso” comes from the village of Hatcho (now Hatcho-cho), located 870 meters west of Okazaki Castle, the birthplace of Tokugawa Ieyasu. Facing each other across the old Tokaido Highway, only two companies, Maruya Hatcho Miso and Kakkyu Miso, have been manufacturing the product while maintaining the traditional manufacturing method. They have been good rivals, emphasizing and improving the quality of Hatcho miso through friendly competition.

Maruya Hatcho Miso has been around since 1337

Maruya Hatcho Miso was born when the first generation head of the family, Yajemon Ota, started a brewing business. It is said that the name “Hatcho Miso” was first coined during the Edo period (1603-1868), but the production method has remained virtually unchanged for more than 600 years. We still have a recipe book from the 1700s, and the method described in it has been passed down from generation to generation. I am sure there are more rational methods, but our priority is to continue the process,” says Asai.

Made only with soybeans and salt, characterized by its strong umami taste

Those who use Hatcho miso for the first time may be surprised by its firmness. This means that the water content in the miso is extremely low, which means that the flavor of the soybeans is concentrated. The soybeans are “Fukuyutaka” produced in Nishi Mikawa, Aichi Prefecture, and the miso is brewed with sun-dried salt and soy koji. The maturation period is “two summers and two winters,” or more than two years.
Incidentally, “rice miso,” the most widely used miso in Japan, is made with soybeans and rice koji, while “barley miso,” produced mainly in the Kyushu, Shikoku, and Chugoku regions, is made with soybeans and barley koji. Considering that the standard maturation period for miso made with these koji is six months, and even naturally brewed miso that is not heated is said to mature for about one year, the length of maturation for Hatcho miso is surprising. Basically, ripening is a period during which the sugars in rice, barley, and other ingredients are broken down and converted into flavor and sweetness, but because the soy koji used in Hatcho miso contains less sugar than rice koji, it takes longer for the microorganisms to break down the sugar. The reason for continuing to use soybean koji, however, is its high preservability and rich flavor. The preservation property is enhanced by slow and careful preparation, and the umami component derived from soybeans is also strengthened.

Masonry for long-term aging and quality retention

The long aging process is made possible by “masonry” and large-sized “miso balls” made by stone masonry workers.
The stones are stacked one by one by skilled craftsmen, taking into account the size and shape of the stones. Once the miso is matured, it is never moved, so if the load is not evenly distributed throughout the miso, there will be uneven maturation within the miso barrels. It is said that it takes 10 years to become a full-fledged craftsman, as each stone must be supported and balanced on each other, and the stones must not fall apart.
A miso ball is made by rounding steamed soybeans into a ball shape. In Hatcho miso production, koji mold is grown directly on the surface of the miso ball. The larger the ball, the smaller the amount of koji per soybean, which slows down the ripening process. During the long ripening period, the various yeasts and lactic acid bacteria that live in the brewery penetrate into the miso ball, giving it a unique flavor called “kura-habit.

How to make the most of miso that does not lose its flavor when heated

Hatcho miso is noted for its ability to retain its flavor even when heated. This is the reason why many of Aichi Prefecture’s gourmet specialties, such as miso nikomi udon and dote-ni, are stewed dishes. Normally, people say that once miso is added, it should not be boiled, but in the case of Hatcho miso, the miso soup is boiled as well,” says Asai. The heat brings to life the richness of the miso, as well as its unique flavor with a hint of sourness, astringency, and bitterness.

Not to boom is to leave.

When we asked Mr. Asai, who has been preserving the traditional manufacturing method, about his future goals, he said, “To preserve the miso brewery and Hatcho miso, which takes more than two years to complete, cannot be produced in increasing or decreasing quantities just because of a temporary boom. In order to preserve the traditional method of miso production, in 2010, the company purchased new wooden vats for the first time in 78 years. It is a “Rokushaku Oke” that can hold approximately 6,000 kg of miso. The company has asked Japan’s only wooden vat craftsman to make the vats ahead of schedule. Hatcho miso is made in wooden vats, as our ancestors told us to make miso in wooden vats. In order to preserve the traditional method of making Hatcho miso, we need people to support us, such as the wooden vat craftsmen and the farmers who produce the soybeans. I want to take good care of those people and keep the tradition alive,” Asai says emphatically.

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Located in Soma City, Fukushima Prefecture, a prosperous castle town, is Yamagataya Shoten, a small soy sauce and miso brewery that has been in business for about 150 years. Founded in 1863, the company has been in business under the name “Yamabun. The fifth-generation owner, Kazuo Watanabe, is the man behind this long-established business, which has been loved under the name “Yamabun. In the six years since he became the owner, he has won the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries Award, the highest award at the National Soy Sauce Competition, which has been held since 1973, four times. The name is spreading throughout the country.

Nationally Recognized Soy Sauce from the Fukushima Method

The wooden house has a time-honored charm. The storefront boasts an array of products, including shoyu, miso, koji (malted rice), amazake (sweet sake), and sagohachi (koji pickles). Hidetoshi Nakata turned his gaze toward the back of the store, following the aroma of the miso.
You also sell miso by weight,” Nakata said.
Kazuo Watanabe, the owner of the store, nodded smilingly and offered him a sample. We start with a taste of their signature product, Yamabun Honjozo Tokusen Soy Sauce. The deep, mellow umami and appetizingly savory flavor spreads in the mouth.

The process of making shoyu begins with the preparation of koji (malted rice) from soybeans and wheat. The malted rice is then used to brew the moromi, which is aged for six months and pressed to make kiage, or raw soy sauce, a labor-intensive and costly process.
In an effort to ease the burden on breweries, Fukushima Prefecture has decided to establish an integrated production system at its kiage factory. The Fukushima method of centralizing the production of namaage, pioneered in Japan, has spread to other parts of the country. Today, half of all shoyu sold on the market is made using this method.
There are various types of namaage, such as round soybeans and dark soybeans, and Fukushima Prefecture offers several types of namaage for each type. By combining them, it is possible to create a brewery’s own unique flavor.

Polished secret techniques enhance the flavor.

After the soy sauce is cooked, each brewery performs a fire-working process, which is said to be the most important step in bringing out the best of the shoyu. Mr. Watanabe takes us on a tour of the factory, explaining the ingenuity of each brewery.
The secret of adding “kaeshi” has been passed down from generation to generation at Yamagataya. The mirin (sweet sake) is boiled down, sugar and shoyu are added, and the mixture is left to simmer for 10 days before adding the kaeshi, which is added just before the temperature reaches 80°C. “Some of the brewers I know also use kaeshi,” says Watanabe. This is a unique technique that even the brewers I know have never heard of, but it adds depth of flavor and aroma to the finished product,” he says.
The process of heating the soy sauce over a period of time and then raising the temperature allows the higa, or aromatic flavor, to become more pronounced and to persist.
What kind of dishes does this shoyu go well with?
Mr. Watanabe thinks for a moment before answering, “Since it’s a shoyu from the sea, it goes well with fish,” he says. He recommends it for boiled fish such as flounder.
The color, shine, and taste are so good, and it doesn’t fall apart easily, that some professionals, including inns and Japanese restaurants, say they can’t use any other soy sauce,” he says.
In recent years, orders from all over Japan have been increasing due to the good results of the product at the competition. Mr. Watanabe’s smile is as happy as ever that the local people are so pleased with his product.
In the old days, every castle town had a brewery. In the old days, every castle town had its own brewery, and Soma used to be lined with many of them, but now it is the only one. I would like to pass on the castle town of Soma to the next generation through the taste of my hometown and its food culture of shoyu and miso.

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Soft tasting “seishu”

Kodama Brewery Co., Ltd. is located in Katami-City. This is a brewery where the famous ”Taiheizan” was born with its soft gentle flavor when it enters your mouth, ”sake”that you will not tire of. When we arrived for our interview, we were invited in to the main hall which is designated by the government as Important Cultural Property of Japan. The garden that surrounds it is breathtakingly beautiful. It also makes you feel somewhat safe and content. We sat down in a spacious room of the main building and sipped ”Taiheizan”.

“Miso2 and Soy Sauce representing Akita

Kodama Brewery Co., Ltd. was founded in 1879 and has a history of 130 years. Their famous ”Taiheizan” was born in the Taisho period. During the showa period in 1933 (Showa 8), they developed and introduced the very first specialized sake to be enjoyed cold ”Reirou Taiheizan” which was a new challenge.
They were founded in Meiji 12 (1879) and only started making ”seishu” in Taisho 2, (1913). During the years in between, they made ”miso” and soy sauce. Some people may be familiar with Kodama Brewery for ”Yamakiu”. Their ”miso” has a strong soybean taste and flavor, with the slight sweetness of rice-malt. Their popular soy sauce is made in the old-fashioned style, and matured in Akita cedar barrels for a considerate amount of time.

“Miso” and Soy Sauce and “Sake”

President Shinichiro Kodama tells us their reason for starting sake production was the ” tax bureau”, During the Meiji period, there was a soy sauce tax in addition to the alcohol tax. Already in the soy sauce business, they had been paying soy sauce taxes. The tax officer suggested ”Why don’t you make ”sake” since you’re already paying soy sauce taxes”, Interesting story.
We were allowed to visit their ”miso” and soy sauce kura, but normally a person making ”sake” is prohibited from entering ”miso kura”, and likewise a person making ”miso” cannot enter a ”sake kura”. Obviously there is a different ”toji” brew master for each.
With regard to the ”toji”, in the past most breweries would hire their ”toji” seasonally. However Kodama Brewery was quick to nurture their own ”toji” using their own ”kura” and currently, ”toji” is performed by an employee. Akita ”miso”, soy sauce, and ”sake”. All are made in a ”kura” with great history, through the collaboration of many people.

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