“Kura” Designated as Cultural Property

As soon as you step into the ”kura”, you will notice its beauty. The 6 ”kura” are designated Tangible Cultural Property by the Agency for Cultural Affairs. The historic buildings stand grandly with dignity. Ishimago Honten, a ”miso” and ”shoyu” ”kura”, founded in 1855, 160 years ago. It is a brewery that has history, with the Satake family presenting soy sauce to the Imperial family. They make ”miso” and soy sauce seasonally. When we visited, they were in the midst of preparing soy sauce. We were invited inside and were surprised that there were hardly any machines on the premises.

Food items created by the people

Ishimago Honten makes their products by hand. This is strictly adhered to, and even the heater inside the ”kura” was a charcoal stove, with people adjusting the temperature. Soy sauce is also strictly prepared by hand. Steamed soy beans, crushed flour and seed malt were being mixed by hand. While they are being mixed together, careful attention is paid to how it looks and feels. This is also vital during the fermenting process. ”We keep the room warm by burning charcoal and straw, but the temperature adjustment is extremely difficult.” President, Yuko Ishikawa explains. The room temperature is checked every hour. Even where the ”futa” or ”koji” container is placed will affect the temperature, so we move the containers around as well. All the tasks were strictly controlled by human senses.

A mild gentle taste

”Miso” making starts in January. Like soy sauce, the process involves many people. We had the chance to taste the freshly made ”miso” and soy sauce. A mild gentle taste spreads in the mouth. The miso especially tasted like sweet soft Akita rice. I especially recommend the ”tamarimiso”. Ishikawa commented ”There are many uses. It can be used for cooking ginger pork. Or you can add a drop of it in soy milk.” Of course, it goes well with the Akita specialty Inaniwa udon. Soy sauce and ”miso” are essential to Japanese cuisine. They are made slowly with the utmost care. We were able to rediscover the splendor of Japanese food.

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Greatly damaged by the earthquake

”Yagisawa Shoten” is a manufacturer of soy sauce and miso which has a long history since its establishment in 1807. They had a cellar and a factory in Rikuzentakata city. During the Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011, they lost most of these facilities. Almost 80 percent of similar businesses in Rikuzentakata city lost their buildings during the disaster. And therefore, the whole city is still under reconstruction even to this day. We visited the new store of Yagisawa Shoten that was finished in the summer of 2012 and heard from the president, Michihiro Kono about their progress since the disaster, and the current soy sauce making process.

Soon after the disaster, Kono thought that nothing could be done without people, so he continued to pay his employees and treated volunteering in the community as company work. In May he asked soy sauce makers in other prefectures to create soy sauce by OEM, and was able to restart selling as Yagisawa Shoten Soy Sauce.
There were many products that were sold to local fisheries and processed food companies, but the whole area had suffered great damage by the disaster. The reality was that his customers who used to buy his soy sauce did not even imagine the possibilities of restoration after the huge disaster.
So he had to change his strategy in order to restart his sales. He changed his direction of sale to outside of prefecture. He shifted his direction to increase individual customers and his direct sales customers through the internet tripled since before the disaster.

Old taste even in the new environment

Currently, they have restarted making soy sauce in their new factory and new facilities, but it has not been easy to regain the flavor they had before. One of the reasons is the environment of the cellar. Kono told us, ”The yeast and lactic acid bacteria that was living in the cedar barrel in the historical cellar had not been scientifically analyzed. ”
”We are still in the process of making soy sauce in the new cellar. We need to verify for ourselves what the influence of the yeast and lactic acid bacteria were. We are thankful that we have cooperation from research institutions.”
And he told us that he is continuing the old method in the new environment. Cedar barrels were changed to steel. They are facing such environmental changes. But the core remains the same rich ”Rihei’s soy sauce” as the old days. That is the origin of their soy sauce making. They want to make the taste as similar as it was. He told us with great enthusiasm that he is aiming to make soy sauce like that.

Striving to be number one in Japan again

The importance of soy sauce is of course the taste, but fragrance and color is just as important, Kono said. ”We aim for our soy sauce to be ”aromatic soy sauce””. To prove those words, Yagisawa soy sauce has been popular, and previous patrons say ”It is best to use for food such as grilled fish.” The color is not black but a deep red. As fermentation progresses, the red becomes deeper. The ”umami” that is produced by the fermentation comes out strong.
Yagisawa Shoten’s soy sauce won the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Prize in a nationwide competition, and has been ranked number one in Japan many times. ”We have won top awards in the past, and have the confidence and pride. We are trying hard to return to that. And we want to regain the position.” Kono told us.

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“Miso” that can be eaten as is

Sendai ”miso” is a type of ”miso” which is made using the method from the brewery Masamune Date established near Sendai Castle to make ”miso”. Sendai ”miso” is salty and reddish in color, and has a rich flavor. It is also called ”namemiso”, because you can eat it as is.

The brewery of “Sendai Miso” has a long history.

We visited Konno Jyouzou Co., Ltd. which makes Sendai ”miso”. The company has more than 100 years of history since its foundation, but it used to be a soy sauce manufacturer. ””Miso” used to be something you made at home.” Akio Konno, the president of the company who showed us around told us. Konno began making ”miso” after he took over as president.

How Sendai “miso” is made.

Sendai ”miso” is made of soybeans and ”rice-koji”. When Konno Jyouzou Co., Ltd. started ”miso” production, even the domestic soybeans were not always of good quality. So they started cultivating their own soybean, asked for help from the local farmers to teach them about soybean growing, and started making ”miso”.
We visited the ”miso” factory, escorted by the factory manager, Goto. He climbed up a huge tank, took off the cover carefully, and presented Nakata with a handful of ”miso”.
”Have a taste. And smell it.”
It was ”miso” in the very beginning stages of maturing. It tasted still young. The aroma of soybeans was still strong.
”It will be allowed to mature for a long time, and the depth of taste and ”umami” will be brought out.” commented Goto. To make ”Especially for You”, one of the most popular products at Konno Jyouzou Co., Ltd., it takes two to three times longer to mature than standard products.
”Good ”miso” also looks good. And the reverse is also true. I can tell immediately that if it’s good when I see it.” Goto added, as he put the cover back on. The appearance and taste are proportional. He can also tell how much it has matured by the appearance.

Drink soy sauce?

We were shown to a different place for tasting ”miso”. When ”miso” is dissolved in hot ”dashi” water, we could appreciated the depth of Sendai ”miso”. ”Dashi” made from bonito goes best with Sendai ”miso”, we were told.
After ”miso” tasting, we had a very interesting experience. Tasting soy sauce.

Several bottles of soy sauce stood in a row and we had a taste comparison. It was interesting that Nakata and other members of the staff all chose different soy sauce as their favorite. According to Goto, soy sauce has so much variety in taste, sweet, salty, and others throughout the country, with many varieties just in the Tohoku area. For example, in and around Akita, a sweeter sauce is preferred. There is a tendency that ”amakuchi” is preferred in areas closer to the sea. Preference varies from region to region.

Different soy sauce for different food

Nakata commented ”The sauce I like is different when tasted on its own and when eaten with ”sashimi.” We normally don’t drink soy sauce straight. We usually dip some kind of food in the sauce.”
”That’s true. We usually dip something in soy sauce or pour it over food. We must always keep that in mind. I think there should be many kinds of soy sauce.”

Konno Jyouzou Co., Ltd. produces about 15 varieties of soy sauce to suit different situations. They even have soy sauce especially for ”sushi”. We often see soy sauce for ”sashimi” but not very often for ”sushi”.
The taste of food changes when the soy sauce changes. Different people have different preferences. If you try tasting different soy sauce varieties and figure out your preference, it may broaden your views about the whole food culture.

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Miso and Soy Sauce Brewery with 250 years of history

Founded in 1755, this is a well established store covering 12 generations including the current owner. Since its inception, they have continued to brew soy sauce and ”miso” for more than 250 years. Wakaki Shoten’s flagship product, ”Wakaki Naturally Brewed Soy Sauce” is a gem, made from top quality local Aizu soybeans. ”Wakaki Handmade Kura Miso” also uses soybeans from Aizu. Everything has been carefully made with local ingredients, and the taste is rooted in local culture. The history of 250 years is also visible in the storefront.

The old look of the building

The store building was built as a Western style grocery store in 1931, and the ceiling is coated with plaster, retaining the atmosphere of the good old days. At the back of the store, there is a brick warehouse where the products are made. It is a three story tool warehouse, and two story residence. The entire residence building is built with persimmon (Shimakaki) trees. Many guests of importance were entertained in the guest room, but the materials are no longer available, making it even more valuable. The building and store are designated Tangible Cultural Assets. The brick layers are symbolic of the Meiji era, making both buildings masterpieces.

A nostalgic Showa House

”Wakaki Showakan” also has a nostalgic feel with traditional candy and other sundries on display. The former soy sauce factory with the fermenting room or ”muro” was transformed into a candy and Japanese goods store. The inside of the store had a definite retro feel, and one can’t help feeling nostalgic. Behind the store master, Shinichiro Kabuki, hung a wooden sign board which used to be on the storefront of the original Wakaki Shoten. Needless to say, the letters were written from the right. (Closed in winter.)
The brewery was started in the Edo period. They have remained in Aizu during their entire history from Meiji, to Taisho to Showa. The brewery is rooted in the locality and is a throwback to its history.

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”Smoothness” changes with maturity

“I like ’sake’ tasting but ’miso’ tasting may be a little salty,” laughs Masao Hoshino as he places various “miso” before Nakata. The variation is numerous, such as rice “miso,” wheat “miso,” soybean “koji miso,” “miso” aged one year, two years and three years. Nakata tastes them all. “They all taste differently. I suppose the more mature they are, they are smooth. I like this one the most.” Nakata’s favorite one is named “Kodawari Miso,” a combination of “koji”(rice malt) and soybean “koji” aged two years. “I’m glad you like it. Like the name ’Kodawari,’ we are very particular about how it is made,” said Hoshino happily. “One of the senior miso maker had me taste soybean ’koji miso’ which he said might have been the original form of ’miso.’” Hoshino said that may have triggered his development of the of “Kodawari Miso.” In order to maintain the taste of soybean he does not boil the beans but steams them, a method Hoshino found through trial and error. He uses “Umi-no-sei” salt from Izuoshima.

Character that makes Hoshiroku’s product

”Miso” that Nakata said was smooth was aged two years. “Miso” tastes differently with age. Hoshino explains with a gentle expression, “’Miso’ aged for a year is like the teens, headstrong. The sweetness and the saltiness is still sharp. When they’ve aged two years, they begin to think about harmony like the men in their 30s. They have girlfriends and family to think about. ’Miso’ aged three years are like people in their 50s. They begin to look back on life.” He says three-year “miso” have very distinct aroma. “There are very loyal fans of three-year ’miso.’ The aroma is very distinct but they say this is what makes it a product of Hoshiroku. On the other hand, some people do not like the aroma. This is very interesting.”

Unique aroma of wheat ”miso”

“Miso” tastes and smells differently depending on its ingredients. Nakata tastes two types of “miso” soup, one made with wheat “miso” and the other with “Kodawari Miso.” Nakata is surprised with the unique aroma of wheat “miso.” “The aroma of ’Kodawari Miso’ is very familiar. The aroma of wheat ’miso’ is very new to me.” “I like this one, too. There are many people that like the smell of wheat.” There also is “Kiwami,” “miso” matured for ten years. Hoshino told us this “miso” reminds him of his 97 year old mother, a master of life. The various “miso” made with tender care by Hoshino all have their very own character.

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Brewery in Chita Peninsula

The most famous ”miso” of Aichi is the ”Hatcho miso” of Okazaki. However, Okazaki is not the only place in Aichi red ”miso” is produced. Here in Chita Peninsula, there are many breweries that produce delicious red ”miso”. ”Ito Shoten” is located in Taketoyo town of Chita ward, where about 50 ”miso” breweries used to be in operation. The remnants of the can be seen in ”Miso Brewery Lane”. It is a path designated to track the landscape of the old brewery town. The path map can be downloaded from the Taketoyo-cho website （http://www.town.taketoyo.lg.jp/yousiki/download_index.htm）. Buildings made of bricks with black fences line the area surrounding the old breweries, giving it a quaint atmosphere fit for a nice a walk. The entire route is about 30 minutes, ideal for a stroll while enjoying the scenery.

Making exquisite “tamari”

”Ito Shoten” is situated in one corner of this town, a well-established brewery with a history of 200 years since its foundation. Their main products, ”Den-emon miso” and ”Den-emon tamari” are named after their founder. They stick to the traditional process, and allow ”miso” and ”tamari” to mature for three years in cedar casks. In addition, ”tamari” is made by squeezing the fermented soybeans, just as in making ”soybean miso”, so only a small quantity can be made even after 3 years of fermentation. It is concentrated down to one fourth of the ”soybean miso” during the squeezing process.

Because of the long maturation period, ”Den-emon Tamari” has a very mellow, yet rich taste. The difference between ”tamari” and soy sauce is that ”tamari” is sweeter and has a glaze, and it is often used as soy sauce for ”sashimi”. However, it is also suitable for ”nimono” dishes, seasoned rice and teriyaki, as ”tamari” will bring out the flavor of each ingredient. It is a great product to add to your everyday home cooking.

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Following their philosophy of “natural fermentation”

”Noda Miso Shoten” produces soybean ”miso”, a specialty of Aichi. The soybean ”miso” of Aichi is called ”Hatcho miso”. The ingredients are only soybeans, salt, ”koji”, and water. Hatcho miso is matured for a long time, so the taste differs by brewery. ”Masuzuka Miso” is a brand of ”miso” sold by Noda Miso Shoten, and has been a local favorite for a long time.

”Noda Miso Shoten” is very particular about preserving the ancient method of ”miso” making. In recent years many breweries control the temperature artificially in order to accelerate the activity of ”koji”, but at ”Noda Miso Shoten”, they believe in natural fermentation. Allowing the ”miso” to mature slowly but surely in time with the four seasons, it becomes mellow, and acquires a deep sweetness.

Making “miso” big new casks

The huge barrels used for maturing are, of course, all made of wood. Craftsmen who make wooden barrels are quickly decreasing, so the 400 barrels the brewery possesses are used with great care, being repaired as needed. In 2007, they acquired a new wooden barrel for the first time in 60 years. More than 70 Mikawa cedar trees, 80 to 90 years old, were cut down and brought from the mountains to make this single barrel. The barrel will be used to make ”miso” in the ”kura” at ”Noda Miso Shoten” for the next 150 years. There is a lot more involved in ”miso” making than one would imagine. It’s about Japanese sincerity and the eternal flow of time.

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Hatcho miso made by maturing

”Miso cutlets”, ”miso simmered udon”, ”miso ramen”, and ”miso dengaku”. Aichi prefecture is famous for dishes made using ”Hatcho miso”, which is known for its rich and heavy taste. ”Hatcho miso” is red ”miso” made from only soybeans, salt, and water. The process consists of steamed soybeans made into fist sized balls (called miso balls), where seed malt is sprinkled and left to ferment. When the ”miso dama” is covered with malt (called mame koji), it is crushed and mixed with salt and water (called moromi). ”Moromi” is put into large wooden casks, covered with cedar boards, then large stones are placed on top as weight. After 2 to 3 years of maturing, the ”miso” is ready. Since the more common ”rice miso” only takes about 6 months to mature, it is apparent how much longer it takes for Hatcho miso to mature. Ordinary rice loses its aroma and flavor if matured for this long. However, with Hatcho miso, the longer the maturation, the richer and fuller the taste and aroma will be.

Valued by Mikawa war warriors as staple food

The most popular Hatcho miso commonly seen in supermarkets are the ”Kakukyu” brand. It dates back in history, as its foundation was during the time of Shogun Iemitsu Tokugawa, and the present owner is the 19th in succession. Their headquarter building and ”miso2 warehouse are aptly designated as National Tangible Cultural Properties.

The owners have successively inherited the name, Kyuemon Hayakawa, though they already had the know-how of ”miso” making prior to the foundation of their establishment. Hatcho miso was invaluable as staple food for Mikawa warriors, as it could be preserved, was easy to carry, and was tasty. Hatcho miso spread throughout the country when the feudal lords gathered in Edo for ”sankin koutai”. Kakukyu has been a leading brand of Hatcho miso, rugged but trustworthy, the character of Kakukyu miso resembles Mikawa warriors.

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Surprising history of soy sauce

Soy sauce, the taste of Japan. You would think that this is a taste unique to Japan originating from the Yamato period, but actually it isn’t. There are various theories to the origin of soy sauce, but so called ”tamari shoyu” was first made in the Kamakura period.

Up until then, ”hishio” that was used by aristocrats at banquets was in existence, but this was something in between soy sauce and ”miso”. During the Kamakura period, Zen monks brought back techniques to make ”miso”, which spread to the Kishu region and soon it was discovered that the juice that seeped out from this was good, leading people to begin making ”tamari shoyu”.

Creation of soy sauce dating back 400 years

Soy sauce production in Ohno, Kanazawa began from the techniques that were brought back from Kishu more than 400 years ago. The first soy sauce shop in Japan was ”Tamai Sho” in Kishu which was established in 1580, and is about the same time as the first soy sauce business in Japan. It is region with a long history of soy sauce production.
Ishikawa is blessed with water from Hakusan mountains, clean air, and perfect temperatures, making it suitable for soy sauce production. With this climate, ”soy sauce of Ohno” became a center of soy sauce production, known around the nation.

Cooperation from neighboring districts

Currently there are 25 soy sauce stores in Ohno that continue to create soy sauce in the old-fashioned way. The leading brewery, ”Naogen Shoyu” uses Kaga soybeans and Noto natural salt, all ingredients from within the prefecture to create their soy sauce.
Nakata visited ”Naogen Shoyu”. He also visited neighboring ”Ohno Soy Sauce Brewing Cooperative”. At the factory, the main ingredients are processed and seed malt is cultivated. The soy sauce manufacturers in Ohno use the main ingredients prepared in this factory to make their soy sauce.
The traditional flavor is created with confidence and responsibility that is shared by the entire region. This is where their passion lies – what is consumed every single day is made by the blessings from the local land.

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