00:11
Foods fermented with micro-organisms, such as miso and soy sauce...
00:19
... are indispensable seasonings in the Japanese diet.
00:25
However, changes in dietary habits have driven a number of sake breweries and miso makers out of business.
00:32
One person is trying to leverage the global market
00:35
to find a way to keep Japan's rich fermented food traditions alive.
00:41
Fermented food is getting a lot of attention.
00:44
Traditional fermented food, or products from local and small makers...
00:53
are selling more around the world, gaining popularity among young people.
01:01
We look at some new approaches to Japanese fermented foods.
01:17
This shop in a residential area of Tokyo offers fermented foods from all over Japan.
01:26
Ogura Hiraku is the owner.
01:28
He visits producers across the country to spread awareness of Japan's fermentation culture.
01:35
This tea is produced only in Asahi-machi, a town in Toyama Prefecture.
01:41
The number of tea fields is very limited, so it's rarely available outside the town.
01:49
I helped harvest the tea for two years before I was finally allowed to handle it.
01:56
We sell foods deeply tied to the history and culture of each region.
02:08
The shop's reputation draws in people from across Japan - and also from abroad.
02:15
This one is a ko-ji beer. So instead of malt, there is a ko-ji and the beer without malt.
02:25
Well, that's probably worth a try, I think, yeah.
02:31
- It's really nice.
- Really good.
02:34
- Tastes good?
- Taste good. "Oishi desu."
02:38
Hiraku's main job is a graphic designer.
02:41
But he became fascinated by the depth of the history and culture of Japanese fermented foods,
02:48
and eventually studied microbiology and oenology at university.
02:53
Brewing cultures usually have traditional features preserved along with them...
02:58
such as old cellars and paddy fields.
03:03
There's a history passed down, and many stories to tell.
03:10
He has used his expertise as a designer to write a book about Japanese fermented foods.
03:18
Videos that use his illustrations to show how to make miso are a big hit.
03:31
Hiraku calls himself a 'fermentation designer.'
03:35
He tries to communicate Japanese fermentation culture to the world.
03:41
His aim is to invite overseas food professionals to Japan
03:46
to experience fermented foods for themselves, along with Japanese culture and history.
03:54
The best form of promotion is to show people actual production sites.
03:58
Seeing what kind of people are making what sort of products...
04:02
gives visitors ideas for how they can help.
04:07
He chose Odawara City, for his next tour.
04:11
Its abundant products from the sea and mountains underpin a unique fermentation culture.
04:18
There's one place in particular that Hiraku wants the visitors to see.
04:26
It's a miso brewery established more than 170 years ago.
04:33
The current seventh-generation owner is Kato Atsushi.
04:39
Miso is one of Japan's traditional fermented foods.
04:45
It's made by fermenting and maturing a mixture of soybeans, koji mold, and salt.
04:51
It's mainly used as a seasoning.
04:55
The current trend is for sweeter miso with a high koji content.
04:59
But Atsushi values the traditional taste with the natural flavor of the soybeans.
05:07
For fermentation, it's crucial to steam the soybeans to just the right degree of hardness.
05:14
He checks the texture using a scale and also by chewing the beans,
05:19
taking temperature and humidity into account.
05:29
How hard is it?
05:31
A bit on the firm side, but acceptable.
05:35
Still not quite right, though.
05:40
Atsushi 's miso cellar is fitted with rails to efficiently maneuver the miso barrels in tight spaces.
05:46
This kind of facility, which has been in use for 100 years, is rarely seen elsewhere.
05:56
Atsushi says he wants to show off his brewery to make miso more appealing to overseas customers.
06:07
The miso industry is exporting more.
06:10
If miso makers like us are to survive, I feel we have to follow this trend.
06:20
On the day of the tour, nine visitors from the US, Denmark and elsewhere assembled.
06:27
They included experts in fermentation and cookery, as well as famous chefs.
06:34
The itinerary included a two-day tour of markets and sake and miso breweries.
06:41
The function of the stone - there are two functions. One is pressing the miso and pushing out the oxygen.
06:50
It was the first time they had actually seen the miso production process with their own eyes.
06:57
The craftsmanship and the historic brewery made a strong impression on them.
07:03
With the excitement still fresh in their minds, they tasted Atsushi's miso.
07:18
The miso was really great. I really appreciate the aged miso,
07:22
and that has a lot more umami and flavor development over time
07:28
and the level of acidity that really balanced it.
07:30
It's very special because you don't see any sort of professional production that looks so vintage.
07:39
It's, you know, in the Western world you would never ever find something quite as special as that.
07:45
The tour also gave Atsushi a new insight.
07:51
Miso makers tend to have a stereotypical view of how miso should be eaten.
07:59
It's good that people from overseas show us how they're using it,
08:05
and also for us to learn from them.
08:10
Finally, a cooking session, where the chefs showed off their skills using fermented foods
08:16
such as sake and vinegar, along with local ingredients.
08:23
Hiraku gave the participants advice on how to use fermented foods.
08:30
A food professional created a sour and spicy curry-flavored soup based on Atsushi 's miso.
08:40
The soup stock was made with onions, shiitake mushrooms and pickled plums.
08:46
He added wood ear mushrooms, spring onions, dried radish and fish cake.
08:52
The novel taste and texture took the Japanese hosts by surprise.
08:58
It's curry but it's mild and gentle. Japanese people will love it.
09:05
And the soup stock is amazing.
09:10
Hiraku hopes to make Japanese fermentation culture a common property
09:15
for people all over the world so they can evolve it together.
09:25
I think the tour shouldn't simply be about entertaining overseas visitors,
09:30
but also about creating a collaboration with locals.
09:38
Learning about Japanese culture can inspire visitors.
09:43
And the visitors also create something, so there's mutual inspiration.
09:50
We did it in a really ideal way!