三吉麹屋

Presentation of a workshop producing Miso (fermented soybean paste) located Kahokucho (Yamagata).

My name is Stephane, I am French and my wife is Japanese, we just moved in Japan. I love Japanese food, to quote some example, tofu, natto, the tsukémonos and all the dishes with soy sauce, and especially I particularly like Miso, there is the example in the well-known Miso soup. It's possible to have it in the morning for breakfast but also during any meal. My wife prepares miso soup and cook a lot with a sort of miso which come from a great craftman. The taste, color, flavor, miso that is extraordinary for me.
During a travel in the Tohoku, northern Japan on Honshu Island, I took the opportunity to visit the place where this miso is manufactured. It's made by Sankichi Koujiya Miso and is located in Kahokucho in Yamagata Prefecture. So then I visited the workshop and shop.

 

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A bit of history, once the family that runs the factory Miso was part of warlords, the Samurai. It is the time in where Japan is composed by different kingdoms and territories and many battles and power strggles took place, it was a period of civil war, the Sengoku Jidai, the mid-fifteenth century to the end of the sixteenth century. The ancestors of this family were warriors serving the Busho Shiratori Jyuro. Because this time of great troubles did not provide a serene future prospects, the family began a benibana activity: culture and tone production with safflower, and as the time pass, this ancestor started the development of an Aspergillus, here in Japan people call this Koji.

Visit the workshop:

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Cooking the rice:

The day before, rice is soaked in mountain water. Rice is cooked by steam, it is placed over a pot. After cooking the rice is chilled and sprinkled it with tani-koji, this micro fungus transmitted from generation to generation since the end of the Senkoku era, since then it is the same extract which is used.

The large Cast iron pot contain water and the rice is placed in the wood tank.

Once the rice is cooked, it is deployed on a mat in order to be cooled and that's when it's sprinkled with tani-koji.

Currently the process is exactly the same, only tools have evolved.

The cooling system of the cooked rice.

The manufacture of Koji, the cooked rice and wherein the Aspergillus culture developed, is fundamental for making miso in the manufacturing process. We must follow the manufacture of Koji very carefully, because without a successful koji it is no longer possible to make miso.

Culture and fermentation of Koji.

This room is where is made Amazake, Sake, Miso etc. The temperature and humidity of the room must be maintained uniform. Cooked rice where the culture of the fungus is in progress inside, this is where the kouji is created by the coupling of rice and Aspergillus, it is called in Japanese "Mushigome". The manufacturing process has never changed in the past, everything is done by hand, a wooden box is used, the kouji has to be created very carefully. In this room the smell is the one of Japanese sake. At this stage, the future taste of miso is prepared, day and night, the room and fermentation is monitored 24/24h by employees who come to check that the kouji developing favorably. The Kouji is the base of miso manufacturing, particular attention is paid during its development.

In the past, to keep the temperature and humidity in the room in which created the seeded kouji. Was boiled water with a charcoal fire. In the back of the room we notice the candles to check is we when needed fresh air.

The soybean process

Soy beans are cooked in a large autoclave in order not to let escape its delicious aromas.

Here the autoclave where soybean is boiled, each bean have been carefully selected.

Traditionally, soybeans were left to soak and Boil half a day in what we called a "maki". Today we use an autoclave to keep the full flavour of the soybeans.

Mixing the Soy and the Kouji

One unit of "daizu" (soybean) with two units of Kouji are mixed with some salt. This way make the miso becoming sweeter and tasty. The soybeans used are precisely selected for exceptional quality and rice is from Yamagata. Employees are the mothers of the neighborhood, they put all their heart when packing miso pots thinking about the joy of customers who will enjoy this Miso.

Step of mashing the soybeans, the "Mametuki".

Outing the Kouji, the "Koujidashi". High temperature and wet atmosphere, the work steps are numerous and exhausting, workers are shirtless. Even today, many steps of this work are made by hand, this stage occurs for 48 hours of continuous work.

Mixing the Kouji and Soybean.

A special room is dedicated for packaging of Miso.

The loft where the maturation occurs

In this loft, in large wood barrels (one ton) inherited generation to generation, miso mature until different stages of maturation.

Stones placed on this ton of miso to make it mature naturally, prayers are made to the gods so that time gives a good taste into Miso. This is much like the maturation of the wine, the atmosphere is a bit like a cellar with wooden barrels. Nowadays this type of wood barrel is no longer manufactured, so they are kept as treasures.

The "Odoru shikomi". Here miso begin its maturation.

The "shikomi go", we can see the stones that are used to close the barrel. We can now expect that this way, left to mature for longer the miso acquires a deeper flavour.

Thank You Sankichi Koujiya

Here we are, Time, Nature, fermentation, And the skills of craftmen. The manufacture of Miso is influenced by the seasons, temperature ... Following this visit, an idea grows, produce Miso is much like raising children.

The succession of Sankichi Koujiya is this courageous man, Yasuhiro. He showed me everything during the visit by explaining all the steps. Thus, thanks to him, this tradition will continue. I wanted to tell you this story.

Examples of delicious Miso soup:

The Tofu Miso

The Natto Miso

The Shishimi Miso

Products

THE MISO PASTE



The Yamagata delicious rice, soybeans carefully selected and know-how inherited for generations are the recipe for this miso which is then aged in refining in large casks of traditional wood.

THE SOY SAUCE



Carefully selected wheat and soy to prepare this fully flavoured soy sauce.

THE AMAZAKE

San Kichi Koujiya is proud to present this delicious Amazake. The Amazake is a kind of rice beer made with koji as miso, soy sauce and sake. It is made with the Yamagata Prefecture famous rice. The word "nama" Sake means that it is the first freshness, like the "vins primeurs". This is a very soft and sweet drinks that can be enjoyed hot or cold, it is particularly recommended for it's coolness in the summer for prevention against high temperatures.

Access - Map

有限会社 三吉麹屋 〒999-3511　山形県西村山郡河北町谷地内楯己69

Telephone：0237-72-2712　fax： 0237-72-2725
mail：sankichikojiya@jmail.plala.or.jp

Let's visit the Official Sankichi Koujiya website japanese language.
Sankichi Koujiya Online shop japanese language.

Donga Matsuri

In this town where Miso is made, there was a quite famous festival in Japan, the Donga Matsuri, it is a procession of Yachi. The Yachi are men who walked them lords (Daimyo) during their displacement.

Here is 35mm film photography report of the Donga Matsuri