MISO MISO JOURNEY
Discover Miso & Koji from Japan
From a traditional Japanese koji maker since 1865
Welcome to Suzuki Koji Shop
Hello from Shizuoka, Japan.
We are Suzuki Koji Shop, a family-run koji maker founded in 1865.
For generations, we have been making koji and sharing the tradition of homemade miso.
Miso is one of Japan’s most familiar fermented foods.
But there isn’t just one kind of miso.
Travel across Japan and you will discover many different varieties — sweet, salty, light, dark, mild, rich, young and long-aged.
Behind every miso is a story of local ingredients, climate, history and people.
Let’s begin our MISO JOURNEY.
What is KOJI?
The heart of Japanese fermentation.
Have you ever heard of KOJI?
Koji is made by cultivating Aspergillus oryzae on steamed rice, barley or soybeans.
It plays an essential role in many traditional Japanese fermented foods, including miso, soy sauce, sake and amazake.
For us, koji is where everything begins.
No Koji, No Miso.
→ Discover KOJI
What is MISO?
KOJI + SOYBEANS + SALT + TIME
Miso begins with surprisingly simple ingredients.
But change the type of koji, the amount of salt, the ingredients, the climate or the fermentation time, and the flavor can change dramatically.
That is one reason Japan has developed so many different regional varieties of miso.
Miso is not just a seasoning.
It is a living part of Japanese food culture.
→ Discover MISO
MISO JOURNEY ACROSS JAPAN
Why is miso different across Japan?
Let’s travel from Hokkaido in the north to Kyushu in the south.
Different regions of Japan have developed their own miso traditions.
Kyoto is famous for sweet white miso.
Aichi is known for its deeply flavored soybean miso.
Kyushu has a rich tradition of barley miso.
And these are only the beginning.
Discover the people, ingredients and traditions behind the many flavors of Japan.
🗾 → Explore the Miso Map of Japan
MAKE YOUR OWN MISO
Your own miso. Made in your kitchen.
Would you like to make miso yourself?
Making miso doesn’t require a long list of ingredients.
KOJI
SOYBEANS
SALT
TIME
Mix them together, let nature do its work, and wait.
Several months later, something wonderful happens.
You open the container and discover a miso that exists nowhere else in the world.
Your miso.
🥣 → Learn How to Make Miso
MISO IN AMERICA
Japanese tradition meets American creativity.
Miso has traveled far beyond Japan.
Today, people in America enjoy miso not only in miso soup, but also in dressings, sauces, marinades, roasted vegetables, pasta and many other dishes.
Some makers are even creating miso from ingredients such as chickpeas and different grains.
Japanese koji culture is meeting new ingredients and new ideas.
What will the next MISO be?
🇺🇸 → Discover MISO in America
FROM JAPAN TO YOUR KITCHEN
Miso has traveled through generations.
Now it is traveling across borders.
At Suzuki Koji Shop, we hope to share not only how miso is made, but also the culture, knowledge and joy behind Japanese fermentation.
Learn about koji.
Travel through the regional miso cultures of Japan.
And perhaps one day, make your own miso.
From our small koji shop in Shizuoka, Japan, to your kitchen.
Welcome to MISO JOURNEY.
SUZUKI KOJI SHOP
Traditional Koji Maker — Shizuoka, Japan
Since 1865