US Factory

Since its establishment in 1854, Marukome has offered to consumers fermented food products including miso over 160 years. Marukome has now become the largest Miso Company as a result of constant pursuit of new ideas, production methods and innovations.

For instance, in the old days when miso was delivered in barrels, Marukome was quick to start using cardboard box which is much easier to carry. Moreover, Marukome kept making inventions in the miso industry to develop the first miso including Dashi (soup stock) and introduce new packaging styles which is more convenient to handle.

Nowadays, Marukome continues to evolve while producing not only miso but also koji and soybean products to spread Japan's proud fermented food culture to the world.

How to make Miso

The raw ingredients for miso can be categorized into the three types for rice miso, barley miso, and soybean miso, and blended miso which combines these three types. Rice miso is made by adding rice koji to soybeans, and barley miso by adding barley koji to soybeans. Soybean miso is comprised only of soybeans.

Miso is visually categorized into red miso, light-colored miso, and white miso according to the finished color. Various conditions determine the color of the miso, such as the type of soybean ingredients used, whether the soybeans are boiled or steamed, the amount of koji added, and whether the mixture is stirred during fermentation.

Miso History

Miso has been part of the history of the Japanese people for more than 1,300 years. Miso is an indispensable seasoning for the Japanese. It is also known as a nutrition-rich soybean fermented food. Let's take a look at its history, and see how miso has supported the health of the Japanese people. It is thought that miso originated as a fermented food in ancient China. It is most likely that it was introduced to Japan via mainland China and the Korean Peninsula in the Asuka period during the 7th Century.