"Even if it's just once, I would like people to taste genuine miso"

In Kameido, Tokyo, an area with a unique flavor of "shitamachi" (traditional town area), you can see the signboard of "Miso no Kyutei" as soon as you enter the shopping street. Maybe it's because I'm Japanese that the sweet scent of miso coming from the shop reminds me of the good old days.

"But you know, I heard that miso recently is having a boom overseas, and the other day a person from Ukraine coming to the shop suggested such things as "miso in borsch or together with yogurt on whipped cream", "oh, how interesting!" I thought.

Miyoko Toyonaga said that she wanted people to enjoy miso in their own way, because each country has their own food culture. However, when it comes to Japanese young people, they don't have "their own fashion of eating miso". They don't seem to be too particular about miso itself, not even when eating food flavored with it. Shouldn't they be aware of the attractiveness of miso, which is traditional food handed down from ancient times in Japan?

"Basically, it's strange to be saying, "be aware of it" in the first place. Well, I guess in a way it can't be helped. Shops like ours, specializing in miso, are getting less and less, and if you go to the supermarket you can easily buy instant miso. I'm not saying that it's wrong to eat it. It's just that I don't want people to think that it's all there is to miso.

Due to a slow-food and health boom last year you could say that miso has had a comeback, but still there are not many people visiting the specialty stores. However, enjoying the flavor, tastiness, quality of the ingredients, and talking with a miso sommelier like Miyoko Toyanaga may become a means of giving a revival to Japanese culture.
 

"There's no other food as deeply rooted in Japanese people's hearts as miso."

Looking back on the history of miso, it is said that it was brought to Japan from China during the Asuka period (end of 6th till mid 7th century) and was for a while a luxury food enjoyed at temples and among the noble class. In the Muromachi period (1392-1573), little by little natural brewing was started among common people, and in the Edo period (1600-1867) it came to be produced commercially.

By steaming and boiling soy beans, rice, wheat, salt and water, then adding yeast and fermenting it, leaving it to ripe in a wooden bucket, miso is made. As it is cultivated by nature, miso has various characters depending on the climate, environment, food culture and taste in the surroundings.

"You see, from old times there have been lots of proverbs and sayings with the word miso, such as "temae miso" (there's nothing like leather), "misokasu" (a child who is excluded), and "soko ga miso nan da yo" (that's the point). This shows how deeply rooted it is in people's everyday life.

Miyoko Toyonaga makes an original blend for each and every person by getting to know the customer's taste, his or her hometown and food lifestyle. She makes the miso that the customer wants, based on the taste of each and every customer visiting the shop and making an order. When a customer makes the next order she keeps in mind their favorite blend. She is really just what we could call a "miso sommelier".

"Really, that's just too flattering. But recently I have become able to see a person's favorite miso just upon looking at his or hers face. Whether it is students or business men coming home from work, I'm always here, so it would be nice if they just stop by once in a while.

Lastly, I asked her thoughts on miso, as a food that has transcended centuries and still is a basis in Japanese food culture today.

"To me, really, the customers are not only buying just miso, but in a way also a part of myself. Thanks to them "Kyutei"'s fans are increasing all over Japan. But I also want people all over the world to know its attractiveness. I can assure you, there is no food as tasty, inexpensive and healthy as miso.

I have found the most wonderful place, where you can enjoy a traditional shop's taste of miso, a Japanese culture inherited from ancient days.

Text: Kenji Tsutsui  Photo: Katsumi Hirabayashi