Miso Fermentation is the traditional Japanese process of producing miso, a thick seasoning paste made by fermenting soybeans with salt and koji mold, sometimes together with rice, barley, seaweed, or other ingredients. The flavor and aroma of the finished paste, described variously as salty, sweet, earthy, fruity, or savory, depend on the specific ingredients used and on the fermentation process itself. Miso has long played an important nutritional role in Japan, valued historically for its protein and mineral content, and the fermentation tradition remains central to both traditional and modern Japanese cooking.
Facts
Origin Period, From (Year)Sourced to the subject's own account Origin Period, To (Year)Sourced to the subject's own accountEnd of the Nara period, in which the cited source places the earliest attestation of mishō, the direct precursor of the word miso. Origin RegionSourced to the subject's own accountJapan; a fermented soy paste precursor (hishio) was transmitted from China, likely arriving with Buddhism in the sixth century AD. 1 Connections
Uses Ingredient
Soybean, Ingredients Soybeans, fermented with salt and koji mold, are the base of miso.
In the Other Atlases
- Also in Geography Atlas: China, originated there.
- Also in Geography Atlas: Japan, originated there.
Sources
1. Miso (Wikipedia)
WikipediaHistory section, second paragraph
Hishio (醤) and other fermented soy-based foods likely were introduced to Japan at the same time as Buddhism in the sixth century AD.
History section, third paragraph
The beginning of the current origin of miso is mishō or mishou (未醤) in the Nara period (710-794); with hishio still meaning beans.
History section, third paragraph, Nara-period end-date reading (distinct from the start-year locator on this same paragraph)
in the Nara period (710-794); with hishio still meaning beans.
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