I. 介紹

Japan, with its warm and humid climate is an ideal place for the fermentation of food products. Over the centuries, the Japanese have developed many varieties of fermented foods. The Japanese have especially developed the fermentation of soybeans, rice and wheat into a fine art, using many different Koji aged in cedar kegs. The finest and most healthful of these fermented products is miso.

II. 歷史

The history of miso began in 6th century AD when a fermented seasoning called "Hisio" was first brought over to Japan from ancient China. Hisio was then developed to "Mishio," which is the direct predecessor of miso. In the beginning, miso was treated as a precious, expensive product, reserved for nobleman. The value of miso was well recognized and it was often used to pay wages for high-ranking officers. Miso soup was first created in the 12th century by mashing miso grains into hot water. By the 14th century, miso became available amongst the common people, many actually made miso in their own homes. From this, various kinds of miso evolved, developed by the different families in the varied climate and environment of Japan in the 15th century. Today miso has become an indispensable part of the Japanese food culture, not yet fully understood or valued among western countries. Miso may one day be recognized as one of the most important food products ever developed in the history of humanity.

During the Edo period (1603-1867), Ieyasu Tokugawa, the first Shogun, led the Tokugawa family to unify the island country of Japan. During this period, the average adult male life expectancy was 37-38 years old. Surprisingly, Ieyasu Tokugawa lived until the age of 75. It is widely believed that his unusually long life for his time was due to his daily consumption of miso soup with an abundance of vegetables. From this experience, miso soup became a necessary part of every meal in the Tokugawa family. The Tokugawa family reigned over the country for over 250 years and their strength is attributed to their daily consumption of this powerful food, miso. With the availability of MUSO's miso worldwide, miso power is now available to everyone.