What is Hatcho Miso?

About the Website

The Aichi Prefectural Miso and Tamari Soy Sauce Industry Cooperative, is an association of businesses dedicated in producing flavorful miso and soy sauce unique to the Aichi Prefecture.This website introduces one of Aichi’s representative products, the Hatcho Miso (a type of mame miso made from only soybeans, salt, and water and salt), to all of Japan as well as to those around the world.

The Hatcho Miso is a Mame Miso Unique to the Aichi Prefecture

The Hatcho Miso is a mame miso, or a soybean miso, unique to Aichi Prefecture, which has been made for over a thousand years. The Tokai region where Aichi is located has hot and humid summers, conditions that are not preferable in fermenting miso. However, through the creation of the Miso-Ball fermenting process, which allows the koji yeast in the soybeans to ferment properly under hot and humid conditions, the Hatcho Miso was born. Aichi Prefecture is well known for their variety of miso dishes, and the miso used in these representative dishes is the Hatcho Miso.

Manufacturing Method of the Hatcho Miso

The Hatcho Miso is created with the utmost care using the fermentation method to consistently keep its traditional taste.

  • 1 Quality soybeans are chosen, washed, and are generously soaked in water before being drained. Then the beans are steamed till tender and are put out to be cooled.
  • 2 The steamed soybeans are formed into balls of miso and then mixed with koji yeast culture to form miso ball koji, to be prepared for the fermentation process.
  • 3 The miso ball kouji are mixed with salt and water and then placed in a large vat to be fermented for a long period of time.

Hatcho Miso, an Excellent Ingredient

The Hatcho Miso is an excellent ingredient to be used in cooking because its fresh flavor is easily absorbed by other ingredients, it excels in emulsifying oils, and has the ability to work synergistically to enhance the taste of fish and meats. Miso is known to lose the depth and flavor when boiled, but the Hatcho Miso not only can retain its aroma, but also excels in complimenting the flavor of the other ingredients.

Hatcho Miso is a Healthy Fermented Product

Soybeans are known as, “the meat of the garden” and are full of many essential nutrients. The Hatcho Miso, created of these soybeans, is abundant in soy protein, a nutrient essential in building healthy muscles and skin, as well as vitamins and minerals. The Hatcho Miso is known to have an antioxidizing effect comparable to Vitamin E and also is a good source of lactic acid bacteria and enzymes, reported to have positive effects on our health. The Hatcho Miso is gaining recognition in Japan as well as around the world as a healthy fermented product.