Make Miso & Explore Japan’s Fermentation Culture at a Brewery Near Lake Biwa

Discovering Japanese Fermentation Culture with an Passionate Brewer

Happy Taro Brewery, founded in 2017 by Kotaro Ikejima, also known as "Happy Taro," specializes in fermented foods like doburoku, amazake (sweet sake made only from rice and koji), and miso. Made with fully ripened koji, their products have earned a reputation for deliciousness through word of mouth and have garnered many fans across Japan.

HAKKO SALON, where tastings and seminars are held

Ikejima opened his own brewery after 12 years of training at three different breweries. With his expertise in fermentation, he has served as both a brewer and fermentation advisor, and has been featured in various media outlets promoting Japanese food culture.

Ikejima strives to "connect happiness through fermentation"

This experience offers a chance to listen to Ikejima discuss koji and fermentation, tour the brewery, make shiro-miso (white miso), and enjoy tastings of both miso and doburoku.

Inside the Making of Trendy Fermented Food

Your tour kicks off with a welcome drink of miso-yu, made by dissolving white miso paste in hot water for a simple yet flavorful beverage. Ikejima considers miso soup a substitute for his morning coffee. As you sip, listen to him discuss his life's work in fermentation.

Welcome drink: Miso-yu. Sweetness reminiscent of amazake

At Happy Taro Brewery, the malt room and brewing room feature large glass windows, typically allowing outsiders to peek inside. However, for this experience, you will receive an exclusive tour indoors. In the malt room, you will catch the aroma of koji, while in the brewing room, you might get a glimpse inside the fermentation tank if timing allows.

Rice is the key to the flavor of koij. Three local varieties are used in distinct ways

Ikejima recommends tasting the underground water, sourced from Mt. Ibuki in Shiga Prefecture, which Happy Taro Brewery uses for brewing. Unlike most soft waters in Japan, this subterranean water is hard, offering a noticeable difference in taste when sampled.

Water and rice are vital for fermentation

Making White Miso Ready to Eat in 10 Days

Next, you will try your hand at making shiro-miso (white miso), a tradition deeply ingrained on Okishima Island in Lake Biwa. Miso preparation typically begins in the warm season and is ready to eat after a week. As it is consumed, more is made, allowing for a flexible approach that suits modern lifestyles. Ikejima conceived the idea of offering the experience of making shiro-miso, which usually takes several months to mature but can be completed in just 10 days.

Easily make shiro-miso with basic ingredients

Making it is quite simple: Ikejima’s rice koji and salt are mixed with hand-crushed soybeans, brewing water, and kneaded together. The mixture is then packed into a container to seal out air, sake lees are spread on top to prevent mold, and the preparation is complete.

Mix ingredients thoroughly until well blended

Take the prepared miso home and let it mature in a cool indoor place for about 10 days. For a smoother texture, use a food processor. Ikejima will also provide maintenance tips for your miso.

Experience the Flavor Variations with Miso and Doburoku Tasting

After making white miso, you will taste different varieties along with doburoku. Try the white miso used in "Miso Fromage," a popular product of Umi No Scole (a fermented food themed shopping mall in Nagahama, Shiga), "Taro Miso," a rice malt miso made with plenty of koji, and "Chukara Miso," a medium-salty miso aged for five years. Experience the flavor and salt differences firsthand.

Sampling three miso types: Chukara, Taro, and White

Additionally, you can try Happy Taro Brewery's signature doburoku, made from local rice. Doburoku is a rice-based sake fermented with rice, koij, and water. Enjoy three varieties, including the classic "Happy Doburoku" and seasonal fruit-infused options.

Sampling three doburoku varieties, including standard and seasonal

For an additional fee, try the rice koji cheesecake made with Happy Taro Brewery's koji and amazake, served with tea. The gentle flavor of the cheese complements the sweetness of the koji, and you can experience the texture of koji in the cheesecake as well.

The grains visible in the cheesecake's cross-section are rice koji (for images only)

Sharing and Spreading Koji Culture for the Modern Diet

As an exclusive bonus for participants, you will learn two recipes featuring white miso. Discover how to incorporate shiro-miso easily into your cooking, ensuring you can enjoy it even after returning home.

Take home your own white miso along with two original miso recipes

"I believe anyone can make miso with the right know-how, and I want to spread its benefits to preserve koji culture. It would bring me joy if this project helps people integrate fermented foods into their daily routines," says Ikejima about his passion for this experience. We hope learning to make shiro-miso will make Japanese fermentation culture feel accessible and familiar to you.