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Miso Making: Kyoto's Fermentation Culture

Miso Making: Kyoto's Fermentation Culture

¥203,500
¥203,500
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Delve into Kyoto's vibrant fermentation culture, beyond what typical sightseeing offers.

Through the traditional miso making process, nurtured within the Nishijin community, you'll experience a culture that thrives in harmony with microorganisms.

At Kato Miso, a miso brewery with a four-generation history, you'll learn about ingredients, wooden barrels, and the mechanisms of fermentation, then get hands-on experience making your own miso.

Additionally, a walk through the streets of Nishijin to trace the history of soy sauce fermentation will provide a multifaceted understanding of Japanese food and daily life.

As an optional extra, you can enjoy a fermentation-inspired meal at the long-established ryotei, Mankamerou.


Product: 2kg of Miso (1 bottle of soy sauce to take home)

Duration: Approximately 3 hours or more

Location: Kato Miso 〒602-8118 Ebisu-cho 400, Kamigyo-ku, Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture

Capacity: 2-5 people

Included in price:
Material costs / Experience fee / Interpreter / Guide (Whole Love Kyoto) / Meal (Mankamerou)

Languages: Japanese and English support planned
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Agenda for the day

15:00 | Meeting & Self-Introductions
15:20 | Nishijin Area Tour (Sawai Shoyu)
16:20 | Brewery Tour
16:40 | Miso Brewery Tour & Tasting
17:00 | Miso Preparation
18:00 | Closing & Commemorative Photo
Around 18:30 | Dinner at Mankame-ro

To participate

・Please come dressed in comfortable clothes that you don't mind getting dirty.
・In case of rain, some parts of the program may be changed.
・The finished miso can be taken home on the same day.

Precautions

・This experience includes walking around the town outdoors. Please participate in comfortable shoes and clothing.
・Washi paper and glue are used in the lantern making. We recommend wearing clothes that you don't mind getting dirty.
・In case of rain, some of the content may be changed (focusing on indoor programs) for safety reasons.
・The end time may vary depending on the weather and progress.

・Children of elementary school age or younger must be accompanied by a guardian.
・Participants are responsible for any accidents or injuries during the experience and for the management of their valuables.

・Photos and videos may be taken during the event and used for publicity on websites, social media, etc.
・If you have any allergies or require special considerations, please contact us in advance.

Cancellation Policy

Since this program is an experience that requires advance preparation by a craftsman, the following cancellation fees will apply:

・Up to 14 days prior: No cancellation fee
・13 to 7 days prior: 50%
・6 days prior to the day of: 100%

※If bespoke preparations have already begun, actual costs (up to 100%) may be charged regardless of the above.
※No-shows and delays of 30 minutes or more will be treated as same-day cancellations.

Features of KYOTO CRAFTSMAN WORKSHOP

As Whole Love Kyoto, we regularly engage with artisans and act as a "connector," guiding you to workshops and handicraft sites that are not open to the general public. Experience crafts not as exhibits, but as a "living culture" that is still used in daily life. Furthermore, by walking through the city from the same perspective as the artisans, you will deepen your understanding of their background and history. Since it is a small-group private tour, you will receive a personalized experience and touch a part of the cycle that supports culture.

City Walk | Nishijin Area (Sawai Shoyu)

Walk through the Nishijin district, where fermented culture is deeply rooted, and trace the businesses that support Japanese food, such as vinegar, sake, and soy sauce.
First, we will visit Sawai Shoyu, which has a deep connection with Kato Miso, and learn about the tools and practices that have been continuously used there.
Afterward, we will explore the scattered craft landscapes of Nishijin and experience firsthand how Kato Miso has thrived within the community. By viewing the town through the eyes of artisans, you will discover the layers of culture and connections to daily life that often go unnoticed.

Workshop Tour｜Kato Miso

We will visit a miso brewery that has been in operation for four generations, where we will learn about the ingredients, wooden vats, and the fermentation process. You will have the opportunity to experience the atmosphere and tools of an actual brewery, learning how miso is nurtured. You will gain insight into the long-standing techniques passed down through generations and the profound depth of an operation that coexists with microorganisms.

Workshop | Miso Making

Under the guidance of an artisan, you will get hands-on experience making miso. You will touch soybeans and koji, experiencing the fermentation process. As you reflect on how the ingredients change over time, you will create your very own unique miso.

Dining Experience | Mankamero

At the renowned Kyoto cuisine restaurant Mankamero, enjoy a meal where the lingering essence of fermentation culture can be savored. The dishes incorporate miso from Kato Miso and soy sauce from Sawai Shoyu, bringing to fruition the activities experienced today into a single dish. Through this meal, you will more deeply connect with the day's experiences.

*Photos are for illustrative purposes. Course contents vary daily.

Workshop / Artisan

Kato Miso / Masatsugu Kato (4th generation)

In the Nishijin district of Kyoto, there is a miso brewery that has been making miso for four generations. Even as mechanization advances, they are committed to the Itakoji (sheet koji) method and natural fermentation in wooden barrels that have been used for over 100 years. They painstakingly craft their miso by hand, working with the wooden barrels, koji lids, and the microorganisms that reside in the brewery.

For other inquiries, please contact us using the form below.

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