Wasabi-zuke (Fermented Wasabi Paste)

Pickles made by repeatedly re-packing vegetables (white melon, cucumber, etc.) in fresh sake lees over extended fermentation and aging. Characterized by an amber color and distinctive rich flavor, containing alcohol.

The white solid remaining after pressing sake mash. Widely used in cooking (kasujiru soup, kasuzuke pickles), as amazake base, and in cosmetics. A nutritious food containing resistant protein (hard-to-digest protein).

A versatile seasoning made by fermenting rice koji with salt and water. Koji enzymes break down proteins in meat and fish to unlock umami. A 'shio koji boom' around 2011 spread it nationwide.

A seasoning made by mixing rice koji with soy sauce and fermenting. Like shio koji, it is noted as a versatile condiment. The umami of soy sauce combines with koji's sweetness and enzymatic power for deep flavor.

A Japanese seasoning combining citrus juice with soy sauce, vinegar, mirin, and dashi. Widely used as 'ponzu shoyu' for hot pot, sashimi, and salads.

A family of seasonings based on miso mixed with sugar, mirin, vinegar, sake, etc. Includes dengaku miso, sumiso (vinegar-miso for nuta), sesame miso, and many regional variations.

An ancient seasoning made by fermenting soybeans or grains with salt and koji. Considered the common ancestor of miso and soy sauce, still produced as 'hishio miso' in some regions today.

Japan's quintessential fermented seasoning, made by fermenting and aging soybeans with koji (rice, barley, or soybean koji) and salt. Essential for miso soup and countless Japanese dishes.