Updating Edo's Food Culture for Today Modernist Fermentation Tour

Tokyo is a city where diverse cuisines from all over the world gather and evolve.
It is also the birthplace of various ingredients, including traditional Edo vegetables.

The seasonal blessings born from Tokyo’s unique natural environment,
the passion, stories, and smiles of the producers,
and the chefs who weave Tokyo’s food culture with traditional techniques and innovative ideas.

A one-of-a-kind Gastronomic experience in Tokyo
will surely give you new insights into your daily life.

Tokyo Gastronomy Tourism
Enjoy the food nurtured by the climate, environment, customs, traditions, and history of the land, and experience the local culinary culture at the essence of this trip.
The time spent learning, understanding, and savoring will color your experience.

Updating Edo's Food Culture for Today Modernist Fermentation Tour

Soy sauce, miso, sake, natto, pickles, fermented bonito flakes, and many other fermented foods are among the ingredients that make up Japanese cuisine.
Among these ingredients, many were transported to Edo, which was Japan's foremost consumption hub during the Edo period, where they achieved further development.
How has fermentation, which became widespread in Edo, evolved within the food culture of present-day Tokyo?
We set out on a journey to find modernized fermented foods from Edo.

Participant （Left photo）

Misako Yasuda
Actress / TV Personality
In addition to working as a TV personality and actress, she also engages in nutrition education activities as a nutrition education instructor and healthy food coordinator. Born in Hokkaido, and raised in Kyoto, she has a deep interest in regional food cultures, local cuisines, and traditional crafts. She is also involved in developing products that enrich everyday dining experiences. She belongs to ChefooDo, an organization that conducts activities centered on nutrition education. Mother of two children. Her publications include Mata Are Tsukutte To Iwareru Shiawase Gohan Recipe (“Recipes for Happiness: Meals You'll Be Asked to Make Again and Again”).
https://www.yasudamisako.com/

Facilitator （Right photo）

Hiraku Ogura　
Fermentation Designer
Born in Tokyo in 1983. Having experienced the improvement of his health problems through fermented food when he was a designer, he studied fermentation science as a research student at Tokyo University of Agriculture. Aiming to “make the workings of invisible fermentation bacteria visible through design,” he has been developing various projects on the theme of fermentation. He was the curator of the “Fermentation Culture and Art Festival Kanazawa” exhibition in 2024 and “Fermentation Tourism Tokai” in 2025. His publications include Hakko Bunka Jinruigaku (“Cultural Anthropology of Fermentation”) and Nihon Hakko Kiko (“Japan Fermentation Travels”).
https://hirakuogura.com/

Experience the Buzzworthy Fermented Beverage Kombucha at BROOKS GREENLIT CAFE

It is well known that fermented foods are good for the body, and people have been using fermented beverages for health care since as far back as the Edo period (lasting for about 260 years from 1603). Mr. Hiraku Ogura explained, “People in the Edo period would buy amazake  from vendors and drink it when they felt like they were getting summer fatigue. That's why ‘amazake’ is considered a seasonal word  for summer. Also, Japan has a culture of drinking fermented tea, and it seems fermented tea was drunk in various regions during the Edo period.”  

As they chatted, Mr. Ogura and Ms. Misako Yasuda visited BROOKS GREENLIT CAFE, facing Aoba Park in Minami-Aoyama. This cafe specializes exclusively in 100% plant-based meals and drinks, featuring popular items like beverages and sandwiches made with organic vegetables, fruits, and other healthy ingredients. According to Mr. Kantaro Oizumi, representative of OKS Company, which operates this cafe, the name “GREENLIT” was coined by combining “GREEN,” representing plant-based and organic, with “LIT,” slang meaning “cool” or “awesome.” The name of the cafe reflects the cafe's desire to transmit its commitment to food that is not only delicious, but also considerate of the natural environment and health, in a playful and sophisticated style.

One of the signature products is a kombucha called _SHIP KOMBUCHA. Kombucha is often confused with Japanese kelp tea (konbu-cha) in Japan because of its name, but it is a lightly carbonated fermented beverage based on tea that has gained steady popularity in Europe and America over the past few years. “Kombucha is what happened when the tea fungus that was popular in Japan long ago made its way to America, got updated to be even tastier and more stylish on the West Coast, and then got reimported back to Japan,” said Mr. Ogura. It could be considered an updated version of the fermented tea commonly drunk during the Edo period.

_SHIP KOMBUCHA is made by blending organic sencha and Japanese black tea cultivated at Nagata Chaen in Uji, Kyoto, then fermenting it with a combination of cane sugar, beet sugar, acetic acid bacteria, and yeast-derived strains. “It's delicious tea even when drunk as is, but fermentation makes it fruity and adds a refreshing acidity. It's delicious, and its ability to support improved gut health is also appealing,” said Mr. Oizumi. 
“I've heard the name before, but I've never tried it…” said Ms. Yasuda as she was handed a wine glass of kombucha. Tiny bubbles shimmer within the beautiful golden liquid, giving it the appearance of sparkling wine. “Wow, this is delicious! How can I describe it—It has a floral, almost vanilla-like aroma, and it's kind of like a natural wine. I think I'm going to get hooked on this,” said Ms. Yasuda, her eyes widening.  

The two then sampled kombucha with shiso and yuzu flavors, followed by Ms. Yasuda trying the “Berry Dreamy” smoothie—made with organic strawberries, banana, and soy milk, featuring kombucha as a secret ingredient. Some of the smoothies use amazake as well as kombucha. Using the power of fermentation, a satisfying and delicious taste experience is pursued.
“The shiso and yuzu flavored kombucha has such a gorgeous aroma too! The ‘Berry Dreamy’ smoothie pairs the tartness of berries perfectly with the refreshing tang of kombucha... After going years without trying it, I realized what I’d been missing out on,” said Ms. Yasuda, unable to hide her surprise at the deliciousness of kombucha upon her first encounter.   While the styles of beverages differ between Edo and modern times, the popularity of fermented drinks as something good for the body seems unchanged from the past to the present.

Visiting the Hakko Department Where Japan and East Asia’s Fermented Foods Gather

Next, we visited the Hakko Department in Shimokitazawa. This store, opened by Mr. Ogura in 2020 under the slogan “Fermentation Lovers of the World, Unite!”, sells fermented foods and books on fermentation. It also offers set meals and light snacks combining seasonal ingredients with fermented foods.

“It all started when I visited dozens of fermentation sites across Japan to research local fermented foods. Among them were many that were disappearing, with fewer and fewer people making them. Tokyo has been a city that has curated diverse cultures since the Edo period. By introducing Japan's fermented food culture here in Tokyo, I believed it would create new buyers, return money to the producers, and help preserve this culture. That's why I created this place,” said Mr. Ogura.   In fact, this store also serves as an information center for fermented foods, and apparently, more and more customers are visiting the production sites of fermented foods they learned about here. Starting in the fall of 2025, it has also been featuring folk crafts from across Japan, recognizing them as distinctive cultural expressions born in various regions, much like fermentation.

Here, they hold various workshops as a place to learn about fermentation, and Ms. Yasuda also experienced making soy sauce koji, a fermented condiment. The process is really simple: put the koji in a container, pour in the soy sauce, mix well, and cover with a lid. Then store at room temperature and mix once daily. Soy sauce koji will be ready in about one week in warm weather and two weeks in cold weather.
On this occasion, we used black koji of Okinawan origin, used in the fermentation of Awamori, a rice-based distilled spirit made in the Ryukyu Islands, and "Kikkogo" from Kondo Jozo, the only soy sauce brewery in Tokyo. According to Mr. Ogura, black koji produces citric acid as it ferments, giving it a pineapple-like flavor, which produces a flavorful, ponzu-like soy sauce koji. Ms. Yasuda also remarked, “It's surprising that black koji becomes fruity when fermented. It seems versatile for stir-fries, preparing fried foods, and as a topping. I think I'll try using it for chicken karaage, which the kids love.” 

“Wow, that looks delicious!”
After the experience, Ms. Yasuda's long-awaited lunch was the “Fermented Seven Fortunes Set Meal.” This dish combines the steaming method of seiro-mushi (food steamed in a bamboo basket )  with fermented foods from across Japan, designed to provide seven beneficial bacteria for your health. Lifting the lid of the steamer basket, a wisp of steam rose gently, revealing a colorful array of steamed vegetables and Okinawan preserved food suuchika (pork marinated in salted koji). This was paired with sake lees salt for a subtle umami flavor, black koji sauce for a refreshing tang, and tofu-based sauce with a rich, cheesy depth.

The Tokoname ware bowl held mixed grain Yukimuro-mai  rice, while the simple Echizen lacquer bowl held a hearty miso soup. The bowls themselves exude charm, and from the local specialty “godo” of Aomori Prefecture to amazake pickles and an amazake dessert combining yogurt and black koji, each dish invites you to savor it carefully, one plate at a time. Among them, “godo” is said to be a very rare dish. “It's a food that's sort of halfway between natto and pickles, made by combining natto and koji and fermenting it with lactic acid bacteria. It's a local dish made by grandmothers in small villages around Towada City. I learned how to make it directly from them and serve it at my place,” said Mr. Ogura.  When eaten, it had none of the sticky texture or smell typical of natto, offering a light, slightly tangy flavor.
Ms. Yasuda, who enjoys making miso with her children every year and also makes salt koji and soy sauce barley koji at home, was absolutely thrilled with this set meal. “The vegetables are tender yet crisp, and every dish tastes so wholesome that I can't put my chopsticks down. I'm especially surprised by how gentle the miso soup tastes. How do you achieve such a flavor?” she asked Mr. Ogura and the restaurant staff with keen interest while eating.  

Regarding the turning point in Japan's fermentation culture, Mr. Ogura explained: “The Edo period marked the maturation of koji culture in Japan, with remarkable developments in amazake, koji-pickled foods, and condiments utilizing koji. Edo dietary habits centered on plant-based foods and were characterized by minimizing waste. Fermentation was employed as a technique to preserve ingredients, forming the foundation for modern Japanese food culture.”   The Hakko Department, featuring traditional fermented foods preserved across the country, offers a space where visitors can fully immerse themselves in Japan's rich fermentation culture, which flourished during the Edo period.

At the Dashi Specialty Store: Dashi Okume Experience Personalized Dashi Making

Dashi Okume at Azabudai Hills is a dashi specialty store operated by Okume Shoten, a long-established intermediary seafood wholesaler founded in 1871. Dashi broth was popularized in the Edo period and is still deeply rooted in Japanese food culture today. Here, we will explore the art of fermentation through dashi. The store's display showcases 36 varieties of dried ingredients, carefully selected by dashi experts for their domestic origin, additive-free status, and meticulous sourcing and production methods. Customers can combine these ingredients to create personalized dashi packs. One dedicated staff member is assigned to each group of customers, guiding them through selecting ingredients from scratch to create their desired dashi. This hands-on approach is reportedly popular with families and international visitors alike.

Ms. Yasuda also tried her hand at making dashi packs. Guided by store manager Mr. Taketora Goto, we first sampled regionally distinct dashi broths—such as “Basic Dashi,” “Tokyo Dashi,” and “Kyoto Dashi”—to determine the direction for the dashi we would make. As a side note, “Tokyo Dashi” is a blended dashi where the main ingredient is a mixture of katsuo-arabushi (bonito flakes made by boiling, drying, and smoking cut bonito), soda bonito flakes, and mackerel flakes. “Kyoto Dashi” is a dashi primarily based on tuna flakes. “I always thought Kyoto dashi had a light yet rich flavor. So that's the taste of tuna flakes,” remarked Ms. Yasuda, a Kyoto native.  “That's right. Conversely, Tokyo has enjoyed soba since the Edo period, so dashi with a strong fish flavor, punchy and clean-tasting, has been cherished here. We introduce these regional differences to our customers as part of Japan's dashi culture,” replied Mr. Goto.  

The order sheet for making dashi lists 36 ingredients categorized into four groups: dried fish flakes, dried sardines, kelp, and mushrooms and other ingredients. If you select at least one from each group, they will be blended in the golden ratio of Okume to make a delicious dashi. Mr. Ogura provided additional details: “Years of research have revealed that combining the three major umami components—inosinic acid from fish, glutamic acid from kelp, and guanylic acid from mushrooms—creates a synergistic effect that multiplies the umami flavor several times over. Edo-period commoners used dried sardines instead of expensive bonito flakes when making dashi at home, but they also added Hidaka kelp as a cooking ingredient. It's fascinating that they were already using a mixed dashi of fish and kelp, isn't it?”   

Considering her family's preferences, Ms. Yasuda first chose dried flying fish. After checking the aroma of the ingredients and taking advice from Mr. Goto and Mr. Ogura, she combined fermented dried bonito flakes, Ibuki iriko dried sardines, Rishiri kelp, donko shiitake mushrooms, and scallop adductor muscles. And, in fact, there are fermented foods here as well. The fermented dried bonito flakes, considered the highest grade of dried bonito flakes, are produced by exposing katsuo-arabushi to mold, fermenting and aging it, and then sun-drying it. This process is repeated multiple times to concentrate its umami flavor. The fermentation process further removes water and breaks down the fat content, thus increasing shelf life. Mr. Goto, the store manager, explained, “The characteristic of fermented dried bonito flakes is that the smoked aroma disappears during the fermentation, aging, and sun-drying processes, allowing you to enjoy the bonito's inherent gentle and refined fragrance. It's fascinating how even with the same dried fish, the taste and aroma change depending on the processing methods.” 

The selected ingredients were powdered using an in-store machine, filled into dashi packets, and packaged to complete the personalized dashi, "Yasuda Blend."
“Learning all sorts of things while considering ingredient pairings was a truly refreshing experience. I'll use it in my daily miso soup,” said Ms. Yasuda with a beaming smile. 

Taste the Essence of the Fusion Between Fermentation and Modern Gastronomy at namida

The last stop, guided by Mr. Ogura, was namida in Ikejiri-Ohashi.

Owner-chef Yoshifumi Tashima's cuisine is based on traditional Japanese cuisine, but modernized to suit the modern palate. Mr. Tashima explained: “Japanese cuisine has evolved alongside fermentation techniques, as exemplified by condiments like soy sauce, miso, and sake. While I respect classical Japanese cuisine, my approach isn't about serving classics unchanged. Instead, I use traditional fermented condiments and combine the traditional technique of fermentation with ingredients and cooking methods not found in classical Japanese cuisine. Through such adaptations, I aim to create dishes where familiar comfort and unexpected delight coexist. This allows us to naturally update the cuisine to suit contemporary tastes. Suppose historical figures like the 16th-century warlord Oda Nobunaga or the tea master Sen no Rikyu time-traveled to my restaurant. I wouldn't want them to say, ‘You are still doing that?’ (laughs). I will continue studying the classics, but I want to reinterpret them for today and offer my answer to our predecessors.”

True to his word, the day's dishes were also full of various fermentation elements and innovative ideas. For example, the “Venison Cutlet with Fermented Tomato Pickle” features venison marinated in lactic acid-fermented tomatoes to enhance its umami, then breaded and fried. The sauce uses “Tsurubishio” soy sauce from Yamaroku Shoyu in Shodoshima, Kagawa Prefecture, and is topped with something truly unique: salt-pickled and fermented young fir tree shoots.
“It's truly delicious!” Ms. Yasuda beamed.  “The cutlet has a faint hint of lactic acid, doesn't it? The fir tree has a green, almost gin-like aroma, and the second slice tastes even better,” said Mr. Ogura, wearing an expression of pure bliss. 

What was memorable was Mr. Tashima's commitment to soy sauce and miso fermented in wooden barrels. “Wooden barrels allow fermentation to progress slowly, creating deep umami and aroma—that’s their charm. Also, the unexpected twists and mutations introduced by microorganisms constantly renew the flavor, contributing to each brewery’s unique character. For example, even among soy sauce breweries using wooden barrels on Shodoshima Island, Shokin Shoyu has a refined flavor that pairs well with dashi, while Yamaroku Shoyu has a powerful flavor suited for fried foods. The flavors differ completely depending on the maker, so we use them selectively in cooking," said Mr. Tashima.    Incidentally, according to Mr. Ogura's explanation, wooden-barrel fermented soy sauce is also connected to the development of the town of Edo. “Before that, soy sauce was brewed in wooden barrels or large earthenware jars called kame. However, as Edo’s population exploded, mass production of condiments like soy sauce and miso became essential. Since creating super-large containers from ceramics was impossible, large wooden barrels began to be made. Wooden barrels not only enabled mass production but were also resilient to temperature and humidity changes, making them ideal for long-term fermentation. Consequently, soy sauce brewed in wooden barrels became the mainstream method.”  

Pureed tofu smoked with soy sauce lees chips from Yugeta Shoyu in Saitama Prefecture, topped with cod milt marinated in yu-an (a marinade of sake, soy sauce, mirin, and yuzu), paired with hot sake: “Junmai Hiyaoroshi Yamayosoou” from Yamane Shuzojo in Tottori Prefecture. One of this restaurant's special features is the ability to enjoy pairings with fermented beverages like sake and wine. Sake, soy sauce, soy sauce lees, mirin, and hot sake—it's truly all about fermentation. After taking a sip of the hot sake, Mr. Ogura exclaimed in surprise, “Wow, the acidity is really pronounced!”
According to Mr. Tashima, “This sake has a creamy lactic acid and umami reminiscent of yogurt, so it pairs seamlessly with the smooth texture of cod milt. Cod milt carries complex flavors from soy sauce, mirin, and sake—all fermented flavors—which also makes for a great pairing. The acidity cuts through the fat, creating a harmonious interplay. The theme of this dish is how far we can indulge the palate.”    The sensation of warm cod milt, warm sake, and cool tofu mellowly melding in the mouth is truly pampering. The luxurious, rich pairing had both of them thrilled, exclaiming, “Wow! It tastes completely different when paired with alcohol!”  

Next came a dish accented with pickles, a traditional fermented food. Bettara-zuke  and iburigakko  pickles are stir-fried into “kakuya” (a side dish of fried aged pickles), layered with low-temperature steamed shiitake mushrooms and tamamoto (a batter made by emulsifying egg yolk with oil; when brushed on and baked, it solidifies like a gratin). This dish embodies Edo's fermentation culture, transforming the Edo-born bettara-zuke pickles into “kakuya,” a staple side dish for the common people of Edo.

The final dish was “Sea Bream Marinated in Miso, Grilled in Green Magnolia Leaves.” This is sea bream marinated in “Iichimiso,” miso from Kanagawa Prefecture's Kato Hyotaro Shoten, layered with sautéed fried tofu and pear, and low-temperature steamed maitake mushrooms, wrapped in green magnolia leaves and grilled. “Miso marinating is also a technique unique to Japanese cuisine. The fermented miso enhances the umami of the fish. While each ingredient has its own flavor, wrapping them in green magnolia leaves and grilling them imparts the leaves' aroma, creating a unified taste and a more multidimensional flavor profile,” says Mr. Tashima.  

Ms. Yasuda seemed deeply moved by the array of dishes brimming with delicate flavors and aesthetic sensibility. “I've eaten many different types of cuisine over the years, but Mr. Tashima's dishes gave me that thrill of discovering something I hadn't known before. Yet at the same time, they offered the comforting familiarity of an old friend—it was truly a new experience,” she shared with a smile. 

After enjoying the Modernist Fermentation Tour, Ms. Yasuda reflected on the day and shared her thoughts: “Listening to Mr. Ogura and the store owners, I learned so much—how specific bacteria and acids undergo chemical processes to transform into delicious flavors through fermentation, and how traditional techniques are preserved while being updated in various ways. My understanding of fermentation has changed, and I feel like my daily life might change too.” 
  Exploring Tokyo's neighborhoods, we discovered the profound depth of fermentation that is intertwined with Japanese cuisine. We felt how fermentation, widely popularized in Edo, continues to thrive in modern cuisine. It was a day where we encountered the spirit of those pursuing deliciousness while modernizing fermentation.

（This article presents the implementation report of the project conducted by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government during the 2025 fiscal year, aimed at promoting the appeal of gastronomic tourism in Tokyo）

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