1. What is Yanome Kojiya?

Yanome Kojiya is located in Kahoku Town, the home of Hina and Benihana flowers, about a 10-minute drive from Higashine IC on the Tohoku Chuo Expressway.

The shop and café is housed in a roughly 100-year-old storehouse that was once used as a rice storehouse.

Yanome Kojiya has been making miso for four generations since shortly after the war.

Up until the third generation, the store was operated in Murayama City, but when the husband and wife owners took over as the fourth generation, they moved the store’s headquarters to Kahoku Town, where it is currently located.

2. Inside the warm storehouse

As we opened the heavy storehouse doors amid a flurry of snow and a nose-chilling chill, we were greeted by a space filled with warmth that seemed to say, “We’ve been waiting for you.”

The interior of the shop is made using materials given to the shop by local residents and salvaged materials from demolished houses.

This table was also made by the owner himself using pickle barrels and recycled materials.

3. Gohachi Miso - a nostalgic taste that we didn't want to let disappear

Inside the entrance, you’ll find a display case lined with miso and other koji products.

The signature product is Gohachi Miso, a naturally fermented 15% rice miso.

Not only locals, but people from inside and outside the prefecture who are captivated by the flavor visit the store to buy this miso.

Among the customers who visited the store during our interview was a repeat customer who had come all the way from Tokyo!

Home-grown miso, which is fermented at home for over six months to enjoy the maturation process, is another product that is equally as popular as Gohachi miso.

Before opening Kojiya, the husband and wife owners worked as cooks for school lunches in Tokyo.

One day, Yumi, the wife of Yanome Kojiya and a distant relative of the owner, received news that the third generation owner was going to close the koji shop due to poor health.

“Gohachi miso has an unforgettable taste that I’ve been familiar with since I was a child. I don’t want to lose this taste.”

This feeling motivated the couple to make the decision to take over as the fourth generation just one week after receiving the news of the business closing.

◆ Handmade miso making

Yanome Kojiya is the smallest koji shop in Yamagata Prefecture.

The rice used to make the koji is sourced directly from farmers within the prefecture, and the husband and wife work together to prepare the malt.

Koji is written as rice flower.

As the name suggests, it looks as if white flowers have bloomed on the rice.

Photo courtesy of Yanome Kojiya

Utilizing the large-scale cooking techniques we have cultivated through preparing school lunches, we carefully prepare our meals using traditional methods under strict temperature control.

Photo courtesy of Yanome Kojiya

Photo courtesy of Yanome Kojiya

At Yanome Kojiya, we do not use any preservatives or additives and are committed to natural fermentation.

It is then fermented and aged slowly in wooden barrels until it is complete.

Photo courtesy of Yanome Kojiya

When you compare it to commercially available miso, the difference in flavor is immediately obvious.

When made into miso soup, the natural sweetness and flavor are further enhanced, making it hard to resist asking for seconds.

4. Koji Food made by a miso craftsman: Kojiya Café Tanto Kitchen

We tried three popular dishes at Koujiya Café Tanto Kitchen, a shop-in-café that serves dishes made with plenty of miso, koji, and seasonal ingredients.

◆ Kojiya Curry: A taste that both adults and children will love

This curry rice is packed with the delicious flavors of vegetables and is loved by people of all ages and genders.

The roux is based on cabbage (Chinese cabbage in winter) and onion, and the only salt used comes from the miso used for seasoning.

The texture and aroma of fried onions will become addictive.

The spiciness is mild so that even children can enjoy it.

If you want it spicier, try dissolving our special curry miso to taste.
The strong spiciness is so delicious you’ll want more, and it will instantly change the atmosphere.

It’s a delicious flavor any time, whether you’re feeling energetic or a little tired.

◆ Nutritious Kanro Amazake

This special amazake is made only from koji and water and is characterized by its rich sweetness and subtle rice aroma.

Amazake is highly nutritious and is also known as “drinkable IV fluid.”

It contains nutrients such as glucose and essential amino acids, and is effective in recovering from fatigue and improving skin condition.

Compared to amazake made from sake lees, it has no particular flavor and is easy to drink.

Even if you’ve never liked amazake before, why not give it a try?

◆ 58 Miso Pudding with special miso syrup

Dessert is steamed pudding with special miso syrup.

First, try a bite without adding anything.

It is steamed carefully without using gelatin, giving it a soft and gentle texture.

Apparently, miso is added as a secret ingredient!
The miso blends so gently into the pudding that you would hardly notice it unless you were told, and it plays a key role in bringing out the rich flavor.

Next, try pouring on the special syrup made with miso paste.

The syrup smells similar to miso and a little bit like soy sauce.

It tastes completely different from when you eat it without adding anything!
It has a sweet and salty taste, similar to mitarashi dango, and you can eat as much as you want.

What each menu item has in common is their nostalgia and deliciousness that appeals to all generations.

The reason why I felt a sense of nostalgia even though it was my first time eating it must be thanks to the power of miso and koji, which have been deeply rooted in Japanese food culture for a long time.

All of the dishes are completely free of additives or chemical seasonings and are sure to satisfy you with the delicious flavor of koji!

5. Be aware of lunch opening days

Yanome Kojiya is open from Monday to Saturday, but lunch is only served on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, so please pay attention to the days of the week when you visit.

Please note that there may be cases where the store is closed or has reduced hours due to preparation and other reasons, so we recommend checking Yanome Kojiya’s official website in advance.

Business days
● Sales and coffee (Kanro Amazake, etc.): Monday to Saturday
● Lunch: Thursday, Friday and Saturday

6. Dedicated to the Koji

The “Mamegurashi” sign is hung at the entrance of the store.

Yanome Kojiya holds workshops of the same name, and works to familiarize people with miso making.

It also expresses the idea of “working diligently and diligently at making miso.”
*Seriously, steadily

The couple says that when they were cooks, they loved looking at the faces of the children eating school lunches.

He says he is still happy to be able to hear feedback directly from customers, and in addition to operating over the counter, he also sets up stalls at markets held both within and outside the prefecture, where he values face-to-face sales.

7. Let's go eat some nostalgic and warming koji food

Finally, we received for a message for everyone reading VISIT YAMAGATA.

“Kahoku-cho is in the center of Yamagata Prefecture. Yanome Kojiya is a shop located right in the center of Kahoku-cho.

Whether you like fermented foods or not, please come and spend some time relaxing inside the storehouse.”

Photo courtesy of Yanome Kojiya

Winter in Yamagata is characterized by heavy falling white snow that resembles koji. 

Our carefully crafted miso and koji dishes await you.

Please be sure to visit!