大豆を水に浸して、コトコト4時間以上火にかけ、柔らかくなった大豆を手で潰して、米麹と天日塩と混ぜてみそ玉を作ります。大きな樽に空気を抜いて詰めていき、重石をのせてここから1年間寝かせます。

日本の宝である味噌が、ゆっくりじっくり時間と愛情をかけて作られるとどのような味になるのか、今からとても楽しみです。来年の春に皆で味噌びらきを行う予定です。

Sixth graders’ miso making program

Soybeans are soaked in water and cooked over a fire for more than 4 hours, then the softened soybeans are mashed by hand and mixed with rice malt and sun-dried salt to make miso balls. The beans are then packed into large barrels, weighed down, and left to rest for a year.

I am very much looking forward to seeing how miso, a treasure of Japan, will turn out after being made slowly and deliberately with time and love. We plan to hold a miso viewing party with everyone next spring.