Japan bets on ‘fermentation tourism’ with visits to sake breweries and soy sauce factories
Japan’s central region, known for its fermented products, is drawing visitors to tour soy sauce and miso factories, and join in sake brewing
Manufacturers of miso paste and soy sauce widely produced in Japan’s central region are betting on inbound tourists having a yen for Japanese fermented foods and the rich traditions of Japanese cuisine.
More foreign visitors are taking tours of factories dedicated to the production of soybean paste, said to have been a favourite of the country’s first shogun in the 17th century, Tokugawa Ieyasu, and eating at traditional Japanese ryotei restaurants.
The allure of dishes such as narezushi, the earliest form of Japanese sushi made by fermenting fish in rice, served at the establishments, gives tourists much to write home about.
Despite being a favourite of seafood lovers, the fish has a distinctive pungent aroma that some describe as “sewage-like”.
“The traditional manufacturing process looks fresh and is appealing to a widening fan base,” pointed out one tourism official, adding that plans are under way to conduct factory tours by trained guides to introduce fermented specialities of the Tokai region.
