Food & Fermentation
A Journey of Food and Fermentation that
Connects Outer Nature and Inner Nature
Our bodies are not formed by daily "food" alone.
Within us, countless unseen layers overlap: microorganisms and fungi, the sun's light, the circulation of wind and water, the nourishment of the earth—and our own inner awareness and choices.
Since ancient times, people have refined the wisdom of preserving nature's gifts, and along the way encountered the miracle of fermentation.
Fermentation is not simply a method of preservation. It is a living testament to coexistence—a relationship of mutual support between microorganisms and human beings.
From miso, soy sauce, vinegar, and sake, to kimchi, sourdough bread, and even cheese—fermentation has long supported the foundations of food cultures around the world.
Within fermentation, invisible microbes work on our behalf, deepening the flavor of ingredients and enriching their taste and aroma. It is like a bridge—connecting "the outer nature" with "the inner nature" within us.
At TANE JOURNEY, we return to fermentation as a small TANE (seed), and we treasure:
• The wisdom of Japan's traditional seasonings and fermented cultures from around the world
• Simple preparations and preserved foods that can be made in everyday home life
• Hands-on experiences that children and families can enjoy together
To learn fermentation is to remember how to live in harmony with nature.
Even if we cannot always see it, and even if science cannot fully explain it, it is undeniably there.
A life that breathes alongside microorganisms brings richness and gentle depth to our days.
01
Kōji: Japan's National Microbe, Made by Your Own Hands
Kōji is the "national microbe" that has supported Japanese food culture for centuries.
Its tiny white blossoms have nurtured the gifts of fermentation essential to daily life—miso, soy sauce, amazake, and more.
We share a way of cultivating kōji without relying on electric appliances, working in conversation with the temperature of each season.
With soft cloth, wooden tools, and simple vessels—playing music and gently tending the environment—anyone can raise vibrant, living kōji at home.
From what you'll need, to how to use it, to the kitchen tools we recommend and the reasons behind them.
With the perspective of "why this vessel works" and "why this ingredient brings kōji to life," we share the craft of kōji-making born from your own hands.
The experience of raising kōji yourself brings a remarkable change to your seasonings.
02
Miso: Carrying Your Family's Resident Microbes
Miso is a fermented food rooted deeply in Japanese life. As the resident microbes living on the hands and in the environment of the person who makes it join in, a scent and flavor unique to that home is born—truly a fermented food that reflects a family's story.
Rich in umami and aroma, adding depth to the everyday table, miso has long been rooted in our meals as a fermented food that supports daily living.
TANE's approach to miso-making goes beyond a simple method or recipe. You'll learn to understand the differences in timing, the reassurance of preparing a year's supply, how to choose soybeans and salt and why, and how storage and aging change flavor and aroma—thinking through the "why" together, learning with understanding.
To make miso at home is not merely to make a seasoning. It is to carry forward the wisdom of living alongside nature—a small piece of cultural heritage passed on to the future.
03
Kimchi: Delicious Fresh, and Delicious with Time
Kimchi is a fermented food that represents Korea. By adding kōji and miso, it becomes familiar to the Japanese palate while also delighting those from Korea—a dish of remarkable depth.
Kōji breaks down the sugars and starches in vegetables to draw out natural sweetness and umami, while miso adds richness, making the layers of fermentation even more abundant.
The heat can be adjusted freely with the amount of chili, and depending on your combination of ingredients, you can create "a flavor all your own."
One of its charms is how the taste transforms completely as it matures—from the fresh brightness just after making it, to the deep fermented flavor weeks later.
Carrying your family's resident microbes and the rhythm of the seasons, it holds a one-of-a-kind flavor only handmade kimchi can. Kimchi made with kōji and miso is not merely a preserved food, but a fermented feast that brings color to your table.
04
Sourdough: Simple and Fluffy, No Preheating, Soft to the Crust
Sourdough is the simplest and most profound of breads, fermented by the power of yeast and lactic acid bacteria born naturally from flour and water.
You may be surprised by the light mouthfeel and deep flavor that only natural leaven can bring—quite different from commercial yeast.
Sourdough starter is said to be passed down through generations—"carried to the fourth generation and beyond"—connecting a cycle of life.
TANE's sourdough shares a method that skips as many difficult steps as possible, letting you bake it fluffy even without preheating. Fresh from the oven, it's soft all the way to the crust; rebaked after freezing, it offers a crisp, fragrant crunch.
From a single dough, you'll come to know a delicious, comforting flavor that stays close to daily life.
You'll learn how to start your leaven, how to choose flour and salt, recommended tools, and ways to keep it going comfortably at home—so anyone can gently begin "a life with natural leaven."
