History of Miso

The history of miso is somewhat vague and, like many delicacies, there are several possibilities. One theory states that it originated in ancient China and was brought to Japan by Buddhist monks around the 6th century. Hishio/sho, the predecessor of miso, it was a fermented food product possibly dating back to the 11th century BC.

Hishio was made from pounded wild animals or fish mixed with salt, alcohol and koji, which was then fermented in jars for more than 100 days. Shi/Kuki would also be made around this period. This was made from soybeans or grains and salt. The fermentation process allowed long-term storage of precious food, which was necessary for hunter-gatherer and early agricultural society.

Another theory is that a precursor to miso existed in Japan as early as the Yayoi period 300 BC to 300 AD. There is evidence of a culture of salting and fermenting foods, such as wild animals, fish and grains. Since Japan has a temperate climate, it is likely that fermentation culture existed before the Chinese introduced Hishio.

Regardless of its origin, the first written record of this fermented product was in the ‘Taihō Ritsuryo’ and noted it as Misho, literally “not yet Hishio/Sho. This term did not exist in China. It is believed that the Japanese produced their own version of Hishio/Sho, which evolved over time into ”Miso.“

The miso eaten during the Heian era was made by salting and drying soybeans. Easy to pick up with chopsticks, it was consumed in small quantities as a flavoring for steamed vegetables or fish, eaten with rice, or as a salty snack with sake. It was also used for medicinal purposes.