All about fermented foods at Chiba's Michi-no-Eki Fermentation no Sato Kozaki! Enjoy fermented foods at "Michi no Eki: Fermentation no Sato Kouzaki" (Roadside Station: Fermentation Village Kouzaki) in Chiba

  • Chiba
  • Sightseeing
Located in the northern part of Chiba Prefecture bordering the Tone River, Kanzaki-cho, Chiba, has long been a thriving agricultural town blessed with the abundant water of the Tone River. The town also prospers in the production of fermented foods such as sake made from harvested rice and soy sauce and miso made from soybeans. For this reason, there are many sake and soy sauce breweries in the town.

In 2015, the only roadside station in Japan with the theme of "fermentation" opened. Not only can visitors purchase fermented foods, but they can also enjoy a fermented food menu in the museum. This is a must-visit spot for fermented food lovers.
Fermentation specialty store "Hakkou Ichiba

What is "Roadside Station: Fermentation no Sato Kouzaki"?

Kanzaki-cho has a history of thriving with fermented culture, including sake, miso, and soy sauce, centering on two breweries that have been in business for over 300 years. Michi-no-Eki: Fermentation no Sato Kouzaki" was opened to promote the fermentation culture born in Japan to the world. The roadside station is full of fermentation, with specialty fermentation stores selling carefully selected fermented foods from all over Japan, and restaurants where visitors can enjoy fresh vegetables and fermented food dishes.
Exterior view of "Michi-no-eki Hakko no Sato Kouzaki" (Roadside Station, Fermentation Village Kouzaki)

Fermentation specialty store "Hakkou Ichiba

The "Fermentation Market" is a select store of fermented foods with carefully selected fermented foods from all over Japan. In addition to products from the local sake breweries "Nabeten Kanzaki Sake Brewery" and "Terada Honke," food products are gathered from various places using fermentation as a starting point. Utilizing the network of cities, towns, and villages across the country that are building towns with fermented foods, the shop offers about 500 different products. They have many customers not only from the local area but also from outside the prefecture.

The approximately 500 products on display have been carefully examined one by one to ensure that each product sold is worthy of the name "Fermentation Village. The wide range of selections includes products made in accordance with traditional production methods as well as products that have created new value through innovative methods.
Fermentation Market

Popular products at the "fermentation market

The most popular product is "Kanzaki Natto! This natto is an original product of "Michi-no-eki Hakko no sato Kouzaki" (Roadside Station: Fermentation Village Kouzaki), made from local soybeans. It is characterized by its large, satisfying soybeans. This natto was jointly developed by "Michi-no-eki Hakko no Sato Kouzaki" and "Nabeten Kanzaki Sake Brewery." It is sticky and has a strong smell, and its fermentation characteristics are fully emphasized.
Kanzaki natto
Amazake" is also popular, especially the amazake made by Heijin Sake Brewery, which produces miso, salted malt, and other fermented foods in Kanzaki-cho. In addition to amazake, products such as "Koji-baamu," a moist dough made with amazake, and "fermented jam" made by boiling down amazake are also popular.
Koji-baam

Restaurant Oliseh" with many fermented food menus

Oliseh" means Aspergillus oryzae (koji mold). Aspergillus oryzae is found in sake, miso, soy sauce, mirin, and other foods essential to Japanese cuisine, and is the source of the unique flavor of Japanese food.

As the name suggests, at "Restaurant Orize" you can enjoy a variety of menus using fermented foods, such as the "Tonteki set meal marinated in rice malt miso" and the "Miso demi-sauce hamburger steak set meal. The most popular menu item is the "Miso Koji Grilled Pork Set Meal. The "Miso Koji Grilled Pork" is made from Hokuso pork loin and seasoned with soy sauce koji and miso from Heijin Shuten. The rice is also made with locally grown rice. It has won the Jaran Award in the "Michi-1 Grand Prix," a national roadside station gourmet festival.
Tonteki set meal marinated in rice malt miso
Grilled pork with miso malt

Hakko Chabo" with bread flavored with sakekasu

Hakko Chabo" is a bakery with an eat-in area! Visitors can enjoy freshly baked bread and sweets from the cafe menu. The most popular item is the "Sakekasu Anpan" (bean-jam bun with sakekasu), which is baked daily at Hakko Chabo! The most popular item is the "Sake Kasu Anpan," which is filled with the aroma of sakekasu (sake lees) and sweetened with a mildly sweet red bean paste.

Bread of "Hakko Chabo
We also recommend the "Amazake Koji Anpan. A lot of Kanzaki's amazake and malt are mixed into the bean jam, and the chewy dough has an addictive taste.
Miso pork buns" and "Amazake malt bean-jam buns
There is also the "Kanzaki Pizza," which is made with plenty of Kanzaki ingredients! Rice, soybeans, and koji are topped with a sweet Kanzaki specialty called hishiho, or "moromi miso" sauce made from aged pickled gourd and eggplant, and quail eggs, cheese, and paprika marinated in smoked soy sauce. The combination of melted cheese and moromi miso is superb.
Kanzaki pizza

Events such as making miso and soy bean sauce

As befits the name "village of fermentation," the restaurant also holds hands-on events such as miso making, soy-ban shoyu making, soy sauce making, and other activities on an irregular basis. For details, please check the official Instagram.
Events held in the past
Official Instagram] Roadside Station: Fermentation no Sato Kouzaki

Stop by Michi no Eki, a roadside station filled with delicious food!

Roadside stations are often a stopover for a break during a road trip. With so many delicious foods, it is likely to be a long break. Why not visit Michi no Eki Hakko no Sato Kouzaki (Roadside Station: Fermentation Village Kouzaki) where you can experience the full appeal of fermented foods?
For reservations of train + accommodation "Chiba (Boso) Area", please contact 【 JR East View Dynamic Rail Package 】

Let's take a trip to "Roadside Station: Fermentation no Sato Kouzaki" on a weekday!

Why don't you enjoy your trip more by taking advantage of weekdays?
If it is a weekday when it is not crowded, you may be able to enjoy the fermented food menu easily...! You will be satisfied both in your stomach and in your mind.

Go beyond the limits of your stomach at "Michi no Eki: Hakko no Sato Kouzaki" (Roadside Station: Fermentation Village Kouzaki)!

You can enjoy the gourmet food of the destination, but you can't just go to one restaurant and go home.
At "Roadside Station: Fermentation no Sato Kouzaki," there are many fermented food menus that you will be interested in, such as "Tonteki set meal marinated in rice malt miso" and "Amazake malt bean paste buns!
We were so determined not to leave until we had conquered everything on the menu that we were interested in, that we went around and around and around and around and around and around and around and around and around and around and around and around and around and around!
[Official Website] Travel to Weekdays
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