Today's Close-Up S2025E50 - Japan's Fermented Food Crisis: Challenges Amid Global Boom

Miso paste, soy sauce and other Japanese fermented foods are riding a wave of popularity abroad. Major outlets highlight them as global food trends and high-end restaurants use them as crucial ingredients. But back in Japan, it's a different story. Regional fermentation traditions, often dating back hundreds of years, face the risk of extinction. Unique flavors are already disappearing across the country. We talk to experts about the reasons for this crisis and what can be done to save Japan's age-old fermentation methods.

Guests: 
Ogura Hiraku (Fermentation designer) 
Uchino Masataka (Professor, Tokyo University of Agriculture)