Okazaki's Culinary Heritage: The 400-Year Legacy of Hatcho Miso and Its Connection to the Shogunate

Day Trip to Okazaki

At Okazaki Castle, where Tokugawa Ieyasu was born, there are enjoyable and interactive exhibits alongside displays of the cultural and traditional industries of this prosperous castle town.

1. Get a First Taste of Hatcho Miso for Breakfast

Firstly, you’ll want to grab breakfast for the day ahead. Head straight for the Hatcho district and seek out Sakura Bakery, conveniently located near Hatchokura-dori Street and Okazaki Castle. This quaint shop serves up some of the most unique bread and pastries in the city.

Komeko Kurumi Miso Pan (rice flour walnut miso bread) has a wonderfully chewy texture and is filled with sweet Maruya Hatcho miso and walnuts.

Another popular item is the Natural Sakura Yeast Bread made with yeast collected from cherry blossom petals from a tree planted during Ieyasu's childhood. Dubbed Ieyasu's Sakura Yeast, Natural Sakura Yeast Bread has a subtle aroma and gentle sweetness. This is from the carefully selected yeast and ingredients that are slowly fermented for about 72 hours before baking. The results are definitely worth the wait!

Sakura Bakery

444-0921 7-18 Nakaokazakicho, Okazaki City, Aichi Prefecture

This shop was opened by Shiki Bakery, which has been manufacturing and selling bread wholesale for many years. They carefully bake products with a focus on ingredients, freshness, and being handmade. The shop is particular about selling bread made with rice flour. The "Rice Flour Walnut Miso Bread" made with miso is particularly recommended.

2. Dive Deeper Into Hatcho Miso’s Past and Present

After being introduced to the taste of Hatcho miso for breakfast, it’s time to learn how this magical ingredient is made and to try the real thing straight from the source. It’s a short walk from Sakura Bakery to two miso breweries that have been producing Hatcho Miso using traditional methods since the early Edo Period (1603-1868): Maruya Hatcho Miso and Kakukyu Hatcho Miso.

The road in the center of the photo is the old Tokaido, flanked by two Hatcho Miso breweries. On the left is Maruya Hatcho Miso and Kakukyu Hatcho Miso is on the right.

Maruya Hatcho Miso brewery in the Hatcho district has maintained the traditional brewing methods for hundreds of years. 

The impressive Kakukyu brewery still maintains the look and feel of another era while updating its facilities with high-tech hand-packing facilities, a historical museum, a fully-stocked gift shop, and a restaurant.  

Maruya Hatcho Miso wooden casks are filled with fermenting Hatcho miso made from steamed soybeans inoculated with koji mold, salt, and water.

Miso that is aged at Kakukyu's miso brewery.

Visiting Maruya Hatcho Miso and Kakukyu Hatcho Miso will be a wonderful experience where you can sense the history and techniques that have been passed down from the Edo Period to the present day.

A tour guide at Maruya Hatcho Miso Brewery explains the traditional fermentation process for making their world-famous miso products.

The factory tour includes an explanation of the production process of Hatcho Miso, a visit to the miso brewing warehouse, and a miso-tasting experience. The miso you taste after learning about Hatcho Miso not only allows you to enjoy its authentic flavor but also offers a unique culinary experience to experience the efforts and passions of the people involved.

Hatcho miso dengaku (konnyaku) is served to guests during the Maruya factory tour. Both breweries are conveniently located on Hatchokura-dori Street and offer informative tours and tasting courses for visitors. Follow your gut, and learn about this culinary building block of washoku (Japanese cuisine) that even the samurai loved.

Hatcho Miso Dengaku (Konnyaku) is served to guests on a tour of Maruya Hatcho Miso. Both warehouses are conveniently located on Hatcho Kura Street and offer visitors informative tours and tasting courses. Follow your intuition and learn about Hatcho Miso, a foundational culinary element of Japanese cuisine beloved by the samurai.

Kakukyu Hatcho Miso hot chewy konnyaku topped with miso dengaku, a rich Hatch miso sauce.

Kakukyu’s Hatcho miso boasts a surprisingly complex flavor, featuring a nutty umami that is complemented by a well-balanced bitterness and a straightforward saltiness. It serves as an excellent base for broths and savory sauces. In contrast, Maruya’s Hatcho miso presents a different flavor profile—it's perhaps nuttier, slightly less salty, and more acidic.

The Museum of Kakyu Miso illustrates the brand’s history of producing Hatcho Miso since 1645. 

Be sure to stop at the Kakukyu gift shop before you leave to find Hatcho Miso ingredients and gifts for your friends and family back home.

Maruya Hatcho Miso

52 Hacchocho, Okazaki City, Aichi Prefecture 444-0925

Founded in 1337, it is located approximately 870 meters west of Okazaki Castle along the Tokaido road. The traditional techniques and manufacturing methods of Hatcho miso, which began in the Edo period, continue to be strictly followed to this day. This has allowed the deep, historic, and original flavor of Hatcho miso to be passed down to the present day. There is a direct sales store where you can purchase a wide range of products, including Hatcho miso and sweets made with miso. You can also take a tour of the brewery to learn about the traditional miso manufacturing methods.

Kakukyu Hatcho Miso (Hatcho Miso Village)

69 Hacchocho, Okazaki City, Aichi Prefecture, 444-0925

While it was founded in the early Edo period, its history is said to date back to the Sengoku period. As a long-established Hatcho miso store, it continues to use traditional methods to preserve the flavor of Hatcho miso to the present day. In addition to touring the storehouse to see how it is made, there is also a restaurant where you can taste dishes made with Hatcho miso on the spot.

3. Okazaki Kakukyu Hachomura: Enjoy a Lunch Menu Using Hatcho Miso

Okazaki Kakukyu Hatchomura is a restaurant that requires prior reservation.

After your tour of the Kakukyu and/or Maruya Hatcho miso breweries, you’ll likely be hungry for lunch. Fortunately, there’s an excellent dining option available right inside the Kakukyu facilities. 

Yuba Tempura Miso Stewed Udon, a rich and savory udon noodle dish served with tempura-style yuba (boiled tofu skin).

Miso Katsu set meal, a juicy breaded pork cutlet served with a healthy topping of miso and sides of shredded cabbage, Hacho miso soup, and a bowl of rice.

Okazaki Kakukyu Hatcho Village (Restaurant directly operated by K...

69 Hacchocho, Okazaki City, Aichi Prefecture, 444-0925

This restaurant is operated by Kakukyu Hatcho Miso, the brewery of Hatcho miso. It's located on the Kakukyu premises, so you can stop by after a factory tour. Why not try some of the carefully prepared dishes made by a brewery that knows everything about Hatcho miso?

4. Walk to Okazaki Castle and Okazaki Castle Park

After a delicious miso-inspired lunch, it’s time to take a stroll around the beautiful park grounds that provide a seasonal backdrop to Okazaki Castle, where shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu was born and enjoyed plenty of miso.

Picture courtesy of Okazaki City

The park features a beautiful seasonal atmosphere throughout the year, but it is particularly stunning in spring when cherry blossoms and wisteria are in bloom. It has been named one of 'Japan's Top 100 Cherry Blossom Spots' by the Japan Cherry Blossom Association. 

The Otemon Gate

The Ieyasu Clock Tower

Other highlights of the park grounds include the Otemon Gate, statues of the great shogun Ieyasu, and the Ieyasu Clock Tower, which features an animatronic doll of Tokugawa Ieyasu performing Noh. However, the true highlight is the beautifully maintained trees, pathways, and the riverside along the Oto River. 

If you linger long enough, you may have the chance to see the Great Ieyasu Aoi Bushotai, a performing samurai team wandering the grounds in full suits of armor. It’s a wonderful reminder to visit the Mikawa Warriors and Ieyasu Museum. 

Mikawa Warriors and Ieyasu Museum in the Okazaki Castle Park.

This modern and sleek museum features interactive digital exhibitions that appeal to both adults and children. It focuses on the Mikawa samurai who supported Tokugawa Ieyasu from his birth through the unification of Japan, allowing visitors to explore his character. Guests can view authentic armor and swords, and even try on helmets.

 At the Mikawa Warriors and Ieyasu Museum, samurai armor is on display, and there is a moving diorama theater that highlights the history of Tokugawa Ieyasu's struggles toward the unification of Japan.

The Mikawa Bushi Ieyasu Museum features samurai armor on display and a moving diorama theater, depicting the history of Tokugawa Ieyasu's struggle to unify Japan.

The second, third, and fourth floors of Okazaki Castle have been transformed into a museum space filled with samurai armor, weapons, and three-dimensional models of the local area from that period.

Picture courtesy of Okazaki City

Climb to the fifth-floor observatory, and you'll be rewarded with a panoramic view of Okazaki and the greater Mikawa region of Aichi Prefecture.

6. Afternoon Tea Time at Jonantei　

Located within the castle park grounds, Jonantei is a traditional Japanese tea house that serves delicious matcha and Japanese wagashi (sweets), offered both separately and in moderately priced sets.

The main room inside has limited seating; however, there are private rooms and ample outdoor seating that features charming red benches, allowing for leisurely views of Okazaki Castle and the beautiful foliage that changes with the seasons.

Okazaki Castle

444-0052 561-1 Yasuocho, Okazaki City, Aichi Prefecture

Okazaki Castle is where Tokugawa Ieyasu was born. There are many legends surrounding dragons, and it is also known as the Dragon Castle. It is said that when Takechiyo (later Ieyasu) was born, black clouds swirled above the castle and a golden dragon appeared. The three-story, five-story castle tower was rebuilt in 1959 and is beloved among locals as a symbol of Okazaki City. Due to its historical value, it was selected among Japan's 100 Famous Castles in 2006. It is just a short walk from the storehouse of Hatcho miso, a specialty of Okazaki.

Okazaki Castle Park

444-0052 561-1 Yasuocho, Okazaki City, Aichi Prefecture

Okazaki Castle Park is a historical park centered around Okazaki Castle, where Tokugawa Ieyasu was born. In spring, beautiful cherry blossoms bloom along the Oto and Iga rivers, surrounding the park. The park has even been selected as one of Japan's 100 Best Cherry Blossom Spots. Within the vast grounds, you'll find not only Okazaki Castle, but also a shrine and a historical museum. We recommend taking a stroll through the park while immersing yourself in history. The park is just a short walk away from the storehouse of Hatcho Miso, a specialty of Okazaki.

Teahouse Kishoan and Jonan-tei

444-0052 561-1 Yasuocho, Okazaki City, Aichi Prefecture

You can enjoy authentic matcha green tea while gazing at the scenery of Okazaki Castle Park and a Japanese garden, which changes with the seasons. You can also enjoy different seasonal sweets with your matcha, allowing you to sense the seasons through traditional Japanese confections.. It is located on the grounds of Okazaki Castle Park, just a short walk from the storehouse of Hatcho Miso, a specialty of Okazaki.

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