The Story Behind Living the Koji Life..

My inspiration for this website was triggered by my husband’s decision to switch his career at the British Embassy in Tokyo for a life brewing sake in England—a move I vehemently opposed at the time. After nearly four years in Tokyo, Tony boarded a plane for the UK, and I returned to my native Fukuoka to wait for my visa.

My mother was horrified when she saw me. I had not only gained significant weight, but I had lost my characteristic healthy glow. As vibrant as Tokyo is, it is officially the world’s highest burnout city. The daily grind of packed trains and stressful workplaces often leaves people in a state of perpetual exhaustion. In a tiny “nano-kitchen,” the discipline required to cook fresh, healthy food is constantly challenged by the neon allure of convenience stores on every corner.

After just a couple of weeks of eating my mother’s home-cooked food, a fog began to lift. Despite eating heartily, I was steadily losing weight and regained a sense of vitality that had been missing for years.

With time on my hands, I began helping in the kitchen for the first time since I was a child. I became obsessed with researching simple Japanese home cooking, and as I felt the natural urge to exercise, I realized I was undergoing a total transformation. It was during this time in Fukuoka that I had a “eureka moment”. In millions of Japanese homes, the essential ingredients that deliver flavor and umami all share one thing in common: koji. Staples like soy sauce, miso, sake, and rice vinegar all rely on this ancient miracle mould.

I realised the key to my newfound vitality had been hiding in plain sight. I was also reminded of my husband, 6,000 miles away, as I discovered that koji is arguably the most essential ingredient in his sake brewing process. From that point, I knew instinctively that koji would be central to both our lives.

Bring Nearly a Decade of Koji Knowledge to Your Kitchen

I have immersed in the research, study, and koji-making since 2017, all of which is poured into the recipes and articles of this website. Our journey has seen many twists and turns since those early days including spending four winters in Toyama—more brewing for Tony, more home koji making for me—we have followed the path of koji across continents and seasons. Today, our story has come full circle. Now based back in Fukuoka, we continue our pursuit of microbes, sharing everything we have learned about health, umami, and the art of Living the Koji Life.

I’m still very much a student of koji and fermentation—there is always something new and exciting to learn. If you have any questions about koji or the content of this website then feel free to drop me a line from the Contact page.

Happy Koji Life-ing!

Naoko xxx

PS: Check out our YouTube channel here – https://www.youtube.com/@LivingTheKojiLife