2025 RELEASE OF SEASONAL SPECIAL “MISO NOUVEAU, HATSUNARI”

On October 1st, Hikari Miso Co., Ltd will launch the 2025 edition of its “Miso nouveau, Hatsunari” naturally fermented Daikanjikomi miso offering a taste of “first-of-the-season” miso in supermarkets and other retail outlets throughout Japan. “Miso nouveau, Hatsunari” will be available in limited quantities and for a limited time only, with international release also planned later.

■ ”MISO NOUVEAU, HATSUNARI” – AN ANNUAL “FIRST-OF-THE-SEASON” OFFERING

Taking its name from the French meaning new, “Miso nouveau, Hatsunari” represents a totally new, seasonal concept in miso. Long-aged miso is fermented and matured over a considerable period, cultivating umami flavor of vibrant intensity; however, “Miso nouveau, Hatsunari” is a young, freshly-crafted miso with a bracing, fruity taste. Made using the traditional Daikanjikomi technique employing new rice and soybeans, “Miso nouveau, Hatsunari” is the product of just rice, soybeans and salt, with no additives or pasteurization, meaning it is shipped with all the inherent deliciousness of the ingredients intact, offering the flavor of freshly-made miso, with a subtle hint of soybean and a fruity fermented fragrance.  Befitting its status as a special miso variety, “Miso nouveau, Hatsunari” is made using new “Koshihikari” rice harvested the previous autumn in Niigata; “Toyomasari” soybeans from Hokkaido, and “Umi wa inochi” sea salt from Nagasaki.  A carefully calculated ratio of 1.2:1 rice koji to soybeans has been scrupulously maintained to highlight the product’s koji sweetness.

Sales of the 2024 “Miso nouveau, Hatsunari” topped those of the previous year by over 120 percent. Advance sales through the official website are growing annually, with the taste and concept of “first-of-the-season miso” also trending on social media. A limited-edition treat available just once a year, “Miso nouveau, Hatsunari” is fast becoming an annual tradition for many miso lovers.

■ 2025 “MISO NOUVEAU, HATSUNARI” FLAVOR FEATURES

With flavor a product of each year’s unique variations in weather and crop conditions, “Miso nouveau, Hatsunari” is indeed a miso to be savored like a nouveau wine, varying in new and delicious ways each year. In 2025, the rice koji was of particularly high quality, resulting in a “Miso nouveau, Hatsunari” with an exceptionally clean palate, untainted by any unwanted flavors. Temperatures were low between February and mid-April this year as fermentation progressed, making for a leisurely maturation, with lower temperatures than usual even after the miso was turned at the end of April, helping to nurture the natural flavor of the ingredients slowly but steadily. Befitting a “first-of-the-season” miso, this year’s edition is distinguished by a harmonious marriage of fresh, refined sweetness, thanks to the use of new rice, and a fruity fragrance reminiscent of succulent ripe pineapple.

 ■ NATURALLY FERMENTED MISO MADE JUST ONCE A YEAR USING TRADITIONAL DAIKANJIKOMI TECHNIQUE

“Miso nouveau, Hatsunari” is a naturally fermented miso prepared using the Daikanjikomi technique. This involves taking generous quantities of soybeans and rice harvested the previous autumn and using them to make miso during the period spanning the end of January to early February, known as Daikan, the time of year that is coldest and deemed optimal for miso manufacture. The miso is cultured solely by nature, without heating, then once a hint of summer arrives, exposed to the air to encourage further fermentation, eliciting even more flavor and depth.

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Media Contact

HIKARI MISO Co., Ltd. Public Relations
info@hikarimiso.co.jp