Hello everyone, this is Chisato Tateno, 2025 Miss SAKE Japan.
On Monday, November 24, I had the honor of attending the “Ferment Valley NAGANO 2nd Anniversary Forum 2025 – Creating the Future of Fermented Foods in Nagano Prefecture” held at the Shinshu University International Science Innovation Center in Nagano City, Nagano Prefecture.
About Ferment Valley NAGANO
Nagano Prefecture, with its long-established fermented food culture, is known as the “Fermentation and Longevity Prefecture.” Building on this rich culinary heritage, eight organizations and companies involved in the prefecture’s fermented food industries—miso, sake, wine, soy sauce, pickles, natto, cheese, and vinegar—collaborated to establish “Ferment Valley NAGANO.” The initiative actively promotes the value and appeal of Nagano’s fermented foods to visitors from within Japan and abroad, aiming to establish the brand “NAGANO = Fermentation & Longevity Prefecture.” Additionally, through collaboration among industry, government, and academia, it is building a future-oriented platform to pass on fermented culture to the next generation.
Marking its second anniversary, this forum brought together representatives from the fermentation industry, government, and academia, focusing on strengthening regional brands and passing on culture through fermented foods. The program included activity reports by young professionals leading the next generation of the fermentation industry, research presentations in specialized sessions, keynote speeches, and talks and presentations on the future of fermented foods. It provided a valuable space for participants to explore the potential of fermented culture from Nagano across generations and industries.
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From Nagano to the World: Expanding Fermented Culture
The forum began with the opening remarks and activity report by Tokio Aoki, Chairman of Ferment Valley NAGANO and President & CEO of Marukome Co., Ltd. During the session reports, a variety of projects driven by industry-government-academia collaboration centered on Ferment Valley NAGANO were introduced. Particularly impressive were the initiatives to promote fermented culture overseas, such as PR receptions held at Taiwanese and North American diplomatic missions, demonstrating how Nagano’s fermented food culture is steadily gaining international reach.
Locally, I learned deeply about the expanding “fermentation tourism,” developed through tours collaborated with breweries and hotels, which highlights new possibilities for tourism centered on fermented culture. These initiatives, which enhance consumers’ experiential value while leveraging local resources, offered a valuable opportunity to reappreciate Nagano’s unique appeal. What especially captured my interest were the challenges in new product development. From sake lees–based alternative meats developed through technical support for breweries to cheeses using natural Cordyceps militaris fungi or wine lees, research toward a “sustainable fermented food culture” is steadily progressing. I had the chance to taste a cheese made with Cordyceps fungi and wine lees, whose concentrated umami and deep richness highlighted the possibilities of Nagano’s fermentation techniques.
Supported by abundant nature, history, culture, skilled craftsmanship, and strong branding, Nagano’s fermented food culture revealed both its richness and future potential—an invaluable learning experience. At the venue, I also had the honor of meeting Naotaka Miyasaka, Vice Chairman of Ferment Valley NAGANO and President & CEO of Masumi Co., Ltd., to express my gratitude for the opportunity to attend.
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The Power to Connect Communities – Learning Coexistence from Co-op Sapporo
The keynote speech was delivered by Hideaki Omi, Chairman of Co-op Sapporo. Having been born and raised in Hokkaido, I grew up with Co-op Sapporo’s initiatives deeply embedded in daily life, such as the home delivery service “Todokku,” resource collection programs, and the free magazine Cho-co-tto. This forum provided a renewed understanding of the significant philosophy and practice supporting communities and daily life behind what is often taken for granted.
The speech focused on the “Co-op Sapporo Agriculture Award,” held every four years, in which consumers themselves select producers. This unique initiative encourages proactive engagement with local food and agriculture, not just by purchasing but by evaluating and choosing producers. The idea that building visible, personal relationships helps protect the regional production base and sustain future dining tables was profoundly convincing.
Moreover, amid population decline and an aging society where government services may fall short, the concept of “community coexistence” is indispensable to addressing local challenges. One example presented was the green tourism initiative “Farm-to-Table Restaurant,” connecting producers and consumers. I realized that such experiential understanding forms the foundation for a mutually supportive community.
Both Ferment Valley NAGANO and Co-op Sapporo share a philosophy of utilizing regional resources, connecting people, and fostering systems that generate sustainable cycles, always with an eye toward the future of society.
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A Meal Woven from Eight Fermented Foods
During the lunch break, I enjoyed the “Ferment Valley NAGANO Special Bento,” a nutritious meal jointly prepared by local companies supporting Nagano’s fermented food culture. The bento highlighted the depth of flavor created by eight of Nagano’s world-renowned fermented foods: miso, sake, wine, soy sauce, pickles, natto, cheese, and vinegar.
Ferment Valley NAGANO Special Bento
Kouya tofu with chili miso
– “Nozawana Green Chili Miso Pickles” (Miyagi Shoten Co., Ltd.)Roasted mushrooms and chestnuts with chicken balsamic sauce
– “Balsamic Vinegar” (Uchibori Brewing Co., Ltd.)Fried mackerel with salted koji
– “Plus Koji Raw Salted Koji” (Marukome Co., Ltd.)Pickled vegetable mixed rice
– “Cucumber & Myoga in Plum Vinegar” (Miyagi Shoten Co., Ltd.)Beef simmered in red wine miso
– “MdV Matsumoto Daira Black Queen 2019” (Alps Co., Ltd.)
– “Shinshu Miso Kome Miso Josen Aka Koshi” (Marumo Aoki Miso Soy Sauce Brewing Co., Ltd.)Cheese with sake lees and miso
– “Gouda Cheese” (Nagato Farm Co., Ltd.)
– “Sake Lees” (Nishi Iida Sake Brewery)
– “Shinshu Miso Kome Miso Josen Aka Koshi” (Marumo Aoki Miso Soy Sauce Brewing Co., Ltd.)Greens with dry natto and soy sauce koji
– “Dry Natto” (Murata Shoten Co., Ltd.)
– “Raw Soy Sauce Koji” (Marukome Co., Ltd.)Soybean rice cooked with soybeans
– “Soybean Beans Black Bean Style” (Marui Soy Sauce Co., Ltd.)
Experiencing the Depth of Shinshu Fermentation at Nagano Station
“Shinshu Cloud,” directly connected to Nagano Station, occupies a spacious 90-tsubo area and offers carefully selected local fermented foods such as miso and pickles, as well as sake and wine. Under the philosophy of store manager Masayasu Matsushita, “to convey Shinshu’s brewing and fermentation culture,” the store now carries sake from approximately 80 breweries and wine from 15 wineries in Nagano Prefecture.
The attached “Fermentation Bar Kamosu” allows visitors to enjoy Nagano sake, wine, and craft beer by the glass, along with accompaniments that highlight fermentation, such as a Shinshu cheese platter and Ichida persimmon mille-feuille. It is popular not only among tourists but also with businesspeople returning from trips and locals seeking a “drink on the way home.” On my way back to Nagano Station after the forum, I enjoyed a sake tasting set featuring three local sakes with appetizers, chatting with nearby locals while appreciating once again the depth of Nagano’s fermentation culture.
At the venue, I also had the chance to meet the staffs of Kasuga Sake Brewery (Nagano Prefecture), who were conducting a limited-time tasting and sales event. I tasted their new sake, “Inokashira Junmai Muroka Nama Hitogokochi,” and was charmed by its fresh, rich flavor. I sincerely thank them for taking the time to speak with me despite their busy schedule.
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Through attending the “Ferment Valley NAGANO 2nd Anniversary Forum,” I realized that Nagano’s cultivated fermented food culture serves as a powerful force connecting diverse fields such as industry, tourism, education, and research, creating new value. I also learned deeply that fermentation is not only “culture” and “industry” but also a “bridge connecting communities and people,” through the passion and dedication of leaders in each field.
As Miss SAKE, I will continue to actively promote the charm of Japan’s regional food culture, collaborating across boundaries between producers, consumers, and other sectors. In particular, I aim to deepen my understanding of the richness that fermentation—including sake—brings and to ensure that this richness reaches people domestically, internationally, and across generations in a meaningful way.
Chisato Tateno
2025 Miss SAKE Japan
