Hitoshi Hokamura is a lifelong lover of fermented foods, known in Japanese as ³ó²¹°ì°ì¨ shokuhin, and their long, central legacy in the country¡¯s cuisine. He isn¡¯t, however, blinded by the past.
¡°Japan is advanced when it comes to food technologies,¡± Hokamura, a one-time tech developer and ¡°food tech evangelist¡± tells me from a shop and mini-museum on ³ó²¹°ì°ì¨ (fermentation) in downtown Toyama. ¡°But you shouldn¡¯t be too proud of it. When new technology comes, you know, the market changes quickly.¡±
Takashi Sato, the eighth-generation president of U.S.-based shoyu maker and distributor San-J International, wholeheartedly agrees.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.