Located in Maniwa, a singular region where the soft waters of the Asahi River meet the moderately hard waters of the Bitchu River, at the heart of a rich natural environment that has fostered a tradition of fermentation since Antiquity and earned Mimasaka its renown as the "land of delicious sake", Kono Vinegar is part of an exceptional local ecosystem that today brings together a remarkable diversity of fermentation producers. Founded in 1888, it perpetuates unchanged methods of slow natural fermentation for the production of vinegar, miso, soy sauce, koji and seasonings, drawing on its original facilities — cellars, cedar barrels and fermentation chambers — as well as on the indigenous yeast "Kuratsuki kobo", present within the very fabric of its buildings. Passed down from generation to generation, these artisanal practices, enriched by measured adaptations, make it possible to preserve and express authentic flavour profiles, free from additives, sustained by technical continuity and a deep understanding of biological and environmental balances.
