Tofu misozuke is one of the oldest otsukemono, or a Japanese pickle, that appears in Tofu Hyakychin (One Hundred Unique Types of Tofu), a best-selling recipe book published in 1782, during the Edo Period. It is made by pickling tofu in miso and leaving it to sit until the tofu becomes like a soft creamy cheese. Wakana, a company dedicated to manufacturing of otsukemono in Ginza, Tokyo, has added a new touch to this centuries-old delicacy to meet the diversified needs of the modern lifestyle, while remaining faithful to the traditional pickling techniques. The yosedofu is a type of tofu that has not been pressed and formed. Wakana’s skilled artisans have made an elaborate effort to produce a recipe of a yosedofu that is most suitable for making a misozuke. After much trial and error, they have succeeded in producing tofu that is intensely savory with a rich umami flavor by using condensed soy milk with high sugar content (over 1.6 times higher than normal soy milk) produced from carefully selected domestic soybeans and bittern (nigari) from Okinawa. Made with utmost care without using chemical substances such as blowing agent, the umami and sweetness unique to high-quality soybeans are brought out while achieving a smooth, creamy texture. The tofu is then pickled in the special miso-doko (pickling bed) made by blending Shinshu miso and Gino miso, as well as other fermented ingredients such as rice malt, mirin, and sauerkraut. By leaving the tofu sit over two weeks, the umami flavors of fermented ingredients slowly penetrate the tofu. As a pickle specialty store, Wakana takes pride in producing a unique, delicate flavor by using only natural, plant-based ingredients, not relying on any chemical substances or ingredients of animal origin. Wakana’s Tofu misozuke not only has an enhanced palatability but is also low in fat and calories while being nutrient-rich, which is ideal for vegans and those who have dietary restrictions. “ZEN” has a mild taste and “KUN” is made by smoking tofu with cherry wood chips.