AND COMPOSITION OF MISO. 
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prepared with the help of barley koji. The beans require a long 
time for steaming to impart to them the red colour which is 
desired for this kind, and must completely cool before they are 
mixed with the koji and cold solution of salt. If this rule is 
obeyed, the miso will be ripe after n —12 months. The pre¬ 
paration usually takes place in autumn, the mass then swells 
up during the summer, and contracts again in the following 
autumn, a sign that the miso is ripe. It keeps nearly a year. 
Frequently, however, the mixture is made when the beans are 
still warm (about 30°C.) in order to accelerate the fermentation. 
In the latter case the miso is ready for consumption after 4—5 
months. 
4) Sendai Miso derives its name from the city of Sendai in 
Miyagi prefecture where it is widely prepared, but is frequently 
also termed Aka Miso (red miso). It is late in maturing, of a 
red colour, and contains much salt. Its manufacture is remark¬ 
ably different from that of other kinds. The soy beans, of a 
large variety, are boiled quite soft, finely ground to a pap, and 
formed into prismatic pieces of 5—6 inches in length, and 3 
inches in diameter. The latter are dried in the air, until the 
surface is sufficiently hard to allow the pieces to be suspended 
with straw rope under the roof, where they are left to dry up 
further for about 40 days. Cracks and mould then frequently 
appear on the pieces, but are said not to deteriorate the product. 
When they have attained the proper dryness they are washed 
with warm water, kept well covered for one night in the moisten¬ 
ed state in a vat, and pounded on the next day in a wooden 
mortar until the mealy mass passes through a fine sieve. The 
powdered beans are then mixed in the mortar with barley koji, 
salt, and cold water, and finally well stamped into the ferment¬ 
ing vat which is well covered and kept in a cold place. After 
about 2 months the mass is again worked through with a 
hammer in the mortar, which process is sometimes afterwards 
repeated. The fermentation proceeds very slowly, and after 
1^-—2 years the miso is ready. It is much admired on account 
of its fine aroma, sweet taste, and good colour, and keeps in 
