Koji Starter | Tane-koji (種麹)

Koji Starter (Tane-koji)

Tane-koji (種麹) is the traditional Japanese term for koji starter: a spore culture used to inoculate cooked grains and grow koji, the foundation of many Japanese ferments.

Choose your starter (variant)

• Koji Kin – a versatile starter commonly used for making koji for amazake and miso-style projects.
• Koji Citrico – a citric-acid producing style of koji often used for distillate-related koji (e.g., awamori-style citric koji), bringing a brighter, tangy profile.

What you can make

• Shio koji (marinades & seasoning)
• Amazake
• Miso & miso-style ferments
• Shoyu / soy sauce-style ferments (with the right process)

Basic use (overview)

1. Cook grain (rice/barley/etc.) and cool to inoculation temperature.
2. Mix in a small amount of starter evenly.
3. Incubate warm and humid until the grain is fully “bloomed” with koji.

Storage: keep sealed, cool, and dry. For best shelf life, store refrigerated or frozen and avoid moisture exposure.