About Eri

About Eri Ikeji

A specialist of koji fermentation, Eri Ikeji is an artisan and an ambassador of Japanese culinary culture in France. What makes Eri’s products special is her kodawari, which means being picky with determination to an obsessional level in a positive sense.
A woman wearing a red apron.

Kodawari #1: Exigence in Taste

As a culinary writer and journalist, Eri has tremendous appreciation and respect for high gastronomy. Her exigence for taste is the foundation of her journey: to elevate the traditional products of her origin to maximum refinement while making authentic and healthy products available in France.

Kodawari #2: Non-pasteurization

Eri believes that good food is that which delights our taste buds and nourish our body at the same time. This is why she painstakingly delivers her products “alive”. In their natural state, without pasteurization nor additives, the products can express their most complex and refined aromas and flavors, while bringing maximum health benefits.
Japanese tea in a bowl on a wooden tray.
A sign that reads agriculture biologique.

Kodawari #3: Quality Ingredients

The final output depends of course on the inputs. Eri dedicates a large amount of her time in searching and experimenting with endemic and ancient varieties of legumes and cereals that grown in the Auvergne and its surrounding regions. Examples include peas of Planèze, white lentils of Saint Flour, Poulard wheat, and red wheat of Bordeaux. She also works with Slow Food classified legumes.

Kodawari #4: Water

An ingredient sometimes overlooked but essential to the taste of shoyu is water. Fortunately, Auvergne in endowed with a concentration of famous source waters, such as Volvic, Vichy, and Chateldon to name a few. Eri selected the water from the massif of Sancey, whose purity corresponds to the taste she seeks in her shoyu.
A fountain in a stone wall with a face on it.
A group of people sitting around a table in a room.

Kodawari #5: Research and Learning

Eri constantly devotes herself to learning to improve her products. A passionate researcher with profound respect for traditional heritage, nature, and science, she frequently gives conferences and lectures on koji and koji fermentation in universities and gastronomy events.

Kodawari # 6: Innovation

With an insatiable curiosity, Eri is always experimenting to explore unchartered possibilities of this fascinating microorganism and its applications.
Two pears cut in half with a knife on a cutting board.
Two people standing next to barrels in a wine cellar.

Kodawari #7: Tools & Equipment

Japanese tradition is a treasure trove of wisdom. There are reasons for every detail in the manufacturing process of shoyu and miso, including tools and equipment.
Eri has learnt from her vast heritage and selects every tool that touches her products to achieve best taste and best practices.

Kodawari #8: Packaging

Every manufacturer struggles with the selection of packaging, and there is no perfect solution. While glass containers are not energy efficient, Eri has made a conscious decision to present her products in glass bottles and jars to assure long-term health safety.
A woman holding a stack of jars of food.

Important Store Notice

Please note that our store will be temporarily closed from 9 December to 26 January. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and appreciate your understanding.