Hi chefs, Ayako here — founder of The House of Umami. Every few months, I pack a box of about 50 authentic Japanese ingredients and visit chefs in their kitchens (Mostly in Southern California where I’m based and sometimes the East Coast). We taste together, talk about where each ingredient comes from, how it’s made and why it matters.
These in-person tasting sessions are my favorite part of what I do. But as much as I’d love to visit every one of you, geography gets in the way.
That’s why I created the Chefs’ Umami Tasting Box. Inside are 9 Japanese pantry staples that got a “Wow!” or “Aha!” moment from top chefs in the tasting tour. What’s more — they keep asking for more.
Inside, you’ll discover standout, umami-rich Japanese ingredients including sansho pepper, kombu seaweed, yuzu kosho, smoked soy sauce, barrel-aged rice vinegar, rice miso paste, dehydrated miso, koji sauce, and vegan dashi. Each one is chef-approved, unique, and crafted with meticulous care.
Want to know more about what’s inside the box? I’ll take you through each one.
9 Japanese ingredients Michelin-starred chefs keep reaching for
1. Budo Sansho Powder
Sansho pepper is a Japanese pepper with a citrusy flavor and a tingling sensation. Budo Sansho is a rare grape-like clustered variety that can only be harvested for a few weeks in a year in Wakayama. Farmers take out every single seed before stone-milling to preserve the sansho's vivid green color and fresh aroma.
Menu Inspo: Sprinkle on grilled fish, roasted meats, dark chocolate, or cocktails.
2. Rishiri Kombu
Authentic kombu seaweed sourced from the nutrient-rich waters of northern Hokkaido. Aged for 1-3 years in a kombu cellar to develop concentrated umami and refined aroma.
Menu Inspo: Kaiseki-style clear soup, kombu-infused beurre blanc, or kombu-cured hamachi crudo.
3. Yuzu Kosho Paste
A fermented paste of aromatic green yuzu zest, fiery green chili, and kettle-cooked sea salt from the mineral-rich coast of Yamaguchi. The balanced citrus heat enlivens your dish without overpowering.
Menu Inspo: Add a vibrant kick to everything from sashimi, braised short ribs, or ice cream
4. Smoked Naturally Brewed Soy Sauce
Traditional Japanese soy sauce fermentation meets Western smoking in this two-year-aged soy sauce from a stone brewery in Gunma. Smoked over sakura (cherry blossom) wood, it delivers umami with a soft, lingering smokiness. Ideal for adding dimension to delicate proteins and layered compositions.
Menu Inspo: Try using it as a finishing touch on seafood, vinaigrettes, or vegetable purées.
5. Kidaru Kotobuki Rice Vinegar (Aged for 3 years)
A premium Japanese rice vinegar aged over 3 years in wooden barrels in Gifu and bottled only to order. With over a century of tradition behind it, every step from rice polishing to koji making is done in-house for depth and smoothness. Its rich, balanced acidity brings nuanced brightness to your dishes.
Menu Inspo: Let its refined acidity shine in crudo, broths, light pickles, or dressings.
6. Shizen Ichi Miso
A naturally brewed rice miso paste aged over a year for complex flavor. Made with organic soybeans and rice from Saga and salt from the Goto Islands, it uses twice as much koji as soybeans for an intense umami and natural sweetness. Its slightly grainy texture and balanced profile make it a standout miso.
Menu Inspo: Miso-butter sauces for roasted vegetables, glaze for grilled eggplant, or ramen broths.
7. Misoful Crumble
A coarse-ground, dehydrated miso made from ten fermented grains — including soybeans, barley, and various rices. It delivers bold umami with a chewy texture. A new way to finish, season, or layer umami without adding moisture.
Menu Inspo: Spoon it over creamy soups, fold it into pastas, or use it as a savory accent on ice cream.
8. Sweet Koji Sauce
A naturally fermented sauce made from koji rice — free from added sugars or artificial additives. Its gentle, nuanced sweetness offers a refined alternative to sugar or mirin, with layered umami that elevates both sweet and savory dishes.
Menu Inspo: Use it to glaze roasted meats, balance vinaigrettes, or layer umami into desserts.
9. Umami Dashi Pack Tomato
Chefs' favorite vegan dashi blend. Made with soprano tomatoes, onions, basil, and oregano, it brings rich, savory depth to tomato-based and creamy dishes. Steep the packet for broth, or tear open the packet and sprinkle the powder over your dish as a seasoning adjustment.
Menu Inspo: Enrich minestrone, finish bolognese, or deepen creamy sauces.
Support small farmers of Japan — sustain the source of umami
I spend about half of the year in rural Japan foraging for the best Japanese artisanal ingredients. Through my journey, I’ve met incredibly skilled and passionate farmers and producers, who go miles to craft high quality and uniquely flavorful ingredients. But their craft and traditions are at risk of disappearing.
Due to a historic low marriage and birth rate, Japan — especially the rural regions, faces an aging population and a shortage of successors. Back in 2024, when I visited a yuzu farm in Mizuo, Kyoto I learned there are only about 30 residents left. Mizuo is renowned for cultivating seed-grown yuzu which yields incredibly aromatic yuzu cherished by Michelin-starred chefs. But with few next-generation farmers, its future is uncertain.
You can support these small farmers and producers by purchasing this Chefs’ Umami Tasting Box. Every purchase allows us to pay farmers directly and fairly. When you shop at The House of Umami, you support multi-generational family businesses, helping them continue innovating, feed their families, and train the next generation of producers. Join us in preserving Japan’s culinary heritage and sustaining the very source of umami.
With gratitude,
Ayako Yuki
Founder, The House of Umami