🍱 Kinzanji-Miso
"Kinzanji-Miso" is a fermented food made by fermenting grains, and contains Tougan(=White gourd), eggplant, perilla seeds, ginger, etc. It is a type of "Name-miso" that is eaten as is as a side dish or snack rather than as a seasoning. Originally, it was a preserved food for eating summer vegetables in winter at temples. There is a theory that miso was first introduced to Wakayama Prefecture in the Kamakura period (1185-1333) by a monk, Shinchikakushin, who returned from his training in the Sung Dynasty. Some believe that Kukai, the founder of the Shingon sect of Buddhism, brought it back from Tang. "Kinzanji-Miso" is made in various regions of the prefecture, including the western, central, and eastern parts of the prefecture and the Izu area. In the past, households used to make their own homemade "Kinzanji-Miso", but now many households purchase miso produced by miso suppliers. In addition to Shizuoka Prefecture, it is also eaten in Wakayama, Chiba, and Aichi Prefectures.