Nihon Chomiryo Tabi
Marumasa Additive-free Barley Miso (マルマサ 無添加 麦みそ)
The story behind it
Marumasa Shoyu is a small soy sauce and miso maker in Ainan, the town at the southernmost tip of Ehime Prefecture.
Ehime is barley miso country. Marumasa's barley miso is an unpasteurized, additive-free miso made from just three ingredients, all grown or produced in Japan: naked barley, soybeans, and salt. At 8.8% salt it is on the mild side, finished as a sweet miso where the natural sweetness of the koji comes forward.
The dark streaks you see in the miso are the barley's natural crease line. There is no need to remove them; they are perfectly fine to eat.
How to use it
For barley miso soup or tonjiru (pork and vegetable miso soup). Since grains of barley remain, the maker suggests using a miso strainer. Also good in stir-fried vegetables with miso, or as a dip for fresh cucumber.