The Embassy of Japan in Switzerland will host a symposium titled “-The Power of Fermentation- Japan’s Tradition and Science in Switzerland”!

International interest in “koji”—a central element of Japan’s fermentation culture—and “sake,” which is brewed using it, is rapidly growing.
In 2024, “Traditional Japanese Sake Brewing Using Koji” was inscribed on the UNESCO List of Intangible Cultural Heritage, marking global recognition of koji’s cultural value. “Seed koji,” which serves as the starting point for fermentation, is central to Japan’s fermentation culture, and there is a growing need to deepen our understanding of its significance and practical applications.

Against this backdrop, we will be hosting “The Power of Fermentation: Japan’s Tradition and Science in Switzerland” at the Swiss Embassy’s Multipurpose Hall, in collaboration with the Embassy of Japan in Switzerland.

Keynote speeches will be delivered by Dr. Katsuya Gomi (Professor Emeritus, Tohoku University), a leading authority on solid-medium culture research in Japan, and Dr. Looser of Agroscope, a research institute under the Swiss Federal Office for Agriculture. Following the symposium, a networking reception will be held at the Public Relations and Cultural Center of the Embassy of Japan in Switzerland. Numerous companies, government agencies, and organizations involved in fermentation will set up exhibition booths to showcase their initiatives.

Switzerland, where diverse cultures intersect, has the potential to serve as a hub for promoting koji culture to the world. From this perspective, this symposium aims to broadly introduce Japan’s traditional fermentation culture and the appeal of sake, and to take the first step toward establishing a network for koji culture between Japan and Switzerland.