Koji (Malted Rice) is Next After Sushi and Ramen. Spreading Fermentation Culture from Horie to the World.

Our company supports April Dream, a project that aims to make April 1st a day for announcing dreams. This press release is the dream of "best Co., Ltd. and welala."

The dream of welala, operated by best Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Kita-ku, Osaka; Representative Director: Mima Suzuki), is to "make KOJI (malted rice) a global common language."

Japan boasts world-class food cultures like Sushi and Ramen. And these food cultures have a common seed: Miso, Soy Sauce, Amazake, Shio Koji. The existence that governs all of these and has supported the Japanese diet and health for hundreds of years is "Koji."

However, its immeasurable value may be gradually becoming "something special" or "something of the past" in today's busy daily life. We want to "reinvent" the power of Koji once again, in a way that suits modern lifestyles.

"It's a waste not to know the power of Koji."

Our shop in Horie, Osaka, "koji zakka & cafe welala," is a cafe and select shop where you can enjoy Koji coffee, amazake, and Koji egg sandwiches. But it's not just a place to sell fermented foods. It's "a place to experience the potential of Koji and update your lifestyle."

Today, with increasing awareness of health and beauty, amazake is gaining attention as a "drinking IV drip." However, what we want to deliver is not just its functional benefits. It's the culture of delicate Japanese "handicraft" that lies behind it.

What I inherited as the daughter of a Kyoto dye craftsman

My origin is in Kyoto. My father is a dye craftsman who breathes life into a single piece of fabric. Since childhood, I have watched my father, who carefully creates beauty over time, borrowing the power of nature.

Both dyeing and fermentation. Both are "craftsman cultures" that Japan should be proud of, completed by interacting with the invisible workings of nature and nurturing them carefully. Although the form is different, I want to pass on the "pride of tradition" that my father has protected, in the form of "Koji," to the next generation. With this in mind, welala was born.

At welala, we also engage in ethical consumption activities as a collaborative project between father and daughter, offering furoshiki wrapping using leftover fabric dyed by my father.

From Kyoto, the city of tradition, to Horie, the city of change

Horie, Osaka, is a highly sensitive city where old history and new creativity intersect. From this city, we will disseminate a new standard of "tradition x modernity."

Our dream is to make Koji not something special, but "a norm in today's lifestyle." For example, a culture of enjoying "amazake" as you would order morning coffee. For example, shio koji being a kitchen staple, making daily cooking a habit that naturally balances the body. For example, time to cherish oneself with Koji-derived skincare.

We are confident that such a "life with fermentation" will spread from Horie throughout Japan.

From Horie, Osaka, to the world

And beyond that dream lies an even greater challenge. That is, to make "KOJI" a common language loved worldwide, just like Sushi, Ramen, and Manga.

Today, the world is seeking sustainable and healthy food cultures. The mystical fermentation culture "KOJI" born in Japan will cross borders, color people's dining tables, and bring more smiles. This challenge, which began in a small shop in Horie, Osaka, will one day support global well-being.

It may still be just a "dream" for now. But by continuing to speak of it, dreams gradually draw closer to reality.

April 1, 2026. We declare: "Make KOJI (malted rice) a global common language."

A new future for fermentation culture, from Horie, Osaka.

Store Overview

Store Name: koji zakka & cafe welala

Address: 1F Isemura Bldg., 3-1-23 Minami-Horie, Nishi-ku, Osaka 550-0015

Access: 3 minutes walk from Nishinagahori Station Exit 6 / 10 minutes walk from Yotsubashi Station Exit 6

Business Hours: 11:00-19:00 (Closed Tuesdays)

Phone Number: 06-6535-8255

Official Website: https://welala-koji.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/welala_koji/

Contact Information

PR Contact: Mima Suzuki
TEL: 06-6535-8255
MAIL: contact@osaka-best.com

"April Dream" is a project by PR TIMES where companies announce their dreams they wish to achieve on April 1st. We are seriously aiming for the realization of this dream.