Aspergillus oryzae (Chinese: 麴菌, 麴霉菌, 曲霉菌, pinyin: qū meí jūn; Japanese: 麹, kōji, or 麹菌, kōji-kin, Korean: 누룩균, nurukgyun or nulook-gyun ) is a filamentous fungus (a mold). It is used in Chinese and Japanese cuisine to ferment soybeans. It is also used to saccharify rice, other grains, and potatoes in the making of alcoholic beverages such as huangjiu, sake, and shōchū. The domestication of A. oryzae occurred at least two thousand years ago.[2] A. oryzae is used for the production of rice vinegars.
Dr. Eiji Ichishima of Tohoku University called the kōji fungus a "national fungus" ("kokkin") in the journal of the Brewing Society of Japan, because of its importance not only for making the koji for sake brewing but also for making the koji for miso, soy sauce and a range of other traditional Japanese foods. His proposal was approved at the society's annual meeting in 2006.[3]
A. oryzae is a supporting character (of sorts) in the manga series Moyasimon: Tales of Agriculture and its anime adaptation.
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