Ishoku Dogen


The seal above is Ishoku Dogen, a profound Japanese saying that means "Food Is Medicine." It can also be translated as "Food is the Key to Health." This saying has been part of the Asian heritage of wisdom for thousands of years, and it is Mitoku Company's guiding principle.

Today, modern science and medicine have begun to agree with this ancient wisdom. More and more, people are realizing that diet is directly connected with our health and well-being. What we eat, what's in it, and how it's prepared is so very important. That is the Mitoku point of view.

For over thirty years Mitoku Company has searched the Japanese countryside for traditional foods that meet the highest standards of taste and quality. Each Mitoku product is extraordinary. Their makers are committed to preserving the centuries-old traditions of their forefathers, and they carefully prepare their products using time-honored recipes and traditional preparations methods. They use the finest ingredients, many are organic, the purest and most natural available. From invigorating, tangy Organic Green Tea to hearty, robust Hatcho Miso, Mitoku is dedicated to providing superior foods that promote and sustain health.

When you taste Mitoku products, you will be eating food whose spirit is Ishoku Dogen. It is the very highest quality food we know.

The Rice Circle Symbol

Mitoku has chosen the rice circle as the background symbol for the Mitoku label because rice is the perfect food for mankind. Indeed, half of the world's peoples eat rice as their staple food. So basic is rice to the traditional Japanese diet that gohan, "cooked rice," also means "meal." Rice, the seed of a grass native to Southeast Asia, has been cultivated since the dawn of civilization and is often associated with creation and fertility in the mythology and religions of many ancient cultures. According to traditional Oriental medicine and philosophy, rice also has the ideal balance of yin and yang for the human constitution and is particularly good for the brain and nervous system.

Flavorful, easy to digest and loaded with nutrition, whole rice is also a perfect food from a modern dietary perspective. Brown rice is a good source of B vitamins, such as thiamin and niacin, and also provides, iron, phosphorus, calcium and magnesium. The germ of whole rice contains phytin, which helps expel toxins from the body. When eaten with soy foods, whole rice provides the body with a good complement of essential amino acids, the building blocks of proteins and important enzymes. So, from both ancient and modern points of view, rice is ideally suited to mankind and the development of civilization.

Furthermore, in a broader sense, the rice circle represents the wholesomeness and integrity of all Mitoku products. Our purpose is to provide the highest quality whole foods for optimum nutrition and health. We carefully select foods that are as close to their pure, original nature as possible for our consumption. Like whole rice, all Mitoku products are wholesome, delicious, and good for you, too.