Hiki-komi (Inoculation)
Hiki-komi
Japanese: 引き込み（ひきこみ）
The step of sprinkling tane-koji on steamed rice. The starting point of koji making.
Steamed rice is cooled to about 35°C, then tane-koji is evenly sprinkled over it. Too hot kills the mold; too cold delays germination.
Since tane-koji is used in small amounts, even distribution is critical. Sprinkle gradually through a tea strainer and mix by hand. After inoculation, wrap in cloth and place in the koji room. The next 40-plus hours are the heart of koji making. The guideline is 0.1-0.2g tane-koji per 100g steamed rice. A tiny amount, yet billions of hyphae spread from it. The wonder of fermentation: small beginnings yielding great transformation.