miso factory

Here we are jammed into the display room of the miso (soybean paste for making soup, etc) factory.  I have never liked miso but decided to try to free samples.  Hey, this isn't bad, I thought after trying the miso candy.  I bought a few bags to bring back to Chiba to let my students try.  Then I decided to try the paste itself.  There were two kinds and I could tell no difference and again I had to admit it was quite good.  Almost a cheezy taste.  So I decided to buy some.  Well they had a 1 kilo bag for 900 yen and  a 3 kilo bag for 1,000 yen.  So da--who would buy the 1 kilo?  Taste was the same, made in the same factory by the same techinque.  I asked the man why we could pay 100 yen more and get 3 times the amount?  He said it was because the soybeans to make the miso from the cheaper per kilo bag came from China.  I noticed I was the only one buying the 3 kilo bag.  I know at this time everyone is worried because of the problem with Chinese gyoza, but hey, nothing else seems to have been tainted and soybeans are in a pod so I figured they would be safe.  We have been enjoying this miso now for over 3 weeks with no problem so I think I made the right decision.