A variety of fermented and brewed foods had been established based on the local climate in Japan. In Shiga Prefecture, a unique fermentation culture has been developed in its characteristic natural environment including Lake Biwa. While the microorganisms involved in many fermentation and brewing processes have been characterized, those in traditional fermented foods such as funazushi, a fermented fish with rice, and tsukemono, fermented vegetables, that are produced without the addition of any specific microorganisms are entirely uncharacterized. Similarly, unknown microorganisms with beneficial fermentation characteristics are probably also present in nature.

The Microbial Resource Center for Fermentation and Brewing was established in 2021 to isolate and study microorganisms from a wide range of sources including fermented foods and natural environments (soil, plants, and animals). Through the study of these isolated microbial resources, the Microbial Resource Center for Fermentation and Brewing is committed to elucidating in detail the fermentation processes that produce fermented foods and using the findings of this work to benefit the fermentation and brewing industry of Shiga Prefecture.