"명란젓(Myeongnanjeot )" is a food that originated in Korea and is also beloved in Japan. In Japanese, two words refer to "명란젓" (Myeongnanjeot in Korean). The first is "明太子" (Myeongtaiko), which refers to spicy Myeongnanjeot containing chilli powder. "明太((Myeongtai) " is the Japanese pronunciation of "명태" (Myeongtae fish, pollock) in Korean, and "子" (ko) means child, hence it signifies the child of Myeongtae, which means Myeongtae roe. The other word is "たらこ" (Tarako), which refers to white-coloured Myeongnanjeot without chilli powder. "たら" (tara) means "cod" (In Japan, there is not a strict differentiation between cod and Myeongtae), and "こ" (ko) means a child as mentioned before.

They are divided into "明太子" (Myeongtaiko) and "たらこ" (Tarako) based on the presence or absence of chili powder. In Japan, when people hear"明太子" (Myeongtaiko) ," they often think of Fukuoka. Mr. Kawahara Toshio has played a significant role in making Myeongnanjeot a representative industry in Fukuoka. Mr. Kawahara Toshio, a Japanese person born and raised in Korea, returned to mainland Japan after Japan's defeat in World War II and opened a grocery store called "Fukuya" in Nakasu Market in Fukuoka (which has now become the largest and most famous company in Japan for Myeongnanjeot production and sales). In 1949, he started producing and selling Myeongnanjeot.

Mr. Kawahara improved the Korean Myeongnanjeot to suit the taste of the Japanese people. He developed a method of marinating Myeongnanjeot in a seasoning sauce, which was different from the traditional Korean method. (The method of marinating in a seasoning sauce developed by Mr. Kawahara was later imported back to Korea and has become the mainstream method, replacing the traditional method). Myeongnanjeot gradually gained recognition, and many Myeongnanjeot shops emerged in Fukuoka (It is said that Mr. Kawahara did not keep the recipe of Myeongnanjeot as a secret but shared it with other business owners).

In 1975, with the opening of the Shinkansen to Hakata (Hakata Station in Fukuoka), the distribution of Myeongnanjeot became smoother, and it became well-known nationwide. It is said that Japan consumes as much as 30,000 tons of Myeongnanjeot annually. Just by looking at the various dishes and products made with Myeongnanjeot, one can understand how deeply it has permeated Japanese people's lives.