Wipe the kombu with a damp cloth (do not wash vigorously). Place kombu and 4 cups water in a medium saucepan and soak for 30 minutes if time allows. Slowly bring to just below simmer over medium heat. Just before the water reaches a boil (small bubbles around edges), remove kombu.

Add bonito flakes, bring to a gentle simmer for 30 seconds, then remove from heat and let sit 2–3 minutes to allow flakes to sink. Strain the liquid through a fine-mesh sieve or cheesecloth into a clean pot to yield clear dashi (about 3 3/4 cups). Discard or save bonito flakes for another use.

Miso & Seasoning

Scoop 1/2 cup of the hot dashi into a small bowl. Add the white and yellow miso pastes to the bowl and whisk until smooth to make a miso slurry. Return the pot with the remaining dashi to low heat—do not boil.

Stir the miso slurry back into the pot. Keep the heat low so the soup warms but does not boil, which can break down miso flavor and beneficial enzymes.

Soup Add-ins

Add the cubed tofu and rehydrated wakame to the miso soup. Warm gently for 1–2 minutes until tofu is heated through and wakame has expanded. Do not boil.

Taste and adjust seasoning: if the soup tastes weak, whisk in up to 1 more teaspoon miso; if too salty, add up to 1/4 cup warm water.

Garnish (Daily garnish)

Ladle soup into bowls. Sprinkle sliced green onions, toasted sesame seeds, and a pinch of shichimi togarashi over each bowl as the daily garnish. Serve immediately.