I have been enjoying Miso Soup at Japanese restaurants for years, and finally decided to research and make it at home. A few notes that may be helpful to some - it was to me as I am just beginning to learn more about Asian cooking...wakame is a sea vegetable, or edible seaweed. You can substitute thinly sliced Chinese mushrooms for the wakame if you like. Dashi is a class of soup and cooking stocks considered fundamental to Japanese cooking. The dashi was hard for me to find (I am in the deep south) you can substitute a clear broth if needed. Dashida beef flavored, clam flavored or anchovy flavored soup stock for making Korean soups, I have found is also a suitable substitute and easier for me to find where I am.