Traditional Culture Encyclopedia - Traditional customs - Is Natto Chinese or Japanese?

Is Natto Chinese or Japanese?

Natto originated in China.

Since the Qin Dynasty, China has had a history of fermenting soybeans to make soy products, which are sticky and have a foul odor.

The ancient Japanese book Wakan Sansai Toukai (和汉三才图会) has a relevant record: natto has been made since the Qin and Han dynasties. Natto has been called "edamame" in Japan, after the Chinese term "tempeh". Natto literally means "beans of Nasho", and in Japan Nasho refers to temples, so Natto started out in temples before spreading to become a common food in Japan.

History:

Natto originated in China during the Qin and Han Dynasties, and was brought to Japan by Zen monks during the Nara Period (around 710 AD), where it was first called "edamame". Since edamame was often produced by monks and temples and then stored in urns or buckets, it gradually became known as "dang natto" or "salted natto," and has been eaten for more than 1,000 years.

When natto was introduced to Japan, it became an important source of nutrition for the monks at that time, and gradually spread among the upper class, with the royal family, monks, and nobles enjoying this "delicacy".