History of Natto and Its Relatives (1405-2012 - SoyInfo Center

Oct. 8–Leave Hokkaido for the Northeast Provinces, then
arrive in Tokyo on Oct. 15. Oct. 22–Arrive in Keijo (Seoul),
Korea, then take many side trips. Note: 1929 Oct. 29–Great
Depression begins in USA with stock market crash. Dec.
8–Return to Japan via Kyushu, then to Tokyo to study
soyfoods. They buy and photograph many!
1930 April 1–Travel by steamer to Dairen, Manchuria,
where they set up headquarters. Dorsett very sick from April
11 to June 11; taken to a Japanese hospital in Dairen, he
almost dies of double pneumonia. Morse does the work of
both men and does not inform USDA of Dorsett’s critical
condition. June 24–Morse takes a quick trip to northern
Korea, via Mukden and Antung (Tan-Tung), to look for
Zoysia grass.
July 1–Returns to Manchuria via Mukden. July 21.
Dorsetts leave for Peking by train; Morses and Mr. Suyetake
stay in Dairen. Aug. 21–Morse party travels to northern
Korea, staying in Heijo (Pyongyang / P’yongyang); takes a
4-day side trip to Seoul. Sept. 28–Morse returns to Dairen,
Manchuria.
Oct. 19–Morse party leaves Dairen, arriving in Peking
the next day. Nov. 9–Morse party returns to Dairen. Nov.
30–Morse arrives in Harbin, north Manchuria, then passing
through Mukden, returns to Dairen. Dec. 18–Morses leave
Dairen for Japan, passing through Kobe on Dec. 21 and
arrive in Tokyo on Dec. 23.
1931 Jan. 12–Travel to Kyoto, Himeiji, and Tatsuno
Shoyu. Jan. 16–Visit Okazaki and Hatcho miso. Jan. 17–
Return to Tokyo. Feb. 17–Morse party leaves Tokyo by boat
for the USA, arriving in San Francisco on March 4. March
15–Dorsett party leaves Peking for Tientsin, Shanghai, and
Hankow. March 27. Dorsetts sail from Shanghai to San
Francisco.
Note 1. The title of this report is puzzling since the
expedition never went to Taiwan, Singapore, Java, Sumatra,
or Ceylon. It was proposed several times that they visit these
places, but the plans did not work out.
Note 2. This is the earliest log (unpublished) seen (Oct.
2001) that mentions soy. Address: Agricultural Explorers,
USDA, Washington, DC.
193. Yamamoto, Yoshihiko; Tamura, Yoshisuke. 1928.
Nattô no saikingaku-teki kenkyû. II. Nattô-kin hôshi no
yakuhin narabini netsu ni taisuru teikôsei [Studies on natto
microorganisms. II. On the resistance of natto bacteria
spore to drugs and heat]. Sapporo Norin Gakkaiho (J. of the
Society of Agriculture and Forestry, Sapporo) 19(86):327-29.
[Jap]
• Summary: A bacillus was isolated from natto but no
name was assigned to it. It was related to bacilli isolated by
previous researchers, but it differed in spore formation, H.S.
formation, and size from Sawamura’s Bacillus natto.
194. Hanzawa, Jun. 1928. Nattô seizô-hô [Natto production
© Copyright Soyinfo Center 2012
HISTORY OF NATTO AND ITS RELATIVES 110
methods]. Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan: Sapporo Nattô Yôki
Kairyô-kai. 178 p. 19 cm. [Jap]*
• Summary: Jun Hanzawa was born in 1879. Note: This is
the earliest book in WorldCat / OCLC that has natto as a
subject or title word. Address: Sapporo, Japan.
195. Dorsett, P.H.; Morse, W.J. 1929. Tofu and other soybean
products in Japan (Document part). In: P.H. Dorsett and
W.J. Morse. 1928-1932. Agricultural Explorations in Japan,
Chosen (Korea), Northeastern China, Taiwan (Formosa),
Singapore, Java, Sumatra and Ceylon. Washington, DC:
USDA Bureau of Plant Industry, Foreign Plant Introduction
and Forage Crop Investigations. 8,818 p. Unpublished log.
• Summary: Page 1051, 1056 (16 May 1929). Tokyo, Japan.
A photo shows: “Nearly natural sized picture of a package
of dried bean curd or tofu. Native name is ‘Koya tofu.’ The
fresh bean curd is fi rst frozen and then dried. This dried
form of curd is used in general cooking with vegetables
and meats.” The front label on the rectangular package is
attractive (neg. #43661).
Page 1057. A photo shows: “Section of a large bamboo
culm [the round, hollow stem] which has been transformed
into a package for holding (for sale commercially) vegetable
pickles. The handle is of kudzu vine. The stopper is of cedar
[hinoki], Cryptomeria japonica (neg. #43662).
Page 1059. “Slightly larger than natural sized picture
[photo] of a package of roasted soybeans imbedded in very
small rice fl our cakes. Beside the package are some of the
beans in the rice cakes. This article of food is known as
“Mame taro” [as written on the label]. The skin of the bean is
dyed green. These are eaten as confections and may be had at
all confectionary stores” (neg. #43664).
Page 1060. “Natural sized picture of rice fl our cakes in
which are imbedded small black seeded soybeans. Native
name is ‘Mameiri abura age kaki mochi.’ Meaning roasted
beans on fried rice cakes” (neg. #43665).
Page 1064. Two packages of mungbean noodles or
vermicelli obtained from the Matsuzakaya Department
Store. The vermicelli is known in Japanese as ‘Tomen’” [sic,
Harusame] (neg. #43669).
Page 1065. “Natural sized picture [photo] of a sample
of sugared soybeans (native name ‘Sato Daidzu’) and of a
sample of roasted soybeans (native name ‘Nori-mame’ or
daidzu) over which, during the last stage of roasting, fi nely
cut [nori] seaweed is scattered. Both products are used as
confections and are to be had at all confectionary stores”
(neg. #43670).
Page 1067. “Natural sized picture of roasted soy beans
imbedded in very small rice fl our cakes. The skins of the
beans are dyed green” (neg. #43672).
Pages 1201-02 (26 May 1929). While visiting the
Hokkaido Agricultural Experiment Station at Kotoni,
Sapporo, Mr. Morse notes: “The soybeans grown in
Hokkaido are used entirely for food purposes, such as natto,