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

seen (June 2010) that uses the word “shoyu” (spelled
correctly like this) to refer to soy sauce.
Tofu: A kind of food made of beans.
Umeboshi (hakubai). Dried plums. Ume-dzke [Umezuke]:
Pickled plums. Ume ga mada umimasen: The plums
are not yet ripe.
Yuba [hot water + leaf]: A kind of food made of beans.
Yu-dofu: Boiled tofu.
Note 2. This is the earliest English-language document
seen (Oct. 2008) that contains the word “yuba.”
The English-Japanese part of this dictionary starts after
p. 558 and is titled “An index; or, Japanese equivalents for
the most common English words.” Separately numbered to
p. 132, it includes: “Bean, Mame. Barm, Kôji, tane. Pea, saya
yendo [saya-endo]. Soy [sauce], Shôyu.”
Terms NOT mentioned include Aburaage, Aburage,
Atsu-age, Daitokuji natto, Edamame (or Eda mame or
Yedamame), Ganmodoki, Hamanatto, Hiya-yakko, Koridofu,
Koya-dofu, Nama-age, Okara, Tamari, Tonyu,
Unohana, Yaki-dofu.
Note 3. The author apparently did not realize that the
various soyfoods he defi ned (with the possible exception of
soy sauce) were made from soybeans.
Note 4. This is the second earliest English-language
document seen (June 1999) in which Chinese characters are
used to write the name of the soybean or related products.
Note 5. This is the earliest English-language document
seen that contains the word “tofu,” or the word “natto” (Jan.
2012), or the word “koji” (March 2001).
Note 6. This is the earliest English-language document
seen (Feb. 2004) that refers to amazake, which it calls
“Amazake.”
Note 7. This is the earliest English-language document
seen (Jan. 2006) that uses the term “Shoyu” (or “shoyu”) to
refer to soy sauce.
Note 8. This is the earliest English-language document
seen (Dec. 2005) that uses the word “Kinako” to refer to
roasted soy fl our.
Note 9. This is the earliest English-language document
seen (Dec. 2008) that uses the word “Kiradzu” to refer
to what is now called “okara,” or “soy pulp.” Address:
Shanghai, China.
23. Pagés, Léon. 1868. Dictionnaire japonais-français
[Japanese-French dictionary]. Paris: Firmin Didot frères, fi ls
et cie. 933 p. See p. 597. [1 ref. Fre]
• Summary: This is a French translation of the Japanese-
Portuguese dictionary published in 1603 in Nagasaki by the
Society of Jesus [Jesuits].
Includes: Daizzou [daizu] (p. 252). (Mame), grains, ou
haricots du Japon (Soja hispida, Moench.- Hoffm.).
Mame (p. 518). Haricots, ou pois chiches du Japon (Soja
hispida, Moench.- Hoffm.).
Miso (p. 548): Certaine préparation de graines, de riz, et
© Copyright Soyinfo Center 2012
HISTORY OF NATTO AND ITS RELATIVES 33
de sel, avec lequel on assaisonne le Chirou [shiru] du Japon.
Nattô (p. 597). Certain mets de grains légèrement cuits,
et ensuite mis au four. Nattôjirou [nattôjiru]. Chirou [shiru]
ou bouillon fair avec des grains [nattô].
Note: This is the earliest French-language document
seen (Jan. 2012) that mentions natto.
Tôfou [tofu] (p. 803). Espèce d’aliment qui se fait
avec des grains pulvérisés, en manière de fromage frais.
Tôfouya [tofu-ya]. Maison où l’on fait ou vend des especès
de fromages, faits de grains amollis dans l’eau et réduits en
pâte. Address: Japan.
24. Saito, Akio. 1868. [Chronology of soybeans in Japan,
1700 to 1868, the last half of the Tokugawa / Edo period]
(Document part). In: Akio Saito. 1985. Daizu Geppo
(Soybean Monthly News). Jan. p. 16. Feb. p. 10-11. [Jap]
• Summary: 1707 May–The Tokugawa shogunate
government (bakufu) passes a law to lower the prices of
goods. Shops selling high-priced tofu are punished. But
tofu makers argue that although the price of soybeans has
dropped, the prices of other ingredients such as nigari and oil
have risen.
1709–Kaibara Ekken (1630-1714) writes Yamato
Honso, in which he discusses the shapes and use of the 1,362
products from Japan, China, and other countries. He notes
that among the fi ve crops (go-koku), soybeans are the second
most widely produced after rice.
1712–Kaempfer, the German physician and naturalist
who stayed in Japan during 1691-1692, writes Nihon-shi
in the Netherlands. In the book he discusses soybeans and
includes a very accurate illustration of the soybean. This
draws the attention of other European scholars.
1722–Kinzanji miso becomes popular in Edo (today’s
Tokyo).
1724 Feb.–The Tokugawa shogunate government
commands that various goods, such as sake and shoyu [soy
sauce], should be lower in price because the price of rice has
decreased.
1726–The amount of shoyu imported to Edo from the
Osaka-Kyoto area (kudari shoyu) is about 132,000 kegs
(taru). Note: The average keg held 9 shô = 16.2 liters = 4.28
gallons (U.S.). Thus, 132,000 kegs = 564,960 gallons or
2,138,400 liters.
1730–The amount of shoyu imported to Edo from the
Osaka-Kyoto area increases to 162,000 kegs.
1739–A French missionary living in China sends some
soybean seeds to France for the fi rst time. Attempts are made
to grow them at the botanical garden, but the weather is not
good and they fail. Later unsuccessful attempts were made to
grow soybeans in Germany in 1786 and in England in 1790.
There is another theory which says that the soybean went to
Europe through Russia.
1748–The cookbook titled Ryôri Kasen no Soshi is
published. It is the fi rst cookbook which introduces the