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

Jenkins, Becke & Cosack, Kornauth. Soybeans in Russia:
Nikitin, Giljaranski, Lipski [Lipskii] (p. 1483-84). Address:
Geh. Reg.-Rath, o. Professor an der Kgl. Universitaet und
Vorsteher der Agric.-Chem. Versuchsstation Muenster in
Westphalia, Germany.
58. Abel, Mary Hinman. 1904. Beans, peas, and other
legumes as food. Farmers’ Bulletin (USDA) No. 121. 39 p.
See p. 11-13, 18-20. Revised. Illust. [1 ref]*
• Summary: A revised edition, 3 pages longer than the 1900
original. The information about soy is unchanged, however
it is on different pages (see above). The section titled
“Nutritive value of the legumes” (p. 18-20) includes a table
titled “Composition of fresh and dried legumes compared
with that of other foods.” Under “Dried legumes,” the
composition of “Soy beans” (dry, containing 10.8% water) is
given.
59. Kadono, C. 1905. The diet of the Japanese. Times
(London). Feb. 11. p. 6, cols. 3-4.
• Summary: This article is actually mostly about soya beans
and their products. “It is well known that the Japanese diet
consists chiefl y of rice, vegetables, and fi sh, with very small
and occasional additions of butchers’ meat. The relative
quantities of these, and vegetables and products thereof used,
would be interesting and in some respects instructive.
“The following bill of fare, which attempts to give the
three meals of a day for a family of moderate circumstances,
will show how they live. It may also be said that all Japanese
live rather simply whether high or low in their station of life,
and the menu can be taken as typical of all classes.
“Breakfast (about 7 to 7:30 a.m.).–Miso soup (with
vegetables, tofu, &c.), pickles, boiled rice, tea (sometimes
raw egg or boiled sweet soya beans, or natto, &c.).
“Lunch (12 noon).–Fish boiled in soya, vegetables
stewed in soya, pickles, boiled rice, tea.
“Supper (6 to 6:30 p.m.).–Soya soup (with vegetables,
fi shes, &c.), raw fi sh sliced and eaten with soya sauce,
broiled fi sh (or boiled) with vegetables (or butchers’ meat or
fowl and vegetables stewed), rice, tea...
“From the foregoing it can be seen how cereals and
vegetables predominate in Japanese diet. Rice and miso and
soya, as will be seen from the menu, form the predominant
feature of the food, and it may not be an exaggeration to say
that the Japanese physique is mainly built up on the products
of soya beans, such as miso, soya sauce, tofu, &c.”
There follows a detailed table titled “Analysis of Soya
Beans and Their Products. (Extract from a table by Mr. C.
Omura.)” Nutritional analyses are given for the following,
written exactly as they appear: Soya beans (5 varieties),
miso (white, red Osaka, red Tokio, red Sendai), soya sauce
(regular or Noda), tofu, dried frozen tofu, fried tofu, mash
residue from tofu (Okara), yuba (Dried skim off tofu-mash),
natto (Steamed beans with surface fermentation).
© Copyright Soyinfo Center 2012
HISTORY OF NATTO AND ITS RELATIVES 49
“Soya beans are grown all over Japan and in Manchuria,
and so far as I know cannot be had here [in England].
They are eaten boiled, either young or ripe.” They are
manufactured into those articles shown above, of which
miso, soya, and tofu are the most important...” The author
then gives a 5-10 line description for each of how miso, soya
sauce, and tofu are made. Tofu is coagulated with a “strong
brine. “The remnant (okara), being a white pulverized mass,
called fancifully ‘snow balls’ by Japanese, is eaten boiled
and seasoned with soya sauce.
“I have given Japanese meals to some English friends
and most have pronounced the food excellent, and some have
even braved the sliced raw fi sh with soya sauce.”
Note 1. Concerning the idea that okara is sometimes
fancifully called “snow balls,” the term kirazu is written with
three characters: yuki = snow, hana = fl ower(s), and sai =
vegetable(s). Or the author may be referring to a local term
from some part of Japan.
Note 2. This is the earliest English-language document
seen (Oct. 2001) that uses the Japanese word okara or the
term “mash residue from tofu” to refer to okara.
Note 3. This is the earliest English-language document
seen (Nov. 2011) that contains the word “dried frozen tofu”
(or “dried-frozen tofu”). Address: England.
60. Manchester Guardian.1905. What the Japanese eat. Feb.
13. p. 12.
• Summary: This is a summary of: Kadono, C. 1905. “The
diet of the Japanese.” Times (London). Feb. 11. p. 6, cols.
3-4. Mentions soya beans, miso soup, tofu, natto, soya sauce,
etc.
61. Chambers’s Journal (London).1905. Japanese diet. Vol.
8. March 25. p. 270. Sixth series. [1 ref]
• Summary: “The nations of the world have now had the
opportunity of learning many a valuable lesson from the
general management of the Japanese army... It is interesting
to note that the hard work done by the Japanese Tommy is
performed on a dietary table which would hardly satisfy
the soldiers of any other country. A large quantity of the
Japanese soldiers’ rations is made up of compressed fi shmeal...
Another form of food which seems peculiar to the
Japanese army is obtained from kelp and other seaweeds,
many of which afford very nourishing sustenance...
“At home this is the bill of fare of a Japanese family
in moderate circumstances, according to C. Kadono in the
Times. Breakfast (about 7 to 7.30 A.M.)–miso soup (with
vegetables, tofu, &c.), pickles, boiled rice, tea (sometimes
raw egg or boiled sweet soya beans, or natto). Lunch (12
noon)–fi sh boiled in soya, vegetables stewed in soya, pickles,
boiled rice, tea. Supper (6 to 6.30 P.M.)–soya soup (with
vegetables, fi sh, &c.), raw fi sh sliced and eaten with soya
sauce, broiled fi sh (or boiled) with vegetables (or butcher
meat or fowl and vegetables stewed), rice, tea. The Japanese