Japanese Superfood Daitokuji Natto and Natto
 Daitokuji Natto |
 Hokkaido black soybean meal |
Yoshie Doi
I eat Hokkaido black soybean natto every dinner. My mother didn’t like natto, so I never ate it when I was single. I started eating it after I got married.
Natto has the effect of thinning the blood, boosting the immune system, regulating the intestines, detoxifying, and antibacterial, so I eat it for dinner as it is most effective time.
We also have Daitokuji natto almost every day, which has the same name as natto but is completely different. Daitokuji natto is fermented using koji mold instead of natto bacteria, and is then dried and aged. Both my daughter and I eat it on a daily basis. My daughter’s American friend eats it almost every day. She says it has cured her constipation and is her favorite. It is salty, so it is completely different from sweet natto.
I once gave some Daitokuji natto to a Chinese person who came to Kyoto on business, and he told me that he had something similar in China.
After the Muromachi period, Daitokuji natto came to be called “Kuki” or “tera natto” to distinguish it from natto (made with natto bacteria). Why was it called “natto”? It seems that it was called natto because it was made in the temple’s storage room.
Daitokuji Ikyu http://www.daitokuji-ikkyu.jp/ Analytical results show that Daitokuji natto is several dozen times more effective than penicillin, and because of its antibacterial properties, it is very effective for a weakened stomach and intestines. The enzymes in koji break down the fetin acid in soybeans, which prevents the absorption of minerals, and allow for efficient absorption of nutrients.
Daitokuji natto, which was introduced from the continent, is filled with Japanese wisdom. Daitokuji natto, which has been around since the Muromachi period, could be compared to a modern supplement. Daitokuji natto, which is made only from soybeans, barley, and salt, is also used as a seasoning for meals, such as in miso soup. Some people chop it up and mix it with olive oil to use it like anchovies.
Daitokuji natto, which has been eaten by Japanese people for 550 years, can be used in a variety of dishes to create dishes with unprecedented flavors. Of course, it goes well with tea, alcohol, and rice, but we hope you will give it a try.
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Translated by Masami Otani
