Food smells like dirty socks in Japan

Wesley Smith, an American tourist, focused on the bowl in front of him, using chopsticks to pull out the transparent slime threads, slowly enjoying natto, a Japanese fermented soybean dish. The dish is both loved and hated, and is gradually conquering global diners with its uniqueness.

Natto exports have tripled in the past eight years, as more people are attracted by its health benefits. The two largest import markets are China and the US. This reflects the growing appeal of nutritious dishes, despite the strong smell and flavor that is considered “difficult to get used to” for many people.

Natto is a famous traditional Japanese breakfast dish. Soybeans are boiled and incubated with the beneficial bacteria Bacillus subtilis. The finished product has the main characteristics of being sticky, stringy and with a strong smell. The unique scent makes even Japanese people have mixed opinions, although it has high nutritional value and is called a “super food”.

“At first I found the smell unpleasant, but after many years, I gradually got used to it and loved it. It was like learning to eat a strong-smelling cheese that people still call… the smell of dirty socks,” Mr. Wesley Smith shared during lunch at Natto Kobo Sendai-ya, a restaurant in Tokyo that serves unlimited amounts of fermented soybeans. This is a place that is likened to “hell” for those who cannot stand this dish, but “paradise” for those who love it.

His wife, Maya Bourdeau, compares natto to natural wine, a different flavor that not everyone gets used to the first time they enjoy it.

In recent years, natto has joined the list of popular fermented foods like kimchi or kombucha. In the US, many people turn to these foods to improve their intestinal health after Covid-19. Regularly eating foods rich in fiber and protein can help strengthen the immune system, improve digestion and increase bone density.

In China, the trend of healthy living, especially among the middle and upper classes, is also driving interest in Japanese cuisine, according to a report by the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO).

At Japanese restaurant Suehiro in Los Angeles, owner Kenji Suzuki said he’s noticed more and more non-Japanese diners boldly trying natto. “When social networks started talking about this superfood, more and more people wanted to know what it really was, wanted to taste it to see if it was as terrible as people said. Some people don’t like it, but there are also many people who love it,” Suzuki said.

According to Kenji Suzuki, stirring thoroughly will maximize the viscosity of the dish. He believes that it is this sticky texture that makes many Americans afraid, and although natto has been praised recently, it is unlikely to become a popular dish.

“I can’t think of any popular dish in American cuisine that has such a viscous texture,” he said.

Daisuke Tsujimoto, on the other hand, really likes natto. He traveled hundreds of kilometers from Osaka to Tokyo just to enjoy this dish at Natto Kobo Sendai-ya. “This is truly a culinary culture that Japan can be proud of,” the 31-year-old man shared.

In addition to the mentioned health benefits, fermented soybeans are also popular thanks to their affordable price. This dish is also known as the “star of price”. A blister pack of three boxes of natto, each weighing about 40-50 grams, is usually sold at supermarkets for 100 yen (about 15,000 VND) or less. Each box comes with small packets of mustard and soy sauce.

“Few dishes are as worthy of being called a healthy superfood as natto. I hope there will come a time when people will be willing to spend money to buy high-quality natto,” Mr. Kenji Suzuki added.

That is also the goal of the Kamakurayama Nattodo brand. The product is promoted as having high viscosity but significantly reducing the pungent odor and bitter taste, making it easy for new eaters to approach. At the company’s factory in western Tokyo, workers in sterile suits wash soybeans, steam them and then spray probiotics on the surface. Then, machines will divide the beans into each cup before fermenting for about 18 hours.

Priced about three times higher than regular natto, Kamakurayama Natto has received many orders in recent years from abroad, including Hong Kong, Shanghai, Singapore and Norway.

“I’ve heard that in some countries, many people know that natto is very healthy so they force themselves to eat it, even though they really don’t like its taste. But if you persist in eating it for a while, you will definitely be conquered by this dish,” said Mr. Yoshihiro Noro, brand representative.