Found! Real Natto in Tokyo!
05/13/2008 @ 6:00 pm
After my natto-bagel post, I’m sure that some of you expats were wondering just where you could get your sticky fingers on some real natto, without having to travel all the way to Ibaraki-ken. Well, guess what? You can get it in Tokyo! Across the street from Tokyo station, in the Shin-Marunouchi building, in the basement, is a natural food store. And there you will find, nestled in a nice cooling bin, real natto.
Don’t thank me all at once.
How does one identify “real” natto when shopping? I don’t live near Tokyo.
May 13th, 2008 at 8:16 pmFake natto is digestible. If you don’t gag, it’s not real.
I would assume there’s natto all over Tokyo. I can’t be sure because I have never looked for it, though.
Now, try finding buta bara.
May 13th, 2008 at 8:29 pmReal natto (check out the original post) is wrapped in straw. You can click on the photo above for a bigger view.
Yes, there is natto all over Tokyo. But this was about “real natto” or perhaps more correctly, “original natto.”
May 13th, 2008 at 10:15 pmActually, thanks. I was hoping to find some ‘real’ natto. I’ve had plenty of the plastic carton stuff and I was wondering how it differed. Does anyone know where to get some in/near Shinjuku? I don’t mind going across town, but I’d prefer not to if it’s possible.
May 14th, 2008 at 12:19 amNatto is natto whatever in straw bundle or in plastic package. If you love natto that much why don’t you make it by yourself ? It’s very easy to make.
After boiling (lots of) soybeans, put pure natto germs (or real natto) into boiled soybeans and mix them. Then, keep them warm for several hours without heating. Make sure that other germs won’t come into boiled soybeans. Sometimes home made natto tastes better than bought one.
May 14th, 2008 at 7:19 pmThis reminds me of the common Japanese practice of taking clean gobo, and covering it with dirt before placing it out for sale. The Japanese consumer believes that only soil encased gobo is the good stuff.
Packaging, whether straw or dirt or shiny paper, is just a form of branding. Real homemade food products are usually packed in unattractive containers - but the real test of quality is in the taste.
May 14th, 2008 at 9:52 pmYes, I’ve had home-made natto. It is less sticky, to be sure and sometimes it is better. And sometimes the fermentation is a disaster!
May 14th, 2008 at 10:19 pmSurprised? You can get ANYTHING in Tokyo!
I’ve heard that Kansaijin don’t like natto, only Kantojin. Any truth to that?
May 17th, 2008 at 9:10 amMy husband (Osakajin), along with my other Kansaijin friends LOVE natto. They are all convinced that one day I, too, will learn to love it. Fat chance! So yep, Jimichan, Kansai also loves natto.
May 23rd, 2008 at 11:26 pm