Mito Natto (Traditional Straw-Wrapped Fermented Soybeans Superfood)

According to historical folklore, the origins of Mito Natto date back to 1083 AD during the northern campaign of samurai warlord Minamoto no Yoshiie across Ibaraki, where boiled soybeans packed into dried rice straw bundles (Wara) for horse feed fermented naturally under equine warmth via indigenous *Bacillus subtilis var. natto* bacteria. The city of Mito perfected this craft during the late 19th century when merchant Sasuma Jinzo began retailing traditional straw-wrapped bundles directly along the platforms of Mito Station, catapulting "Mito Natto" into national renown. The defining hallmark of authentic Mito Natto is the exclusive use of regional micro-grain soybeans (Kotsubu Daizu) cultivated along the nutrient-rich floodplains of the Naka River. Fermented directly inside rustic rice-straw cradles (Wara-tsuto), the straw naturally wicks away excess moisture while imparting an earthy, nutty aroma and cultivating extraordinary sticky mucilage threads that stretch into fine webs. Celebrated globally as an unrivaled longevity superfood packed with the clot-dissolving enzyme Nattokinase, vitamin K2, and natural probiotics, the dining ritual involves vigorously whipping the beans with chopsticks 50 to 100 times until a fluffy, frothy white foam emerges, before seasoning with dashi-shoyu and sharp Japanese mustard (Karashi) over piping-hot rice. Local Mito eateries also serve innovative variations including crisp Natto Tempura and Natto Soba. Authentic straw-wrapped bundles retail for ¥250 to ¥450.