Natto…

The truth is, no one has an exact date of when natto was first produced, but the tools need to make it have been available in Japan since ancient times. According to some sources, natto may have been discovered as far back as the Zhou Dynasty (1134-246 BC) in China.

Other sources say it was discovered in the Jomon period (10,000-300 BC) in Japan. Others says that it was discovered during one of Minamoto no Yoshiie’s battle campaigns. Between 1086 – 1088, Minamoto’s troops were attacked while they were boiling soybeans for the horses. They quickly packed and forgot about the soybeans until days later when they discovered that the beans had fermented. They apparently still decided to eat it. And they liked it!

Yet other sources claim that the discovery of natto was more recent, in the Edo period (1603-1867). But enough of what Wikipedia says, all we know is that several sources say several different things. But I actually believe that natto was made like this:

In a top secret underground government laboratory, a scientist carrying out research to reverse aging, inexplicably mixes up his experiment samples with yesterday’s lunch… soybeans. Without noticing, the scientist proceeds to an important researching meeting where he unveils his samples. In total shock and embarrassment, he flees the scene. The (by then fermented) soybeans were studied under a micro scope and found that it was rich in proteins and vitamins that prevent stroke, cancer, aging and osteoporosis! They called it NATTO, because being so healthy and neutritious, it was the only thing it could possibly be called.

Incentive