Everything You Need To Know About Japanese Soybeans

Japan is not known as a bean-lovers paradise. However, of the few legumes that the country does have, one really pulls out all the stops. That's the humble Japanese soybean, which forms the basis for a surprising number of foods, dishes, and condiments. From tofu to soy sauce to shojin ryori (Buddhist vegetarian cuisine), to say the soybean is central to Japanese cuisine would be an understatement.

Soybeans have been cultivated in Japan for more than 2,000 years. They're thought to have arrived from China along with the knowledge of wet rice farming during the Yayoi Period (300 BC—250 AD). The coming of Buddhism in the sixth century cemented its importance to the Japanese diet. With its precepts against eating meat, the spread of Buddhism encouraged people to replace meat with soybeans, hence their Japanese nickname, "the meat of the fields."

At first part of the diet of the aristocracy, soybean-derived products like tofu, miso, and soy sauce became widespread staples of the common people by the Edo Period (1603—1868).

Although Japanese diets have changed a lot since samurai times, soybeans and their related food products are still an everyday part of the Japanese diet. What can you make with soybeans? All kinds of delicious things.

1. Miso
2. Soy Sauce
3. Tofu
4. Natto
5. Edamame
6. Kinako

Miso is a paste made from fermenting soybeans with salt and koji, a type of mold. Other ingredients may include rice, barley, or a blend of them. There are many different kinds of miso, but broadly speaking, you can divide it into two types, white and red, which refers to the color. No matter the type, all miso have a mellow and umami-rich flavor.

Miso is most commonly used in miso soup, which many Japanese people eat daily — even multiple times a day. Miso soup can contain almost any ingredient but typically features chopped tofu, vegetables, meat, and seafood. Miso is also used as a sauce when cooking fish or on dishes like miso katsu, a breaded pork cutlet slathered in extra dark miso popular in the Nagoya area.

Experience for yourself how miso is made and visit a miso factory in Matsumoto.

One of the fundamental ingredients in Japanese cooking is soy sauce. Like miso, Japanese soy sauce is also made by fermenting soybeans, this time with roasted wheat instead of rice or barley. Soy sauce is umami-rich and brings out the flavors of most every food, whether used as an integral ingredient when cooking or as a condiment afterward, as with sushi. Read more about the wonderful world of Japanese soy sauce.

One of the most common ways to eat soybeans is in the form of tofu. Made by curdling soy milk (soybeans boiled in water and then strained), tofu comes in blocks of different density. You can enjoy it in your miso soup, cold with soy sauce drizzled on top (hiyayakko), boiled (yudofu) or deep fried in soup or a hotpot dish (atsuagedofu), or in many other ways. 

Tofu is popular as a daily staple but reaches its apex in shojin ryori. Developed at temples by Buddhist monks who adhere to a strict vegetarian diet, shojin ryori features a number of small, gourmet dishes made from tofu and vegetables. The flavors are subtle and natural, as befitting a devout Buddhist way of life.  

To experience shojin ryori yourself, make a reservation at Shojin Ryori Daigo, a Michelin-starred restaurant in Tokyo.

Natto is Japanese fermented soybeans — and it's a polarizing food. Many people swear by it, eating it on top of rice every morning. Natto's pungent odor and sticky, stringy appearance can be a turn-off for some. However, as with any fermented food, there are plenty of health benefits, particularly related to digestion. If you consider yourself an adventurous eater, give it a try.

You can also eat Japanese soybeans as a snack in the form of edamame. Steamed or boiled in the pod and usually lightly salted, edamame is actually an immature soybean plant. Pop it in your mouth and work the pod open with your teeth. It makes a healthy snack and is the perfect side dish for a glass of beer, which is why it appears on many izakaya (Japanese-style pub) menus.

Most uses of soybeans fall into the savory category — but not all. To enjoy soybeans in a sweet capacity, try one of the many wagashi (Japanese sweets) covered in kinako. Essentially roasted soybean flour, many mochi-based desserts such as ohagi and warabimochi feature dense dustings of kinako. Nutty and nutritious, it makes a lovely contrast to the sweet and soft mochi.

Soybeans are naturally gluten-free. However, some soybean-derived products, like soy sauce, are not. Soy sauce uses wheat as part of the fermentation process.

There are many health benefits related to eating soybeans. They're high in protein and cholesterol-free, for one. Evidence shows that regular consumption can reduce the risk of some chronic diseases, including coronary heart disease, osteoporosis, and certain forms of cancer.

The Japanese government has currently not approved any commodity GMO crops to be grown in Japan, so all locally sourced soybeans are GMO-free. The Japan Tofu Association further indicates that all soybeans presently used for the production of tofu of Japan are non-GMO.

Superfood is a marketing term, not a scientific one, so it's hard to accurately say with 100% accuracy whether soybeans are a superfood. However, their health benefits are well known, and they contain about 40% protein, the highest among any plant diet. You can use them as a substitute for meat and dairy products and eat them in various ways. That certainly sounds like a superfood.

Curious about Japanese food? Check out our food experiences made for those craving a culinary adventure.