1. In the early Edo period of Japan, farmers could only eat tofu on special occasions.
In the early Edo period, tofu was a luxury food eaten by the Shogun. Until the mid Edo period farmers could only eat tofu on special days, and were at one time forbidden to even make tofu.
2. Tofu made from a blend of American and Japanese Soybeans.
Tofu, a traditional food of Japan is made from a blend of American and Japanese soybeans. The descendants of the soybeans that crossed the oceans to the west with Matthew C. Perry are now the resources that sustain Japan’s tofu production.
3. The West Wakes up to the Wonders of Tofu
Tofu for the World
Popular in the U.S. as a natural food, there are now numerous variations of tofu cuisine; curries, steak, dessert, etc. The power of tofu has changed American eating habits.
4. The primary ingredient in the Shojin (vegetarian) cuisine eaten by monks
“Shojin” means “earnest ascetic practice”. Possibly due to a longing on the part of monks who could not eat any meat, many tofu dishes have been given animal names such as “Kiji-yaki” (Roast Pheasant), “Ganmodoki” (Mock Goose), etc.
5. Tofu originated in China. Who invented it?
Although there is a theory that the inventor of Tofu is an ancient Chinese prince, Prince Liu An, the soybean didn’t actually exist at the time of Prince Liu An. The true origins of tofu remain a mystery.
6. Did a Kentoushi (Japanese envoy to China) bring the tofu production technique to Japan?
The most convincing theory about how tofu production was brought to Japan is that the technique was brought back from China by the Kentoushi. However, there is another theory that tofu was produced by Korean prisoners of war brought to Shikoku more than four hundred years ago.
7. The strong connection between soy sauce and tofu
Soy sauce became popular among the people at around the same time as tofu. Cold tofu with a dash of soy sauce (Hiya-yakko) and boiled tofu with a splash of soy sauce (Yu-dofu) are both favorites of Japanese cuisine. Cheap and nutritious, tofu and its partner soy sauce were vital food resources during the financial difficulties of the Edo period.
8. Searching for the Origins of Tofu
Said to originate in China, tofu came to Japan in the Nara period, brought back from China along with Buddhism by the Kentoushi (Japanese envoys to China). Highly prized for its nutritional value in Shojin (vegetarian) cuisine, tofu’s popularity began to spread into the wider public by the Edo period.
9. What is the “Tofu Hyakuchin”?
In the Edo period, a literary man of no particular culinary expertise wrote a book called “Tofu Hyakuchin” (100 Tofu Delicacies). This book became a huge success. This bestseller contained one hundred recipes for tofu from regular daily fare to the slightly unusual.
