The latest trade statistics show Japan's exports of the highly nutritious gooey beans tripled from 2017 to 5,248 tonnes in 2025, with China and the United States topping the list of destinations.The delicacy infused with beneficial bacteria remains a traditional Japanese breakfast staple, but their pungent aroma, viscous texture and yeasty taste divide even their homeland."I thought it was a little funky at first," Smith told AFP during his recent lunch at Sendaiya, a Tokyo restaurant that serves all-you-can-eat natto menus -- an idea of hell for some people, heaven for others.
The delicacy infused with beneficial bacteria remains a traditional Japanese breakfast staple © Frederic J. BROWN / AFP
But over the years, the mushy yellow-brown legumes "became an acquired taste like a strong cheese can, because you know how cheese can smell like dirty socks," the 47-year-old Arizonan said. Recent years have seen natto join a series of fermented foods, from kimchi to kombucha, that have surged in popularity worldwide as Americans in particular seek better digestive health following the Covid-19 pandemic. Regular consumption of the high-fibre, protein-packed snack is often linked to stronger immune systems, improved digestion, and greater bone density. In China, too, the "trend toward health-consciousness especially among the middle and upper-income classes" is igniting interest in Japanese foods, the Japan External Trade Organisation said in a recent report.Curious in CaliforniaIn Los Angeles at Japanese restaurant Suehiro, owner Kenji Suzuki has noticed more non-Japanese clients taking the plunge.
