The agriculture ministry describes natto in household food traditions during the Edo period.
A note on the date
Only the Edo range and 1889 entry are presented here as dated historical milestones. “Origin stories,” “modern production” and “craft today” are thematic markers; their sorting values are not claims about exact starting dates.
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Our history page is a starting point, not an exhaustive history. Names, traditions and origin accounts deserve sources, and later contributions should make uncertainty visible.