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Whether you love it or won’t go near the stuff, there’s no denying that natto is an important part of the Japanese diet. The fermented soybeans are notorious for scaring foreigners away with their pungent odor and sticky strands. If you’re someone who’s not convinced that natto could ever taste good, then keep reading: Japanese corporation Takara Tomy Arts has recently announced a new product that guarantees the ultimate natto dining experience. Introducing the new Natto Flavor Enhancing Machine.

The new device (fully dubbed the “Natto Flavor Enhancing Machine (The height of flavor ~ Rosanjin Natto Mixer)”) was developed based on the ideas of Kitaoji Rosanjin (pseudonym), a prominent Japanese gourmet and artist of the early twentieth century. Rosanjin wanted to discover the ultimate method for eating delicious natto, and established that the more it is stirred, the more delicious it becomes. Maybe all the natto-haters out there just aren’t stirring it enough…

▼A typical pouch of opened natto, where you must stir in the soy sauce and mustard by yourself.

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▼The new device. Put natto inside, turn the handle, and watch it stir at lightning fast speed!

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Furthermore, Rosanjin determined that stirring natto 424 times brings out the maximum possible flavor (we’d love to know how he arrived at such an arbitrary number…). Following this principle, the new product counts the number of times that the gears are turned, and adds soy sauce at the perfect moment (after 305 times, in case you were wondering). After the 424th stir, the lid will automatically pop open to signal its completion. This ready-to-eat natto is said to be a perfect blend of full-bodied flavor.

In a survey conducted within the firm, natto stirred 424 times within this device enhanced the flavor by 109% compared to typical hand-stirred natto. Takano Foods, the biggest name in the natto industry, has also given the new device its seal of approval.

▼The gears count the number of revolutions, so the lid pops open automatically after 424 times.

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The “Natto Flavor Enhancing Machine” will go on sale on February 6 for 2,310 yen (US$22.08). Whether you normally love or hate natto, why not give it a try? You may be pleasantly surprised.

Source: Entabe
Images: Entabe, Wikipedia