Natto
 

EW. This stuff is GROSS. Fermented soy beans? Basically, rotting beans... Ugh. How can anyone eat this? I think I would vomit if I tried. Has anyone had this?

From Wikipedia:

The first thing noticed by the uninitiated after opening a pack of nattō is the very strong ammoniacal smell, akin to strong cheese. Stirring the nattō produces lots of spiderweb-like strings. The nattō itself has a nutty, savory, somewhat salty flavor that belies its odor.

Nattō is most commonly eaten at breakfast to accompany rice, possibly with some other ingredients, for example soy sauce, tsuyu broth, mustard, scallions, grated daikon, okra, or a raw quail egg. In Hokkaidō and northern Tohoku region, some people dust nattō with sugar. Nattō is also commonly used in other foods, such as nattō sushi, nattō toast, in miso soup, salad, as an ingredient in okonomiyaki, or even with spaghetti or as fried nattō. A dried form of nattō, having little odor or sliminess, can be eaten as a nutritious snack. There is even nattō ice cream.

Nattō is often considered an acquired taste and the perceived flavor of nattō can differ greatly between people; some find it tastes very strong and cheesy and may use it in small amounts to flavor rice or noodles, while others find it tastes "bland and unremarkable", requiring the addition of flavoring condiments such as mustard and soy sauce. Many non-Japanese find the taste very unpleasant, while others relish it as a delicacy. Some manufacturers produce an odorless or low-odor nattō. The split opinion about its appearance and taste might be compared to Vegemite in Australia and New Zealand, blue cheese in France, lutefisk in Norway and Sweden, Mämmi in Finland and Marmite in the UK. Even in Japan, nattō is more popular in some areas than in others. Nattō is known to be popular in the eastern Kantō region (Tokyo), but less popular in Kansai (Osaka, Kobe). About 236,000 tons of nattō are consumed in Japan each year.

Ain't that disgusting really, wiki makes it sounds like a pile of poop or
something. Ok I didn't try the ones you buy in a food court when I was
there, but from a stand. And that was good. Lut(e)fisk in Sweden is like ten
times more disgusting.

It just looks... really gross. I'm the kind of person who will try anything once. I've had escargot, chitlins, etc... but I just am really unsure about natto. Does it smell like wiki says it does?

Natto was indeed an "experience" I would say it taste the equivalent as Children do to Brocolli

（*＾＾）/~~~~~~~~~~◎

I just asked my sensei about this in class last night. He's from Osaka, though, so he knows what is but it didn't sound like he's ever had it... which is funny because the girl who sits next to me is from Seoul, S Korea and she has had natto. She said it wasn't that bad, but not especially desirable... and yes, it does smell.

If you call natto 'rotten beans', I'll have to call cheese 'rotten milk'.

Gross? Vomit? Thanks! No wonder many Japanese don't even come near JF.

Wow, super rude. That's why I asked about it, because I have never eaten nor seen it in person. All I know is that it sounds gross and looks gross by the picture. Cheese doesn't string up and get sticky like that.

I wasn't trying to insult anyone by stating my personal opinions on a food. I think you're a bit too sensitive if you're insulted by that. Kthxbye.

If you think that's rude, perhaps I should run around tell people they're rude because they think onions are nasty.

Hehe, Very clevar!

(*^_^;)_o/━━━━━━>ﾟ)))≫彡 ~ ~ ~

But its the same concept as cheese. so. he's made a valid point./

But I don't live in Japan, I am not from Japan, nor have I ever been to Japan. I know that! It says it smells like cheese, not that it's the same concept as cheese. That's why I asked about it. I still think he was a bit too sensitive.