My fermented soybean-eating friend
A friend of mine eats fermented soybeans, or natto as it is called in Japanese. My friend doesn't really enjoy it, but neither does he dislike it. Eating fermented soybeans is just one facet of living a health life, one more thing in addition to not drinking too much, exercising, getting enough sleep, and eating fruits and vegetables. He has natto rolls when he goes out for sushi, sometimes with green onions and sometimes without, and he eats natto at home too, mixed with ingredients such as salmon. He eats both the light natto and the dark natto. My friend -- we will call him Fred -- never tells anyone Japanese about his natto-eating, not unless he is asked directly.
Fred is not ashamed of eating natto, but he just doesn't want to participate in the natto dialogue. Natto, if you have never tasted it before, has a rather strong taste. He won't even attempt to describe it. If I push him, he asks me to describe vegemite. I search for words and can only say that it is really strong and salty, not exactly an eloquent description. Fred relents and says that natto is really strong and tastes a bit like beans. Fred is the first to say that his description is not very good. If you are really interested in what natto is like, buy some and try it. Remember that natto is kind of a topping or something you mix with food. Like vegemite, you don't eat it straight.
Due to natto's strong taste, many Japanese seem to love talking about natto. Fred thinks this is all part of the Japanese passion for Japan and things Japanese. Historically, people in colder climates in Japan ate natto as it would spoil quickly in the warmer climes. Fred doesn't really care that much about natto or natto history. Fred says natto is an acquired taste like vegemite, beer or blue cheese. He says to take a look at Wikipedia if you want to know more.
Back to the natto dialogue, many Japanese actually ask Westerners if they can eat natto. This is one of the stock questions in Japan, right up there with can you use chopsticks and what do you think about Japan. Answer negatively and you reinforce the questioner's originally held belief that Japan and Japanese are unique and basically only Japanese eat natto. Fred isn't sure if the question, when asked in English, uses the word can due to a mistake in English or due to a belief that eating natto is an ability. Either you can or you can't. Anyway, Fred doesn't like to affirm such beliefs.
Fred doesn't like to say he eats natto though for other reasons. If he replies affirmatively, that just leads to other questions or comments about him, other Westerners, and natto eating. Comments range from those saying that is incredible that he eats natto to comments that he is more Japanese than some Japanese. Fred is never sure how to respond to any of this. He doesn't want to insult anybody, but he doesn't really follow the logic. Eating natto really has no connection with nationality. Nor does it connect with national culture. Regional culture, yes, but national culture no. Fred simply doesn't want to hear what he privately considers more silliness. Every culture has their own silliness and Fred doesn't want to listen to any of it - not Japanese and not American.
Natto is just another food to Fred and he would just like to be able to eat his natto in peace and not have to talk about it.
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