Singer Akiko Wada named Natto Queen 2008

Thursday 03rd July, 05:48 AM JST

TOKYO —

Singer Akiko Wada, 58, has been named Natto Queen 2008 by the Japan Natto Cooperative Society Federation. Wada follows in the footsteps of past winners such as Aya Ueto and Rei Kikukawa.

“I’ve been eating natto longer than any of them,” Wada said. “I first started eating natto because my first husband liked it. Like other Osaka people in general, I didn’t like it, but now I do. It’s one of the most famous Japanese foods in the world.”

Latest 15 of 44 Total Comments Show All

presto345 at 08:01 PM JST - 3rd July

I remember a saying in a country where I once lived: 'What the yokel doesn't know he won't eat'. This pretty much sums up the attitude most people on this forum have about fermented beans. Natto comes in hundreds of flavors and degrees of fermentation, just like your cheese, and some may just suit your palate. And if you care to comment, look up the benefits of this extremely healthy food, which is also tasty if you learn how to eat it.
bamboohat at 09:31 PM JST - 3rd July

Nato is based on soybeans, and soy is known to reduce testosterone in males. So dudes, eat nato all you want, you you'll end up in another article sympathizing with a guy that can't read his homo mags in jail.
lipscombe at 09:31 PM JST - 3rd July

wada has natto kusai, not bad for a foreigner too
Sarge at 09:38 PM JST - 3rd July

"soy is known to reduce testosterone in males"

Did you hear that, USNinJapan?
Wait a dang minute - I eat tofu all the time... well, so far, no ill effects...

Uh, oh, I haven't mentioned Wada or natto yet in this post... OK, natto is edible, but I wouldn't go any farther than that. If there's ANYTHING else to eat, I'll eat it!
timorborder at 09:42 PM JST - 3rd July

No Spanish, clearing out a room of people is done by eating huge amounts of garlic and then sweating the garlic from the pores of your skin.

Natto is rather lame on the irritation scale. As I wrote earlier, I have eaten much worse. For example, Bedouin sheep meat hamburgers. These are very tender because some toothless grandmother chews the meat before it is made into hamburgers. There are also certain "heppo" rolls (spring rolls made under the most insanitary conditions) in certain Asian countries, which literally allow the world to fall out of certain parts of the human anatomy after they are consumed. I have also eaten frog spawn, maggots and other "natural" foods as part of army survival traing. Trust me, formented soy beans pale by comparison.
timorborder at 09:52 PM JST - 3rd July

"soy is known to reduce testosterone in males"

This does not seem to have impacted Wada-san in any way :).
timeon at 11:21 PM JST - 3rd July

Natto is a great source of lean protein and I like it. Tastes way better than the crap you get at Mc Donalds anyway
plasticmonkey at 07:03 AM JST - 4th July

Didn't Abba do a song about this award?
electric2004 at 01:03 PM JST - 4th July

When my little boy was smaller (2 years old), he also liked natto. But then changing his diapers later, honto kusai!
Wottock_Hunt at 01:05 PM JST - 4th July

Anybody know what this woman does? Other than get on my nerves and cry a lot about her hysterectomy?
isthistheend at 08:43 PM JST - 4th July

You don't know? Why she was the forerunner of todays Sanma. Loud mouth, bullish, and face like a horse.
Sarge at 08:46 PM JST - 4th July

isthistheend ( 8:43 ) - Har!
omarbabilon at 03:05 PM JST - 5th July

does It means she is a stinky queen?
omarbabilon at 03:06 PM JST - 5th July

hmmm... its a really smelly honor isnt it?....
Wottock_Hunt at 01:00 AM JST - 6th July

It’s one of the most famous Japanese foods in the world.”

self-absorption at its best. Like that place somebody told me about which is world-famous for towels,if you live there.