Nattoku! Factory offers free factory tours of a famous natto brand production process
Diehard lovers of Japan's infamous fermented soy beans can now get a glimpse of the sticky production process.
Takano Foods' Nattoku! Factory opened on April 12 of this year in Kasama, Ibaraki Prefecture. The plant, whose name is a pun on the words natto (fermented soy beans) and nattoku ('Got it! Agreed!'), produces the super popular Okame Natto brand that's omnipresent in Japanese supermarkets. Its most standard two-tone packaging features the face of a cheerful woman character known as Okame.
▼ Okame's face on an Okame Natto banner
As a lover of natto, our Japanese-language writer Natsuno Futon recently went to the factory with her family to see what it has to offer.
Now, this isn't actually the first time that she's visited a place dedicated to the pungent but oh-so-irresistible dish. A long time ago she had taken part in a tour at the Takano Foods headquarters near Mito, Ibaraki Prefecture, which is often called the birthplace of natto. She had tried sampling different kinds of natto and posed for photos next to a giant mask version of Okame there.
▼ Natsuno during her past natto-themed outing
Currently there are no more tours being offered at that location, but you can still visit it to see the on-site Natto Museum.
In any case, she was eager to visit the new Nattoku! Factory, which is about a 15-minute drive/taxi ride from Tomobe Station on the JR Joban Line.
▼ There's a massive parking lot so there's no trouble finding a spot.
Natsuno's excitement only grew as she approached the entrance.
She was excited to find that the first-floor shop sells a ton of Okame Natto-themed goods.
The Okame character was on everything from stationery to socks.
If you're a fan of mascot characters, you'll need to be careful not to empty out your wallet here!
She also found the more retro version of Okame in a few places, including the giant version for taking photos just like the one she had previously posed with in Mito. According to the staff, however, they were two different ones.
Moving up to the next floor, there was exhibit teaching the history of natto and its cultural diffusion across the world.
Natsuno was particularly delighted in viewing the evolution of Takano Foods' natto varieties over the years. It stirred up some nostalgic memories as she remembered seeing some of these very packs in her family's fridge growing up.
She and her family also loved this new photo op space where they could feel like they were emerging from a giant pack of natto!
Its attention to detail was great, right down to the shiny surface symbolic of slimy, sticky fermented beans.
Finally, she got ready to embark on a free guided tour. They're offered twice per day at 10 a.m. and 1:30 p.m., and you can reserve spots in advance.
First, everyone watched an animated special introducing the history of natto in a small movie theater.
A series of cute drawings and a painted time machine on the wall added to the fun.
They then walked through exhibits and took an Okame quiz before being taken to see the production facilities. During this part, they watched natto being placed into containers alongside tiny packets of soy sauce and mustard and then being bundled into packs of three. Even Futon's five-year-old daughter was moved to appreciate natto even more by seeing the actual production process.
A final surprise came at the very end when the visitors were presented with some fun, little souvenirs (it seems that the kind changes depending on the day, so you'll never know quite what to expect). On the way out, Futon also asked staff for their own natto recommendations to take home, which she then combined with tuna as soon as she got home.
Somehow, her newfound appreciation for natto made it taste better than ever before. Maybe all of the natto haters out there could also be swayed if they take part in the Nattoku! Factory tour as well.
Factory information Nattoku! Factory / なっとく！ファクトリー Address: Ibaraki-ken, Kasama-shi, Nagatoro 1320-2 茨城県笠間市長兎路1320番2 Open: 9:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Closed: Wednesdays
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