Back in 2019, when I first arrived in Japan, my mother-in-law served me this fermented soybean at lunch. I could still clearly recall the small brown beans’ stickiness and sliminess, along with a strange smell. It was not love at first sight. When my mother-in-law saw that I was not enjoying it, I probably looked horrified when she saw me. She encouraged me to stop eating if I did not feel like it. However, I made every effort to gulp it and consume it all because I felt ashamed about not eating it. That was the first and last natto I had. Fast forward: now that I have a one-year-old daughter, I was already contemplating giving her a natto. I heard from my Japanese friends how beneficial natto is to the body. I was even told by some that it was quite tasty and that I should give it another try. As a mother, I wanted to give my daughter the most nutritious food on the planet. I therefore had my daughter try it for the first time and see if she would like it. My mother-in-law warned me t...
A mother's journey to self-mastery while raising a heroic child.