🍱 Kuromameni

Kurodaizu is a black soybean that comes mainly from the Tamba area, including Kyotamba Town and Nantan City. The cultivation of soybeans has a long history, and soybeans themselves were counted as one of the five main grains by the time of “Kojiki” (record of ancient matters, edited in 712) and “Nihonshoki” (chronicles of Japan, edited in 720), but it is not known when a variety of soybeans, the Tamba black soybean, was established. In the tenth century, it was distinguished from the soybean as a "black bean" in books, and in the sixteenth century, the name "black bean" was used as an offering to the court, suggesting that cultivation was already flourishing by this time. Because the land is fertile and they are cultivated in an inland climate with a large temperature difference between day and night, the grains grow large and have a rich taste. Because of the long cultivation period of six months and the technical difficulties, the beans were sometimes called "Kurou mame (hardship beans)" by some growers. Large, wrinkle-free, shiny, black soybeans have a great taste when cooked. Recipes such as edamame and bean rice with unripe beans are common, as they allow you to enjoy the flavors of the ingredients directly. In the New Year's Osechi cuisine, they are made into "Kuromameni” (simmered black beans) and then served. “Kuromameni” represents a wish for longevity and good health, as well as a wish to be able to work as diligently as possible to get a deep suntan.