8th National Tofu Fair

The National Tofu Association (Headquarters: Ueno, Taito-ku, Tokyo; Chairman (Representative Director): Higashida Kazuhisa), a general incorporated association, held the National Tofu Competition on Saturday, September 7, 2024, to determine the best tofu in Japan, selected from regional competition preliminaries in six blocks across the country.

Tofu, a traditional food that Japan is proud of around the world, is not only a sustainable and excellent source of plant-based protein, but also has attracted attention from around the world for its functionality and versatility, and has become established as "TOFU."
We were able to cover the competition.

■ Kazuhisa Higashida, Chairman (Representative Director) of the National Tofu Association

The tofu competition began with the question, "What makes delicious tofu?" This was the eighth time the event has been held, with the first held in Kyoto. I make tofu in Kyoto, and while Kyoto tofu is delicious, the tofu I've eaten while traveling around Japan has been so delicious that it inspired me to hold a national competition. Tofu is an essential part of Japanese food culture, and I wanted to spread the word about delicious tofu made with domestically grown soybeans. There were many varieties of tofu on display at the venue, and I wanted people to experience how different types of soybeans can taste completely different. The appeal of handmade tofu is that even with the same ingredients and conditions, the taste can change depending on who makes it. All of the tofu exhibited this time is unique in that it's made by people, unlike automated tofu, and therefore has a rich flavor.

■ Vice Chairman of the National Tofu Association Shintaro Oishi

This was the eighth event, and each year the participants strive to make even more delicious tofu, raising the quality of the tofu. It may be difficult to create a tofu chain, but in the future I hope that local tofu makers will be able to make a profit in their town, like bakeries, and that more tofu makers will be able to survive without relying on supermarkets. There are also issues such as the low self-sufficiency rate for domestic soybeans, but in order to move in a positive direction, I would like young people to learn about tofu.

■Kenji Miyoshi, Chairman of the Japan Tofu Association

Japan's tofu culture is the most diverse in the world, with varieties such as yose tofu, momen tofu, kinugoshi tofu, and tasting tofu, all of which may look similar but have completely different tastes and textures. It may be difficult to tell the difference just by looking at the tofu lined up in a store, but the differences become clear when you actually compare them. Many young people, in particular, think that tofu has little flavor, but if you try it without anything on it, you'll be surprised at the difference in taste.

[Examination method]

Tofu is evaluated on the basis of a total score of 5 points for each of the five categories: taste, flavor, aftertaste, texture, and overall rating, except for preference, which is multiplied by 1.25.

[Subject to review]

There are four categories: firm tofu, silken tofu, soft tofu, and filled tofu. Tofu that does not contain any ingredients other than soybeans and water, or additives other than tofu coagulants.

Daiki Shimada, fourth-year student at Hosei University / Yurie Watanabe, first-year student at Josai International University