Mito region has a large production of soy beans. Farmers make their own homemade natto, and nowadays natto is famous as the region’s specialty. According to an oral tradition, natto was first made in 1083, when Yoshiie Minamoto headed for Oshu for Gosannen no Eki and he stayed at the house of Ichimori Choja in Wataricho, Mito city, where boiled soy beans were used for horse food and its leftover turned to natto. Recently in Mito, people are enthusiastic in finding new ways of eating natto, and many restaurants serve innovative food such as natto pasta or deep fried natto. Many new recipes are entered from ordinary homes for the natto cooking contest organized by the Mito Chamber of Commerce and Industry.