---
title: Tamba black soybeans
url: https://karigurashijourney.com/en/notes/tamba-black-soybeans/
lang: en
journey: https://karigurashijourney.com/en/episodes/tamba/
---

# Tamba black soybeans

A little of each town’s story　/　Tamba, Hyogo

A large black soybean grown in the Tamba region since old times. It was presented to the shogunate and the imperial court, and records survive of taxes paid in black beans. A hundred beans weigh 80 to 90 grams, against about 30 for ordinary soybeans; the skins hold when simmered and the beans swell well. The edamame harvested in October, while the pods are young, is popular too. Hyogo is Japan's top producer, with about 1,400 hectares planted in fiscal 2022. At the hearth, black-soybean edamame came out as a side dish.

## This moment in the journey: A summer hearth is not bad at all

A summer hearth is not bad at all. With the electric fan turning, I poured non-alcoholic beer from a can into a glass; beer by the fire tastes especially good.

The host's home cooking was superb too: sweetfish and shiitake roasted at the hearth, and edamame of Tamba black soybeans, a real treat.

When I lifted the wooden lid, the botan nabe was ready. In the miso-colored broth were the meat and vegetables, shiitake, tofu and carrot. The boar was rich without being heavy, a perfect match for the sweet miso seasoning. Sweating on a summer night, I enjoyed a delicious hot pot.

![A bowl of black-soybean edamame](https://karigurashijourney.com/img/tamba/s100-1200.jpg)
- Sources: https://web.pref.hyogo.lg.jp/nk12/af11_000000115.html

Read this scene in the full journey: https://karigurashijourney.com/en/episodes/tamba/