世論 What Japan Thinks

Over a week in the middle of July DIMSDRIVE Research look at that Japanese staple, tofu. They interviewed 4,171 members of their internet monitor group by means of a private questionnaire; 65.0% of the respondents were female, 1.7% in their teens, 18.7% in their twenties, 33.7% in their thirties, 25.3% in their forties, 13.0% in their fifties, and 7.6% aged sixty or older.

Tofu (and soy beans in general) is just about my favourite Japanese food, and I recommend everyone to try a posh tofu restaurant at least once, even if you, like AA Gill of the Times, believe it to be no more than “congealed river scum”. Recently, I’ve not eaten it as much I usually do, although I still have some two to four days a week, it’s abura-age or Koya-dofu, not the plain block tofu.

Also, this weekend I had a wonderful tofu lunch at Seed’s Kitchen in Takarazuka (I should ask them for a discount for this free advert!). As pictured down towards the bottom of that page, it features seven different styles of tofu and rice with black soya beans for just 1200 yen.

Q1: About how ofen do you eat food prepared with tofu? (Sample size=4,171)

Every day	6.6%
Four to six days a week	17.1%
Two to three days a week	38.3%
One day a week	21.8%
Two or three days a month	11.6%
One day a month	2.1%
Less than that	2.1%
Don’t eat tofu	0.4%

Older people tended to eat tofu more often, and women slightly more than men.

Q2: Do you like tofu? (Sample size=4,171)

Love it	46.5%
Quite like it	42.0%
It’s OK	9.1%
Don’t really like it	2.0%
Hate it	0.4%

Older people tended to like it just a bit more, and men more than women of the same age.

Q3: What way do you often eat tofu? (Sample size=4,154, multiple answer)

冷奴, hiyayakko, chilled tofu	88.8%
In miso soup, pork soup, etc	84.3%
麻婆豆腐, mabo doufu, “Sichuan style bean curd”, spicy mince and tofu	61.8%
湯豆腐, yudoufu, gently boiled tofu in a nice soup	35.7%
揚げ出し, agedashi, deep-fried tofu	33.9%
Nabe – boiled in a pot with meat and veggies	33.7%
Sukiyaki	30.4%
炒め物, itamemono, stir-fried	2.5%
Salad	19.7%
Tofu hamburger	19.3%
白和え, shiro-ae, mashed tofu	16.9%
Tofu steak	11.7%
Soup	9.7%
田楽, dendaku, skewered tofu coated in miso	5.9%
Other	2.0%
None in particular	0.3%

Q4: What tofu and tofu products do you like? (Sample size=4,154, multiple answer)

Tofu

絹ごし豆腐, kinugoshi-doufu, silken tofu	76.6%
木綿豆腐, momen-doufu, cotton tofu	57.2%
寄せ豆腐, おぼろ豆腐, ざる豆腐, yose-, oboro-, zaru-doufu, sieved tofu	43.8%

The types of tofu above are differentiated by how smooth they are, I believe; silken is sieved through silk, so is really smooth, cotton is a bit lumpy and more suited for boiling than eating as is, but I have never actually eaten the final type, but I imagine it is even more lumpy.

Tofu-based processed food

厚揚げ, atsu-age, thick fried tofu	59.3%
油揚げ, abura-age, thin fried tofu	52.5%
がんもどき, ganmodoki, deep-fried tofu mixed with thinly sliced vegetables and seaweed, sort of veggie-burger-like	35.7%
焼き豆腐, yakidoufu, grilled tofu	23.0%

Other Tofu-related products

たまご豆腐, tamago-doufu, egg tofu	47.4%
おから、okara, soya bean husks	35.5%
湯葉, yuba, bean curd skin (similar to the skin that forms on top of hot milk)	35.3%
Sesame tofu	35.2%
Soya milk	31.7%
凍り豆腐, 高野豆腐, koori-, koya-doufu, dried frozen tofu	30.1%

Misc

Other	0.7%
Don’t like any types	1.2%

By sex, women prefered silken tofu and sieved, men cotton.

Q5: What do you eat chilled tofu with? (Sample size=4,154, multiple answer)

Sauce

Soy sauce	83.3%
Ponsu	42.9%
Mentsuyu, katsuo dashi, etc – bonita or seaweed flavour	24.6%
Dressing (any non-traditional sauce?)	15.0%
Sesame	12.7%
Miso	4.3%
Olive oil	2.1%
Other sauce	2.2%

Condiments

Green onions	71.4%
Bonita flakes	64.2%
Ginger	44.8%
Shiso	36.0%
みょうが, myouga, Japanese ginger	35.3%
Small fishes	14.9%
Sesame	14.4%
Sour plums	12.8%
Okura	11.4%
Grated radish	11.0%
Natto	10.9%
Wasabi	10.6%
Seaweed	8.2%
Citrus fruits	6.3%
もみじおろし, momiji oroshi, autumn leaves with grated radish and red pepper	4.3%
Mustard	4.2%
Salt	3.8%
Other toppings	3.8%

Others

Just eat it straight	0.8%
Don’t eat chilled tofu	0.6%

Q6: When you yourself buy tofu, what size do you most often purchase? (Sample size=4,154)

Large size block (over 400 grams)	6.8%
Regular size block (300 to 400 grams)	59.1%
Small size block (under 300 grams)	7.7%
Two or three block multi-pack	15.7%
Other size	0.3%
Make tofu myself	0.1%
Don’t know	0.8%
Don’t buy tofu myself (to end)	9.5%

Q6SQ1: About how much do you pay per pack for tofu? (Sample size=3,758)

Up to 50 yen	10.2%
Up to 80 yen	14.3%
Up to 100 yen	29.2%
Up to 120 yen	18.3%
Up to 150 yen	12.6%
Up to 200 yen	8.4%
Up to 300 yen	3.1%
Up to 500 yen	0.8%
Don’t know	3.1%

Q6SQ2: Where do you buy tofu? (Sample size=3,758, multiple answer)

Supermarket	94.2%
Tofu shop	12.7%
Discount store	8.7%
Convenience store	3.4%
Mobile shop	2.0%
Internet mail order	0.6%
Other mail order	0.9%
Other	6.2%
Don’t know	0.2%

Q6SQ3: What points are important when buying tofu? (Sample size=3,758, multiple answer)

Best before date	46.2%
Made from Japanese soya beans	44.2%
Low price	38.9%
Type of tofu	24.0%
Smoothness	23.5%
Made from organic soya beans	18.5%
Rich bean taste	18.2%
Easy-to-use package	16.9%
Freshness	16.7%
Two or three pack	12.8%
Brand, maker or shop	9.9%
Only beans, water and nigari used	9.7%
How it fits with food	9.7%
Softness	9.2%
Made from famous water	5.8%
Shape of tofu block	4.4%
No excess water in pack	3.0%
High-grade image	3.0%
Rarity	2.8%
Other	2.3%
No particularly important points	6.4%

Looking at the important points by sex, women found just about everything more important than men! Best-before date, low price and kind of tofu was over 10 percentage points more important for them. The only points that had a significant higher number of male votes were 4.6% more men after organic tofu, 3.6% worried about freshness, and 1.9% about famous water. In addition, 6.0% more men just seem to grab the first thing on the shelves, saying that there were no particularly important points when shopping.