Nattō Proverbs (納豆の諺)

Ibaraki, especially Mito, is famous for its nattō. Therefore it isn't hard to believe that there would be as this many nattō related proverbs to come out of this prefecture. Don't smell these too closely as you read them.

NOTE: There may have already been translations of these proverbs in the past. Please let us know if you have or know better ways of conveying the Japanese message in English. Yoroshiku.

納豆を食べると骨が丈夫になる（Nattō wo taberu to hone ga jōbu ni naru）

Eating nattō makes strong bones

納豆は夏負けの妙薬（Nattō wa natsu-make no myōyaku）

Nattō, summer heat's miraculous remedy

とき納豆を食べると悪酔いしない（Toki-nattō wo taberu to waru-yoi shinai）

Nattō eating, never sick from drinking

納豆食う人、色白美人（Nattō kū hito, irojiro bijin）

Fair skins for nattō eaters (the vitamin B2 in nattō helps to make the skin fair)

五月肩こり、納豆月（Gogatsu-katakori, nattō-getsu）

Shoulder stiffness in May, nattō eating month on its way (May is a very busy farming season. It was said that nattō consumed in large quantities provided the energy required for the exhausting job of rice planting)

納豆は血管を丈夫にする（Nattō wa kekkan wo jōbu ni suru）

Nattō helps blood circulation

納豆は腸の掃除役（Nattō wa chō no sōjiyaku）

Nattō equals intestine cleaner

納豆食べると根がつき、粘りが出る（Nattō taberu to ne ga tsuki, nebari ga deru）

Stick to it, stick at it with nattō (the Japanese word "Nebari" has two meanings - physically sticky, and mentally being very motivated)

風邪のひき始めに納豆汁（Kaze no hikihajime ni nattō-jiru）

Nattō soup for nascent colds

納豆どきの医者知らず（Nattō-doki no isha-shirazu）

Eat nattō each day to keep the doctor away

頭の回転を良くするねば納豆（Atama no kaiten wo yoku suru neba-nattō）

Sticky nattō for a speedy mind