Tofu is known around the world as “tofu.”
First, soy milk is made by soaking and grinding soybeans in water and then boiling and straining the juice. Then by adding nigari, it thickens into tofu. This is made in large blocks and sliced into small portions for sale. The main two types are momendofu and kinugoshidofu. The first type is standard.
The second type is finer in texture and commonly used in summer dishes. Almost all varities of tofu are delicious and nutritious. Tofu is a common ingredient in miso soup. It is also served in nabemono, one-pot dishes cooked in a pot of broth. It is served warm in winter in the form of yudofu. In the summer, it is served cold as hiyayakko.
Tofu is said to have been introduced to Japan in the Nara period. In the beginning, tofu was a luxury food. In the Muromachi period, it came to be found in records of Kyoto temples and shrines.

In making good tofu, good clear water is essential. The reason why there are so many well-known yudofu and yuba shops in Kyoto today is probably because there are so many temples and because the city has an abundant supply of groundwater.