Wooden chest with food samples

shokuzai hyōhon 食材標本

The chest is filled with foodstuffs such as rice, algae, and soy beans, tobacco, and traditional medicines. In 1873 the soy bean was first introduced to the west and arrived in the United States. In the 20th century soy beans became increasingly important for nutritional science and industry. In Austria, attempts to cultivate the soy bean began shortly after the Vienna World’s Fair.