Yuba was introduced to Japan during the Kamakura period as a Buddhist vegetarian dish, and is said to have first been made at Enryakuji Temple on Mount Hiei. In Kyoto, a city with many temples, there was a high demand for soy products as a protein source for the monks who could not eat meat or fish. Also, Kyoto's abundant high-quality groundwater made it ideal for producing yuba, which is made only from soybeans and water, so yuba production flourished. Later, vegetarian vegetarian dishes were served to worshippers at Zen temples, and yuba was also used in kaiseki cuisine at tea ceremonies, increasing the number of opportunities to eat it. By the Edo period, yuba had become a common ingredient in Kyoto cuisine. Today, despite being a plant-based ingredient, it is high in protein, low in calories, and rich in nutrients such as calcium, and is attracting attention as a health food.