Top 10 foods to try in Japan
With its stunning natural landscape and strong cultural identity, Japan is a once-in-a-lifetime holiday destination. The East Asian island is also home to some deliciously fresh cuisine.
Don’t leave Japan without trying…
Sushi
Put simply, sushi is raw fish
served on rice seasoned lightly with vinegar. It’s in the variety of flavors and textures – like tangy, creamy uni (sea urchin roe) and plump, juicy, ama-ebi (sweet shrimp) – that things get interesting. Despite sushi’s lofty image, it has a humble origin: street food.
Ramen
Ramen,
egg noodles in a salty broth, is Japan’s favourite late night meal.
It’s also the perfect example of an imported dish – in this case from
China – that the Japanese have made completely and deliciously their
own. There are four major soup styles: tonkotsu (pork bone), miso, soy sauce and salt. Fukuoka is particularly famous for its rich tonkotsu ramen; pungent miso ramen is a specialty of Hokkaido.
Unagi
Unagi
is river eel grilled over charcoal and lacquered with a sweet barbecue
sauce. According to folklore, unagi is the ideal antidote to the heat
and humidity of Japan’s stultifying summers. It’s a delicacy evocative
of old Japan and most restaurants that specialize in eel have a
wonderfully traditional feel. Fresh, wild-caught unagi is available May
through October.
Tempura
Light
and fluffy tempura is Japan’s contribution to the world of deep-fried
foods (though it likely originated with Portuguese traders). The
batter-coated seafood and vegetables are traditionally fried in sesame
oil and served with either a tiny pool of salt or a dish of soy
sauce-flavoured broth spiked with grated radish for dipping. Do not miss
out on ebi-ten (tempura prawns).
Kaiseki
Part
dinner, part work of art, kaiseki is Japan’s haute cuisine. It
originated centuries ago alongside the tea ceremony in Kyoto (and Kyoto
remains the capital of kaiseki). There’s no menu, just a procession of
small courses meticulously arranged on exquisite crockery. Only fresh
ingredients are used and each dish is designed to evoke the current
season.
Soba
Soba – long, thin buckwheat
noodles – has long been a staple of Japanese cuisine, particularly in
the mountainous regions where hardy buckwheat fares better than rice.
The noodles are served in either a hot, soy sauce-flavoured broth or at
room temperature on a bamboo mat with broth on the side for dipping.
Purists, who bemoan soup-logged noodles, prefer the latter.
Shabu-Shabu
Shabu-shabu
is the Japanese onomatopoeia for the sound of thin slices of beef or
pork being swished around with chopsticks in bubbling broth. It’s a
decadent dish, with platters of marbled meat brought to the table for
diners to cook themselves – it takes only a moment – one mouthful at a
time.
Okonomiyaki
Literally “grilled as you
like,” okonomiyaki is Japanese comfort food at its best, and a clear
violation of the typical refined image of Japanese food. It’s a savoury
pancake filled with any number of things (but usually cabbage and pork)
and topped with fish flakes, dried seaweed, mayonnaise and a
Worcester-style sauce. It’s also a lot of fun: At most restaurants,
diners grill the dish themselves at a hotplate built into the table.
Tonkatsu
Tonkatsu,
breaded and deep-fried pork cutlet, dates to the late 19th Century when
Japan threw open its doors to Western influence. But never mind the
European origin: the ingredients and attention to detail are thoroughly
Japanese. Tonkatsu – especially when it’s kuro-buta (Berkshire
pork) from Kagoshima – is melt-in-your-mouth tender, served with a side
of miso soup and a mountain of shredded cabbage.
Yakitori
A cold beer and a few skewers
of yakitori – charcoal grilled chicken – is an evening ritual for many
of Japan’s weekday warriors. Nearly every part of the chicken is on the
menu, all grilled to perfection, seasoned with either shio (salt) or tare (a sweet soy sauce-based sauce) and served with a side of friendly banter.
If you are a fan of Japanese cuisine, do not miss this!!!
