Food in Japan has a long history of different foods. As an island nation, Japan is rich with seafood and various species of fish, as well as several different dishes incorporating a variety of local vegetable ingredients such as the lotus root, enoki mushrooms, and mountain yam. While foods like rice and noodles are typically used as a base for dishes, often times soups and broths are also incorporated into meals such as ramen, miso soups, and hot pot. During my stay in Japan I have enjoyed a myriad of food dishes that I will attach in this post, and while seafood and rice is indeed a popular staple here in the nation of the rising sun, there are various local specialties that I will also detail throughout this blog.
One of the most unique specialties of Japan is Adzuki or red bean paste. Adzuki is also commonly referred to as Anko and can be found in many different confectioneries throughout Japan. In addition to being used as a spread on foods such as toast, it is also utilized as a stuffing for many pastries and bread items. I thoroughly enjoyed it as the texture although similar to a bean dish in America incorporates more sugar and is sweet rather than a flavorful hearty side dish such as baked beans. I am attaching an example of a fried dessert stuffed with Adzuki in picture 5.
Another unique specialty of Japan is the “Bento” culture, or a single portion take out or home cooked meal that often holds rice or noodles, fish, chicken, and pork, and pickled vegetables. The Bento culture of Japan can be most accurately compared to the lunchbox seen in elementary and middle school cafeterias, and while both are contained in a box of some kind, bento is considered an art form, with various foods presented in different wrappings and presentations to accentuate the food inside. I personally found the bento to be very interesting, and after trying several delicious varieties, can only hope that America will incorporate something similar in the future. An example of bento can be seen on picture 4.
If one is to discuss the food of Japan, they cannot do so without mentioning ramen, which has been a staple of Japanese cuisine for years. Ramen is typically a noodle dish served in a meat or fish-based broth that is often flavored with soy sauce or miso, and is commonly topped with sliced pork, dried seaweed, menma (a Japanese condiment made from lacto-fermented bamboo shoots), and scallions. Ramen is typically made with wheat noodles, and it is said that the origins of ramen can be traced to Chinese immigrants in the late 19th or early 20th century at Yokohama Chinatown. An example or Ramen can be seen in picture 3, served with sliced salmon sashimi.
Another popular Japanese dish is Okonomiyaki, which the name of is derived from the work “okonomi”, meaning “how you like” or “what you like”, and “yaki”, meaning “cooked”. Okonomiyaki is a Japanese savory pancake containing a variety of different ingredients including cabbage, pork, tempura scraps, and topped with a variety of condiments including Japanese mayonnaise, okonomiyaki sauce, dried seaweed, and dried bonito flakes, which is a type of fish. The Okonomiyaki that I had can be seen on picture 6.
Lastly, I will discuss hot pot and traditional rice bowls, both of which have served as a large foundation for East Asian cooking. Hot pot is a traditionally Chinese cooking method, prepared with a pot of soup stock at the dining table that is simmering, while several ingredients are placed into the pot and are cooked, including thinly sliced meat, leaf vegetables such as cabbage, mushrooms, wontons, egg dumplings, tofu, and seafood. The hot pot can be seen in picture 2. Finally, rice bowls are the foundation for many types of cuisine in Eastern Asian cooking, and Japan utilized the grain in almost every meal for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, similar to how Americans utilize bread. The rice bowl seen in picture 1 is topped with a variety of fresh seafood including eel, salmon roe, tempura shrimp, sliced sashimi, tamago egg ( sweet egg), and several vegetables such as cucumber. This dish was incredibly delicious and was only 10 dollars. The amount of delicious and affordable seafood in Japan is easily one of the best parts about, as well as a key component of its culture.
In conclusion, I thoroughly enjoyed the food in Japan. As previously stated, the sheer amount of cheap and delicious seafood is incredibly vast. If you are alright with taking small culinary risks when eating in Japan, you will not be disappointed, and I have discovered a love of many festival foods and local favorites that I will continue to remember and hopefully return to one day. A large part of any culture is its food, and as for Japans, I am very happy.
*In order of pictures from top left to top right, middle left to middle right, and bottom left to bottom right. 1.” Overflowing Seafood Bowl” made with rice and seafood, 2. Hotpot, 3. Ramen with Udon noodles and shrimp tempura, 4. A bento box with rice, vegetables, chicken, and octopus, 5. An example of Adzuki red bean paste used in a dessert, these types of desserts are often fried and served on a stick, 6. Okonomiyaki, which is a sort of savory pancake and is often eaten with mayonnaise and a tangy, slightly sweet sauce.
