Like any other country, Japan has its own cuisine, popular dishes, and staple foods. Part of this Unique food culture is eating raw meat. During our first week in Japan, we had the great opportunity of trying all types of good food. One cool restaurant that I visited was a sushi restaurant in the Harajuku area. This restaurant was unique in that instead of a waiter bringing the food, you ordered via iPad and received your food from a mechanical train. At the restaurant, I had a very delicious sushi roll. I also got the chance to try Sashimi, a raw fish dish, for the fish time. I was a little hesitant about eating that big of a chunk of raw fish, so I asked the top to be seared. I didn’t like it because the texture was not something I could get past, but it was worth trying for the experience.
While visiting Azabu University in Kanagawa, Japan, we engaged with students and professors to learn more about the unique food culture that exists in Japan. We received a presentation from Dr. Yukio Morita about Food Hygiene in Japan. In his presentations, he mentioned that the Japanese rarely consumed meat, especially beef or pork, before the end of the Edo Period (1603-1868). However, with the influx of foreigners and settlers after the end of Japanese Isolationism, a shift in the food culture followed. The Japanese were now tasked with meeting the demand and supplying beef for their foreign residents. Fast forward to the Meiji Period, when eating beef in dishes like Sukiyaki and Gyudon was popular among the Japanese upper class. The main source of protein became fresh fish and Japanese Black Cattle, or wagyu, was slaughtered for its meat. Today, meat is present in almost all Japanese dishes, whether raw or cooked. Dr. Morita also talked about the various bacteria and food-borne illnesses that can come from consuming raw meat. Various agar plates of bacteria colonies were placed on the table to show how food-borne illnesses can arise.
Finally, we talked about the various measures Japan takes to make sure raw meat is safe for consumption. We talked about the mechanization of slaughterhouses and automatic bone remover devices which are being tested for use. Such advancements in technology would make it easier to improve the safety of meat and extend expiration dates. I learned that in Japan, not only do slaughterhouses have to meet international standards, but also all restaurants, stores, and companies that prepare or sell raw meat must be licensed. There is even a special license for preparing specific delicacies, like horse sashimi and fugu, a puffer fish dish.
After learning all about food hygiene it was time to dissect! We had the opportunity to dissect dead fish for parasites to make them “safe” for possible consumption. I loved this activity because I’m a huge fan of dissections. It was cool to see both the parasites with the naked eye and under the microscope. After extracting as many parasites as we could, we placed them in the various solutions of saline, wasabi, soy sauce, and whisky to see which one would effectively kill the parasites. We found whisky to be the most effective agent in killing the parasites.
Overall, it was interesting learning about the food culture and food hygiene practices in Japan. Because they eat so much raw meat, they have the responsibility to make sure all the meat they eat is safe for consumption. Many efforts are taken on a national governmental and municipal level to ensure that people have safe food to eat.