Food in Japan puts the "astronomic" in "gastronomic" delights. We so often found ourselves being gluttonous and eating food for the sake of enjoyment (ok maybe that was just me and not Rhonda...)!
I'll let the pictures do the talking:
Ramen noodles - originally from China, these noodles are typically wheat-based and are served with fatty slices of pork and garnished with various vegetables (seaweed, green onion, bamboo, etc) all in a savoury pork, chicken, or even seafood based broth! Extremely popular comfort food across the nation with regional specialties.
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| Ramen noodles of much variety but all so tasty! |
Sushi - originally a fermented and preserved dish, sushi as we know it today has been around since the early 1600's. Fresh raw fish (sometimes veggies or even fruit!) hand molded and served on top of rice that has been mixed with rice vinegar, sugar and/or salt.
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| We didn't have as much sushi as one would suspect! So many other dishes to try! |
Okonomiyaki - sometimes referred to as Japanese pizza, this omelet-on-a-crepe is a "cook it yourself" affair.
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| Think savoury omelet on top of a crepe, pan fried in front of you |
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| Pan fried on a teppanyaki grill (heated grilling table) |
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| Tatami mat seating |
Takoyaki - pan fried, octopus, dough balls on a skewer. A popular street food/snack that is served with a thick Worcestershire style sauce and mayo.
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| Sprinkled with seaweed, green onion, and some dried fish flakes |
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| Each ball individually cooked and flipped |
Udon noodles - another wheat based noodle but significantly thicker with more subtleness in flavour and content. Udon can be up to 1cm in diameter vs ~0.25cm (or less) for ramen. Served hot, cold, and even without soup, udon is not as universal as ramen but we discovered a real fondness for this noodle underdog.
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| Udon noodles to die for! Smokey, savoury soup, yum!! |
Natto - perhaps one of the more challenging dishes in Japanese cuisine. Natto is made of fermented soybeans and it certainly has a very acquired taste. Pungent smelling with a gooey, stringy, sticky texture, it's not for everyone. Popular with much of the nation, it is typically eaten mixed with soya sauce, a bit of mustard, with a bowl of rice. Although rich with health benefits, my first exposure to reminded me of rotting compost but over time I came to appreciate its flavour!
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| Fermented soybeans...either hate it or love it! |
Yakiniku - Japanese BBQ on your table. Choice succulent meats and veggies, often marinaded, you get to experience making the morsels of food for yourself to your own liking!
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| Japanese table BBQ |
Curry - Introduced to Japan by the British during the mid-1800s, Japanese Curry is a wildly popular dish across the country. A strong competitor to ramen for #1 comfort food, it is often served with rice or noodles along with fried pork or chicken.
Katsu - Japanese schnitzel. Popular meat dish or add-on it is often made of pork but beef options can be found. Breaded and deep fried it's a dish that pleases many carnivores.
Karaage - KFC Japanese style. In my opinion, more flavourable, crunchy, and overall better than the American deep fried chicken, Karaage can also offer other meat options such as seafood.
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| Japanese fried chicken, pronounced "ka-ra-ghey" |
Looking back on Japan we found it to be comparable in cost to any 1st world country. Cleanliness, hospitality, and ease of travel is first rate and other than not knowing the language, it was superbly easy and relaxing. We left with many fond memories and would highly recommend it to anyone to experience!
We're now back in Vancouver with plans to enjoy more of the beauty of BC this summer and spend lots of time in nature!
