When people think of Japanese food, they often only think of sushi or ramen. However, Tokyo has more Michelin-starred restaurants than any other city in the world, and in Osaka they create new words out of their love of food. For all these reasons, it could be said that Japan is the world center of gastronomy. One reason for the country’s extraordinary cuisine is that its culinary tradition revolves around umami ; the fifth taste: umamimeans “pleasant, tasty taste” and is the (scientific) reason why (almost) everyone prefers ketchup to sausages and French fries. Basically, it enhances the flavor of many foods; sweet, sour and of all kinds. Who doesn’t want to eat in a country that has the (secret) ingredient to make everything taste better? I’m going to give you ten delicious reasons to embark on a culinary adventure in Japan sushi.
1.Sushi
Sushi put Japan on the food map, so it’s only fair to put it first. These rice rolls date back to the 4th century BC. C, and served to preserve the fish. Today they are the favorite food for dipping in soy sauce. Making sushi is an art and it takes decades to become a true sushi master – you can spend years just learning how to make rice right. You can find the best sushi in Ginza ( Tokyo ) and in the country’s fishing ports, but you can also go to a kaiten-zushi , one of the many restaurants that serve it on a conveyor belt, which are more affordable.
- Tempura
In the 16th century, Portuguese Jesuit missionaries landed in Nagasaki and introduced the revolutionary method of frying food to Japan. The Japanese adopted it and began to fry seafood and vegetables, which they first coated with a light batter. This oishii or appetizer is perfect to accompany it with rice, noodles or roast meat. - Ramen
This noodle soup is one of the most popular and cheapest dishes in Japan, so it makes sense that it’s also a favorite among college students. Noodle ramen is as simple to make as it is delicious: use wheat noodles, like the Chinese ones (they’re yellowish and look a bit like spaghetti), put them in broth, and top with slices of meat, dried seaweed, and green onion. Lots of people eat ramen for lunch, and in Japan it’s considered fast food. However, many restaurants have their own secret recipe, so the experience can be unique ( umami ) each time.
4.Soba
Soba , the Japanese word for buckwheat, are thin, spaghetti-like noodles made with—surprise!—buckwheat flour, which gives it that characteristic gray-brown color. Soba noodles are widely eaten in Tokyo and date back to the Edo Period (1603-1868), when they became popular among samurai. Eggs, tempura and other ingredients can be placed on top of the noodles, and they can be served hot or cold, with or without broth. Cold soba noodles are eaten with a soy-based sauce called tsuyu , and after trying them, I decided to upgrade to Team Hot Soba .
5.udon
We continue with the noodles and now I am going to tell you about the udon noodles, the thick cousins ??of the soba noodles. The broth is the natural habitat of udon, on top it is put chives, tempura or tofu. If you spend enough time in Japan, people will ask if you’re an udon or soba person, so be sure to try them all and pick your favorites. However, when you eat ramen, soba or udon, you have to slurp it loudly, it’s considered polite and a sign that you’re liking the food.
- Takoyaki
Takoyaki are flour balls filled with squid, cabbage, or dried shrimp, and served with sauce. Throughout Japan you will find many street vendors and food stalls selling takoyaki , and it is perfect for eating on the go: they are bite-sized, because they are made in special molds, and almost perfectly round in shape.
7.Onigiri
Anime fans will surely recognize this from Pokemon and Sailor Moon. Onigiri is a ball of cooked rice that is filled with salty or sour things, such as dried plums, salmon, or cod, and then wrapped in dried seaweed (nori). You can find them all over the country, even in grocery stores.
- Okonomiyaki
Okonomiyaki is a combination of the word okonomi, which means “to your liking” or “as you like” and yaki , the Japanese word that means “roasted” or “cooked”: it is a tasty pancake that has several ingredients, I tried one with cheese, soba noodles, green onion, fried garlic slices, pork, egg and kimchi. There are many ways to prepare and serve okonomiyaki ; When I tried it, there was a line of cooks who prepared the different orders and then served them on a small griddle so they wouldn’t get cold. A small spoon-like spatula is used to eat them, and the rest is delicious history.
9.Yakitori
The best accompaniment for these grilled chicken skewers is a cold drink. Yakitori can be made with different parts of the chicken, such as the thighs, wings or liver, so we recommend that you not be a chicken and try all the skewers you come across .
10.Katsudon
It’s a bowl of rice topped with fried pork chops and an egg omelet. Katsudon is not only delicious, but it is supposed to bring luck to students, athletes, or anyone who needs it. The first part of the dish, katsu, sounds very similar to the Japanese word meaning ” to win ” or ” to be victorious .” (So ??make sure you eat katsudon before your next test. If you don’t get a good grade, at least you’ve eaten something delicious.)