Characteristic products and catering
Rice is omnipresent in Japan, both as a base for sushi and as a side dish. The "japonica" variety is used here, as in China and Korea, prized for its short grains and slightly sticky texture. Noodles come in three main varieties: soba, udon and rāmen. Soba are buckwheat noodles, eaten cold or hot, while udon are thick wheat noodles, eaten in beef or pork soup. Rāmen are noodles of Chinese origin developed in Fukuoka, made from wheat flour, eaten in soup. Also originating from China, tofu is particularly common in Japanese cuisine.
On the meat side, one thinks of course of the famous Kōbe beef, of the wagyu breed, whose oxen are pampered and even massaged to ensure the tenderness of a meat, extremely marbled, whose price can reach up to 500 €/kg. It is grilled on steel plates or presented in thin slices to cook in a broth. Buddhism prohibited the consumption of beef, and even red meat in general, until the end of the 19th century. As a result, beef remained a moderately consumed and rather expensive product. Pork, on the other hand, is much cheaper and is very common, as is chicken. Japanese, like many Asians, are mostly lactose intolerant. However, there is a local production of milk in Hokkaido, of excellent quality, very famous in Japan for its high fat content.
Fish and seafood have always been a cornerstone of Japanese cuisine; witness the Toyosu Fish Market in Tokyo, the largest such market in the world, which replaced the iconic Tsukiji Market in 2018 as it had become too small. A 278 kg bluefin tuna was even sold there at a record price of 2.7 million euros in 2019. Fish and seafood must always be very fresh, and it is not uncommon for restaurants to have aquariums where the fish is killed when preparing the dish, to ensure optimal freshness. From the icy waters of the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the tropical lagoons of the Ryūkyū, there is an endless variety of fish and shellfish. In Japan, surimi (literally "fish paste") is not a secondary ingredient and is used in many dishes and products such as kamaboko, known for its pink and white spiral pattern. The controversial consumption of whale meat is very old in the country but remained a minority until World War II when it was an important source of protein and fat in a country devastated by fighting. Today, although 15% of Japanese say they sometimes eat whale meat, it represents only 0.1% of the meat consumed in the country. For those who might be tempted, it should be noted that cetaceans are at the top of the food chain - like large fish such as tuna or swordfish - and that, through accumulation, they store a lot of heavy metals in their flesh, such as mercury.
Fish can also be used as a condiment, such as katsuobushi (dried bonito petals), a major ingredient in dashi, a broth also flavored with miso (fermented soybean paste) and kombu, a type of seaweed known as kelp in French. Seaweeds are essential to Japanese cuisine. Of course, nori, a very fine seaweed, can be found on plates to make sushi or to flavour various dishes. Not forgetting wakame - very rich in vitamins - with its crunchy and slightly elastic texture, appreciated in salads or sautéed. Soy sauce(shoyu) is omnipresent in Japan, as well as rice vinegar(su) and mirin, a sweet and light rice wine. Teriyaki sauce is a mixture of soy sauce, sugar and mirin, often thickened with starch. Ponzu is also a popular sauce, made with soy sauce, sugar and juice of some citrus fruits like yuzu.
If Japanese cuisine is not lacking in taste, it uses few spices as such except pepper. However, shichimi, a mixture of red pepper, tangerine zest, sesame, poppy, hemp seeds, nori and sancho (Sichuan pepper) is worth mentioning. We can also mention other herbs such as shiso, with its very fragrant leaves, karashi, similar to a strong French mustard, and of course wasabi, a plant similar to horseradish, known for its very aromatic and pungent root. Its capricious cultivation and delicate conservation make it a rare and generally unaffordable food. The green paste served in almost all sushi restaurants outside Japan is a mixture of European horseradish, which is much less expensive.
There is also a wide variety of vegetables such as leafy vegetables(komatsuna or spinach-mustard, Chinese cabbage, mizuna, shungiku or chrysanthemum leaves). Other vegetables include daikon or white radish, bamboo shoots, lotus roots, turnip, carrot, potato, yam and sweet potato. Kabocha pumpkin, cucumber, winter melon(toogan), eggplant, green beans, broad beans and soybean sprouts are also very popular. Konnyaku or konjac has a tuber that is extremely high in starch but very low in calories, which can be made into a jelly and served in strips or thin slices in soups or stews. The term " tsukemono " refers to vegetable pickles macerated with brine or vinegar. Beni shōga is the ginger-based tsukemono served with sushi. Mushrooms play a very important role as well. The shiitake is the most common Japanese mushroom, but there are also shimeji,enokitake,eringi and matsutake. The braver ones can try nattō, fermented soybeans that not only develop a very powerful pungent smell but give it a slimy texture, usually repulsive to non-Japanese.
For travelers landing in Japan on a tight budget, it is still possible to get a very good taste of the local cuisine and some restaurants offer quite affordable dishes and packages, especially at lunchtime, between 7 and 10 €. Let's mention the izakaya, small restaurants where young (and not so young) workers (workers as well as executives) come to have dinner before going home. Teishoku are restaurants - often family restaurants - which offer different formulas and serve the dishes generally at the same time, on a tray. Concerning street food, it should be noted that Japanese people are very attached to the cleanliness of public places and eating in the street is rather badly seen. However, during festivals, whole streets can be occupied by street vendors(yatai). While it may seem impolite to eat a noodle soup noisily, sucking the air at the same time, this technique is quite normal in Japan and allows to devour a noodle soup quickly while cooling it down. At the restaurant, the staff serves either water or tea (hot or cold). It is always possible to ask for more afterwards and it is not necessary to order other drinks.
The basics of Japanese cuisine
Rice is a central element found in many dishes. Donburi, for example, consists of a large bowl of rice usually topped with grilled onions and omelet, which is endlessly varied with katsudon (breaded pork or tonkatsu), gyūdon (beef strips),unagidon (grilled eel),oyakodon (chicken), kimuchidon( Koreankimchi ), tekkadon with tuna sashimi (or sakedon with salmon) or tendon with tempura, usually shrimp. Onigiri is a cheap snack (1-2 €) that can be found everywhere in the form of a sushi rice ball molded in the shape of a triangle, filled with cooked fish (tuna, salmon, eel) or sometimes with fresh cheese or meat, wrapped in a square of nori. Another cheap option, the bentō is the equivalent of a packed lunch that can be found everywhere in shops and especially in train stations(ekiben) for a fairly low price (5-7 €). This dish prepared in a compartmentalized box is usually composed of rice, a small omelette, chicken or fish with vegetables. Just before noon, it is also common for bentō vendors to set up shop on sidewalks in business districts or in front of government offices. Kiritanpo are toasted rice dough sticks used as a garnish for soups.
Tempura consists of vegetables (zucchini, carrots, etc.) or shrimp, fish or oyster covered with a thin fritter-like batter. Other types of tempura include kakiage(tempura made of chopped ingredients),aburaage (fried tofu) and karaage(tempura coated with starch instead of fritter batter). Toriten is a chicken tempura from Ōita on the island of Kyūshū. Kushikatsu consists of meat, seafood and vegetables, breaded and skewered on wooden spikes. Yakitori are skewers of chicken, beef, fish or even mushrooms, lacquered with a sweet sauce. Note that the beef-cheddar yakitoris found in France are a purely Western invention.
The street markets will also be an opportunity to taste the famous takoyaki (egg-based dough balls filled with pieces of octopus) from Osaka, ganmodoki (tofu croquettes with vegetables), yakiimo (sweet potatoes cooked on a bed of stones, a bit like hot chestnuts) or gyozas (ravioli stuffed with pork, cabbage and leek). Impossible not to mention theokonomiyaki, a shredded white cabbage pancake crowned with pork(buta), squid(ika), vegetables(yasai) or mixed(mikkusu), covered with a thick and sweet brown sauce, mayonnaise, soy sauce and dried bonito shavings(katsuobushi). The best okonomiyaki is said to come from Hiroshima.
Noodle recipes are legion in Japan, both cold and hot, stir-fried or served in a broth. Rāmen are very popular wheat noodles served in a very aromatic broth with meat and boiled eggs cooked at low temperature(onsen tamago). There are a multitude of variations such as the tonkotsu rāmen of Hakata, served with a very rich pork-based broth, theonomichi rāmen topped with slices of braised pork in a soy sauce broth, or the miso rāmen of Sapporo, served in a miso broth. Finally, the "Taiwan" rāmen of Nagoya are from Japan, although inspired by Taiwanese cuisine, and are topped with very spicy ground beef.
Soba is eaten hot in soup(kake soba), or cold with nori and dipped in soy sauce(zaru soba). Yakisoba is a Chinese-inspired dish of stir-fried noodles, served with meat, seafood and vegetables with soy sauce. Despite its name, this recipe is not prepared with soba, but with rāmen. Yakiudon is the variant made with udon noodles, which are more meaty. Okinawan sōki soba, which is also a wheat noodle-based recipe, is served in dashi broth and topped with san-mai niku (pork belly) or soki (pork ribs). Locals like to pour a few drops of kōrēgūsu, a decoction with chilies marinated in rice alcohol, into it. Champon is a noodle, vegetable and seafood soup from Nagasaki.
Many noodle recipes come in the form of soups, which are an essential part of Japanese cuisine, although not all of them contain noodles, such as the classic miso soup or misoshiru, which is made with broth and miso, although other ingredients, such as vegetables, seaweed, tofu, meat or seafood, may be added. Yudofu is a recipe for tofu simmered in a broth flavored with kombu seaweed, originating in Kyoto.
There are some wok dishes such as chanpurū, typical of Okinawan cuisine, consisting of tofu with different types of vegetables, meat or fish and bitter cucumber(gōyā). Rafute is an iconic Okinawan dish made of caramelized pork belly with sugar and soy sauce. Tataki refers to a technique of cooking fish or meat - usually tuna or beef - seared very briefly over a flame or in a pan, then marinated quickly in vinegar and finally sliced thinly and seasoned with ginger. Tataki is said to have originated in Kōchi Prefecture on the island of Shikoku. Robata-yaki is not a dish but a type of cooking, a kind of barbecue offering a variety of ingredients: meat, seafood, fish, vegetables, etc., which are grilled in front of the customers on demand. Teppanyaki is quite similar, but the charcoal grill is replaced by a hot plate where the food is grilled like a plancha. Meat is sometimes served raw as well. This is the case with basashi, a specialty sashimi of horse meat, from Kumamoto, on the island of Kyūshū.
Jingisukan - understand "Genghis Khan" - is a lamb dish cooked on a hot plate with bean sprouts, onions and mushrooms. Lamb and mutton are almost non-existent in Japanese cuisine and this dish is influenced by the cuisine of Northeast China, although it was invented in Hokkaido. Another surprising dish, Japanese curry or karē comes with three accompaniments: rice(karēraisu), noodles(karē udon) and in the form of fried turnovers(karē-pan). Introduced to Japan during the Meiji era (1869-1913) by the British, who were occupying India at the time, this curry is less spicy and sweeter than its Indian counterpart. It is prepared with a thick sauce bound with flour like a gravy and contains carrot, potato and onion. Pork, beef and chicken are the most popular meats. The popular katsu-karē is topped with tonkatsu (breaded pork cutlet).
There are also more robust dishes enjoyed in winter. One thinks of nabemono, halfway between a pot-au-feu and a fondue, which comes in various forms. The famous shabu-shabu is probably the most famous nabemono, made of thin slices of beef, noodles, tofu, vegetables and mushrooms that are instantly cooked in a seaweed broth. Sukiyaki is also very popular, similar to shabu-shabu, but the food is cooked in a more aromatic broth and served with warishita sauce (soy sauce, mirin, sake and sugar) and beaten raw egg. But alsooden (fish croquettes, beef, hard-boiled eggs, cabbage, white radish), yosenabe (meat, seafood, hard-boiled eggs, tofu and vegetables) and motsunabe (beef or pork offal), originating from Fukuoka. Chankonabe - traditionally served to sumo wrestlers - contains many ingredients such as meatballs, chicken, Chinese cabbage and udon noodles. Senbei-jiru is a soup with meat or fish, topped with cabbage, mushroom and wheat flour patty(otsuyu senbei), from Tōhoku. In Hokkaido,ishikari-nabe, topped with salmon, root vegetables and mushrooms, is enjoyed. In the same region, sanpeijiru, also with salmon, but less sophisticated, is available.
The art of raw fish
It is impossible to complete this introduction to Japanese cuisine without mentioning sushi and sashimi. Although the Japanese only eat them occasionally, they are nevertheless a major part of Japanese gastronomy and they often have a completely different flavor on the spot. Sushi is a generic term for several specialties based on vinegared rice(shari). We find the classic nigiri-zushi, in the form of a slice of raw fish placed on a ball of rice coated with a touch of wasabi, sometimes surrounded by a strip of nori. Maki-zushi is the version we are most familiar with, consisting of a roll of nori that encloses a filling of rice, fish and vegetables. Served in a bowl, the chirashi-zushi consists of a bed of rice on which are arranged different varieties of fish, seafood with sometimes omelette and shiitake mushrooms. Finally theinari-zushi is a pocket of fried tofu, filled with rice and various other ingredients (meat, fish, mushrooms). The very popular osaka zushi is a square sushi, called hako zushi or "box sushi" which is filled with raw fish, lacquered eel or omelette. Temaki is a type of sushi where nori is rolled into a cone shape and filled with rice, fish, seafood and vegetables.
Sushi as a whole can contain a wide variety of ingredients: eel(unagi), scallop(hotate), crab(kani), shrimp(ebi), omelet(tamago), sea urchin(uni), mackerel(saba), salmon(sake), cuttlefish/calamari(ika) and of course tuna(maguro). Not to mention the fatty tuna(toro), a very popular piece of fish from the belly, known to melt in the mouth. As for sashimi, it is a thinly sliced raw fish or seafood, accompanied by a little soy sauce and sometimes wasabi. It is usually served as an appetizer to a traditional meal, as the delicate flavor of the fish should not be disturbed by the taste of an already cooked food.Ika sōmen is a squid sashimi from Hokkaido. Japan's most sultry sashimi is prepared with fugu. The translucent flesh of this puffer fish sends many Japanese to the hospital every year! Indeed, most of the organs of the fugu are toxic and the slightest mistake can make the dish deadly. Years of training explain the high price of this dish, up to 100 € per guest. However, the experience was more folkloric than gustatory, the flavor of the fugu was rather neutral.
Kaiseki or the art of imperial cuisine
In 1449, the shōgun Yoshimasa Ashikaga had a tea pavilion built as part of the Ginkaku-ji (silver pavilion), in Kyōto, then capital of the Empire of Japan, to celebrate the tea ceremony or chanoyu. Inspired by Zen Buddhism, it became not only an art, but a real cult and its practice was then translated by the use of precious and expensive utensils, the occasion for the lords to show off their wealth. The kaiseki ryōri is a ritual cuisine that developed from the tea ceremony in the 16th century. It provided practitioners with a light meal before they drank matcha green tea, which can be harsh on the stomach.
Literally, kaiseki would translate as "chest pocket stone" in relation to the practice of some monks to belt hot stones against their belly to cut hunger. The term, more generally, remains ambiguous, as it refers to a meal consisting of many small dishes served together, but can also be accompanied by sake. The expression cha-kaiseki refers only to kaiseki served with tea. Initially, this snack consisted of a few simple dishes served with tea in a frugal manner by Buddhist monks. Over time, this type of meal evolved, gaining in refinement, once served at the tables of emperors and samurai, as well as in Kyōto's many tea houses.
The epitome of Japanese refinement, this meal is composed of a set of several dishes - up to 14 - and requires great mastery and a keen sense of aesthetics. Each dish consists of a small portion of a few ingredients, elegantly presented in finely decorated dishes. These include sashimi, vegetables served with meat, soup, grilled meat, cooked vegetables served cold, rice dish, pickled vegetables, steamed dish,nabe (stew) and finally a dessert: fruit, ice cream or pastry. The seasonality of the ingredients is particularly important. This meal, usually enjoyed in a peaceful setting, often with a view of a Zen garden, has of course a cost, between 100 and 300 € per person.
Desserts, fruits and tea
Traditional Japanese pastry(o-kashi) is the poor relation of Japanese gastronomy. Indeed, there is a limited number of specialties which often have as a similarity the indestructible anko, or azuki bean paste. Matcha tea has become common in desserts too, even if it is a recent trend. The term wagashi refers to various types of bites usually served with tea, such as mochi (glutinous rice paste), a classic, most often topped withanko. The bean paste is also used as a filling for manjū (steamed buns), dorayaki (a kind of pancake) or taiyaki (filled pancakes molded in the shape of a sea bream, a symbol of good luck). Higashi are more or less the same as what we call cookies in the West. Pancakes are very popular in the country and we love hottokeki, a kind of very thick and soft pancake. It is also the case of the puffed cheesecake, created in Japan in the 1940s, which is very airy. Hokkaido milk ice cream(aisukurīmu) is very famous.
Japan's varied climate allows for the cultivation of a wide range of fruits, from the classic apples, oranges, strawberries and peaches, to lesser-known species such as the nashi pear, persimmon,akebia or medlar. You will quickly notice: in Japan, fruits are expensive, even very expensive. Indeed, here they are not only seen as food, but also as gifts to be offered either to one's loved ones or as a corporate gift, like a bouquet of rare flowers. Thus the fruits are pampered, cared for, packed with infinite care and generally set in beautiful immaculate packages. But this practice is obviously very expensive and fruits in Japan can reach completely unbelievable prices. White Jewel strawberries or dekopon - a cross between an orange and a tangerine also called shiranui - can be found for 10 € a piece. The huge Sekai Ichi apples cost about 20 € each. Of course, there are the square watermelons from Zentsuji at 90 €, the Taiyo no Tamago mangoes from Kyushu at 100 € each or the green Sembikiya melon at 140 €. The star nevertheless remains the Yubari melon from Hokkaido whose price easily exceeds 200 €. In 2019, a melon was even sold at auction for €42,500. However, these high-end fruits are not everyday consumer products but prestigious gifts and you can easily find relatively affordable fruits in some stores, especially bananas, imported from Southeast Asia, which are cheap.
Pastries are usually served in cafes, while restaurants are mostly limited to ice cream. Green tea is the national drink of Japan, since the first seeds were imported from China in the 9th century. Sen cha is the best-known green tea, and both its quality and price vary widely. The hōji cha is distinguished by its smoky taste while theama cha has a sweet taste. It is drunk during the hana matsuri (flower festival) in April. Genmaicha contains brown rice. The famous matcha tea is a bitter powder made of green tea leaves, it is used during the tea ceremony. This powder is beaten with a small whisk until a layer of foam is formed on the surface. Gyokuro is considered the best green tea in Japan. The leaves are darker than those of sen cha and its aroma is stronger. The tea should be brewed in water at about 50-60 °C and not boiling. There are many tea drinks, such as bubble tea from Taiwan, which contains gelatinous tapioca beads and soy milk.
Between sake and whisky
Emblematic alcohol of Japan, sake(nihon shu) is very different from the digestives served in Asian restaurants in Europe, often Chinese rice alcohol, very strong. Sake is a light rice alcohol at only 17°. There are more than 2,500 varieties of nihon shu. It can be karakuchi (dry) or amakuchi (sweet). It can be drunk hot(atsukan) or cold(reishu). The production of rice sake was introduced from China in the 3rd century, and this alcohol quickly became a prestigious product for the Japanese aristocracy as well as the clergy who used it for some rituals. In spite of its name of "rice wine", its manufacture is rather close to that of beer. A yeast called " kōji-kin " is added to the rice to transform the starch into simple sugars, triggering fermentation. There are two grades of sake: futsū-shu , which represents the majority of commonly consumed sake, and tokutei meishō-shu, which is of higher quality and contains a large percentage of polished rice (without bran) with at least 15% kōji ferments.
Shōchū is a 30 proof sweet potato, barley, or rice spirit, often accompanied by soda and lemon juice(chūhai or chū-hi). Alternatively, indulge inumeshu, a very delicate plum liqueur, at only 10-15°. It can be drunk iced in summer as well as hot in winter.Awamori is a rice brandy specific to Okinawa, ranging from 30 to 43°.Awamori is aged in traditional clay pots and can be drunk neat, on ice and in cocktails. Beer appeared in the late 19th century and is very popular in Japan. The most famous national beer brands are Kirin, Asahi, Sapporo, Yebisu and Suntory, but there are many others, not to mention the microbreweries that are becoming more and more popular.
If it can surprise at first sight, whisky has nevertheless an important place in Japan. Although production only started at the end of the 19th century with the opening of the country to the world, Japan is now the fourth largest consumer in the world. There are several companies producing whisky in Japan, but the two best known are Suntory and Nikka. Until the end of the 1990's, Japanese production and consumption remained domestic, but several recent awards have made the world recognition of Japanese whiskies soar, as well as the price of some bottles that sell for several thousand euros. The Karuizawa distillery, located in the Nagano prefecture, in the depths of the Japanese Alps, is known for its exceptional whiskies. Indeed, this house, officially closed since 2000, no longer distills but still bottles whiskies that have become rare collector's items, hence their exorbitant price: in 2020, a bottle of Karuizawa 52 years old was sold by Sotheby's for a whopping €413,000.
