Foodies- listen up!
I could probably talk a hundred years straight telling you about what to check out in Japan but:Let's just keep it short and simple with my favourites.
If you want to buy Fruits and Veggies in Japan you've got to be prepared for a little more pricey tags. Asparagus is like Euros and they pack you five pieces in a bundle- which is really expensive compared to Germany.
You can actually even buy lunches at the post to send them to your colleagues: You can choose between steaks and potato mash, a sushi banquet or maybe a huge fruits basket? I just went to the postoffice to send a card overseas but I didn't expect to be able to send dishes across Japan.
So let's talk about myfavourites:
Uh- is that a raw eggyolk there? Yes- Ohitsu Gohan is a rice bowl and you can choose between different menus with lots of different toppings. I'm having the menu with spring onions ocra, tuna, radish and nato beans. The nato beans taste strong but they say they're very healthy.
If I had to describe the flavor I tend to compare it with the striking aroma of wasabi. If you breathe through the nose while you're eating you will notice the aftertaste. I decided to give the nato beans away to my friend otherwise I would have had to hold my breath while eating. I can eat a few dishes but the taste was even too strong to me.
Nato beans are fermented soybeans and they turn sticky and gooey after the fermenting process.
So let's talk about the technique how to eat a Ohitsu Gohan:
Either you scoop it straight out of the bowl or you take a little broth from the jug and pour it into the small bowl on the left. Then you take some toppings along with rice and if you like you can put the eggyolk inside. It gives it a richer taste.
If I may exaggerate a bit- Udon noodles in Japan are so addictive. So if I was asked what I wanted to have for dinner, my answer would always be: Udon. These noodles are beyond tasty and they cook it with miso or broth. Udon noodles are made of wheat and they're much more thicker than regular noodles. They have a very smooth surface so make sure you hold them tight with your chopsticks or they might slip right back into your soup!
Few places provide cutlery besides chopsticks so I would recommend you to learn how to use chopsticks in advance. You could bring your own but I haven't seen people eat noodlesoup with a fork.
So one time when I went into a restaurant that was very similar to the "Vapiano" in Germany I saw guests eating Spaghetti with chopsticks AND I was the weirdo using a spoon and a fork.
Some shops- like the ramen shops- don't have waiters to serve you at the table. There's only a vending machine where you can order and pay. But they bring your food to the table. And guess what- it's all in Japanese. So you can either look at some pictures and try to remember the characters or you try it with google translate. After a month I learned the word Udon in Japanese because I ordered it almost all the time
- うどん.
If have been to a sushi restaurant at your place then this is something that is familiar to you. This is a sashimi bowl with rice, tuna fish, salmon and yes...octopus. In Asia, it's common to have a fish tank in front of the restaurant where you simply pick your fish you like. Asians make very high demands on fish. It can't be fish from yesterday or today morning but it has to be from just recently.
I don't mind eating raw fish. It's not poisonous nor is it covered in salmonella. Cooking is thought to be helping you to digest your food properly.
To me, raw octopus is for advanced sashimi eaters. It is fascinating that raw tuna and raw salmon don't taste the same and they're aroma is very different.
I have always known these anchovies as "Ikan bilis" in Malay but in Japanese they call them "Iriko". They boil them in hot water and it is served with rice. They're tiny that eating the whole fish is no big deal. I also had a grilled clam with rice wine and soy sauce. Japanese menus always come with a miso soup and kelp. The tea is mostly Sencha or Matcha tea.
Table manners??
Please don't stab into the rice with your chopsticks (it reminds people of a sacrifice for their ancestors) and don't put the chopstick on top of the bowl because it means that you refuse to eat which is not very polite.
Simply put the chopstick on the chopstick holder which is made of china or wood. If you're familiar with Chinese customs- throw it out of the window.
I found out that what is considered table manner in China is not in considered as manner in Japan. Rather, it is the opposite.
If you haven't cooked you thank the person that cooked for you with: "Gochisousama deshita" after eating whether you're in the restaurant or at your friend's house.
Before eating you say: "Itatakimasu"- Enjoy you meal!
Doing these small things will give you the respect from the Japanese as you show respect for their culture and their hospitality. People will remember!
Yes you could simply have Spaghetti but trying something new is always exciting to me. If you look more closely you will discover many similarities between your own culture and the culture of the country you're exploring. It creates a bond
So whatever you try next- enjoy!
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