There are two sort of categories within Japanese food, the first is Nihon Ryori. These are unique and traditional Japanese dishes. Things like Miso soup, Soba and udon noodles and sushi are only a few examples of Japan's homegrown foods. There are a multitude of fish, shellfish, seaweeds and other ocean based items, as well as many vegetables and some fruit. Japan's climate and terrain doesn't offer much in the way of raising animals or growing large grain crops. So they were forced by the landscape to rely mainly on the bounty of the sea.
The second type is called Washoku. Washoku are foods that have been imported from foreign countries and adapted to Japanese tastes. This is similar to much of American cuisine. Just as in the US, you can find Italian food, burgers, pizza, curry, bakeries, coffee shops and even Mexican food everywhere. Ramen is actually also a Washoku food, since it originated in China. The only difference is that these foods that are familiar to Westerners often have a Japanese twist, sometimes it's awesome, and sometimes it's just...different. For instance, you may go into a place with a name like "Fresh Burger" and order what looks like a typical hamburger...but find that it has a soy based sauce and the burger is actually made out of ground pork instead of beef. It's not bad, just maybe not quite what you'd expect. The reality is that beef is very expensive in Japan. So pork is used more often, also it may just be that the Japanese prefer or have grown to prefer the taste of ground pork to beef. I have found much of this food to be very good though, some of it even better than what you would typically find in the US.
The thing that really stands out about the food you find in Japan (and Japanese culture in itself) is the careful attention to detail. People in general tend to put much more care into their work here whether they are making sandwiches behind a counter, or painting your house. I have yet to witness an employee being unprofessional, disrespectful or careless. Employees of fast food restaurants don't face the same social stigma as they do in America. They are paid better and generally at least seem to have a little pride in the job they do no matter what it is. I have said several times that everything seems to be just a little bit better here. Sometimes the smallest things really make the biggest difference.
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| Four main kinds of Japanese Noodles: Udon, Soba, Somen and Ramen (clockwise). |
So anyways...my point is that I am going to start writing a series of entries based on various foods I have happily discovered while in Japan. My first entry (we'll call it a mini series) will actually be broken into four parts. Each part will cover one of four main types of noodles eaten in Japan. Before you read on there are some things you should know about NOODLES!
- Noodles are a staple in Japan and are eaten just about as much as rice.
-Noodles made their appearance in Japan somewhere between 794-1185 AD.
-ALL noodles in are served both hot and cold depending on the season of the year.
-MOST IMPORTANTLY: It is polite to slurp your noodles! Eating loudly is seen as a compliment. It let's the chef know you are enjoying your food. Some say it also makes the noodles taste better. I know this is hard for some of you whose parents stressed table manners, but I promise you...breaking your parents rules is fun! Manners are different in any culture, and the Japanese do respect that by differentiating. There is little slurping of Italian pasta for example.
I hope you enjoy! Please feel free to comment, or ask any questions!
P.S. I apologize for the serious lack of photos...I am having some issues with blogger not allowing me to upload photos. So instead heres a link to ridiculous video of small Japanese ladies engaged in a noodle eating contest...I urge you to watch...it amazes me!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cPVHueU24yY
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