MAJOR 10

INTERNATIONAL CUISINE

JAPAN

Japan is located in Eastern Asia; it is an island chain between the North Pacific Ocean and
the Sea of Japan, east of the Korean Peninsula. Climate varies from tropical in the south to cool
temperate in the north and has four distinct seasons. Terrain is mostly rugged and mountainous.
With very little land, agriculture and livestock are limited, although Japan is famous for its fattened
delicacy, Kobe beef. Its cuisine developed in the midst of the abundance of the sea and mountains
and the beautiful change of seasons.
Religion played a major part in Japan's culinary habits over the years. During the 6th
century, Buddhism became the official religion of the country and the eating of meat and fish were
prohibited. This lasted for 1200 years. Also, because of Buddhism's emphasis on nature, the
structure of meals was influenced by the five flavors (sweet, spicy, salty, bitter and sour) and
colors (yellow, black, white, green, and red). People started to eat meat again after the Meiji
Restoration occurred in 1867, except the vegetarian Buddhist monks who continue to observe
vegetarianism. Japan is one of the world's top economies and has a population of 126.4 million.
Japanese cuisine developed from the 13th to 16th centuries in the Kamakura and Muromachi
eras, with influences from China and Korea. During the 16th century the Europeans (initially the
Portuguese and the Dutch) came to trade with Japan and introduced fried foods. Up to this point
the frying of foods was uncommon. Tempura originated from the Portuguese in the 16th century.
They
also introduced sugar and corn.
Foodways. Compared to other nations, Japan's cooking uses almost no spices but
emphasis is made on the pure, clean flavors of its indigenous ingredients: fish, seaweed,
vegetables, rice and soybeans. Rice is served at all meals, as is typical of many Asian cultures,
but in Japan the word for rice and meal is the same: gohan. Raw fish is masterfully prepared as
sashimi or as sushi, where it is served with rice.
A meal in Japan is not a meal unless it balances three facets: the artistic presentation of the
food, including its garnishes and its layout; the selection of the plate or serving piece; and the taste
of the food itself. As one tourist commented: "Japanese food looks so beautiful that you are afraid
to dig in!"
The meal starts with an appetizer and small cups of sake (fermented rice wine) usually
served warm. Usually a simmered dish, a salad, a fried, steamed or broiled dish, rice and soup are
served. The dishes are simply prepared, but the combination of flavors, textures, and foods
creates the elegance and variety that so typifies the Japanese style. The courses are served
simultaneously and eaten at random, with no particular order. Rice with pickles and green tea
signify conclusion of the meal.
Noodles are a typical lunch, and noodle shops abound. Udon are wheat noodles frequently
served in soups, while the soba or buckwheat noodles are commonly served as salads, although
these are not hard and fast delineations. Vegetables are rarely served raw, but usually with
vinegar, pickled or preserved, simmered or deep fried, as with tempura. Root vegetables grow
well, so carrots, burdock root, daikon (radish) are commonly served. As with these firm
vegetables, cucumbers play a large role as garnishes, being cut into fans, petals or other fanciful
creations. Some of the most impressive garnishes are the "fishermen's nets" made out of a single
strip of white daikon and seen commonly in sushi bars.
Some traditional Japanese foods are, sushi, steamed vegetables, rice and green tea. Fugu
is a poisonous puffer fish that is a delicacy. When properly prepared, the toxins in fugu create a
tingling effect after being eaten. Foods are also prepared seasonally: in winter, mandarin oranges
are common; cherry-blossom rice is prepared during spring; and in September, abalone,
cucumbers, and bamboo shoots are served.
 Popular Japanese dishes include the following:
 Korokke – Deep-fried and breaded croquettes, often consisting of mashed potatoes and
minced meats.
 Miso soup – made by adding miso paste in hot water and putting additional ingredients
such as wakame seaweed and small pieces of tofu. It is often served as a side dish for
breakfast, lunch and dinner.
 Nigirizushi - Often called finger sushi because of its shape; seasoned cold Japanese rice
shaped like a finger is topped with a variety of ingredients, including slices of raw fish. The
hotness comes from wasabi, Japanese green horseradish.
 Okonomiyaki - A mix between pizza and pancake. Various ingredients such as seafood,
vegetables and meat can be mixed with the dough and placed on the okonomiyaki as
topping.
 Sashimi - Slices of raw fish. Most types of sashimi are enjoyed with soy sauce and wasabi.
 Shabu-shabu - Thinly sliced beef and a variety of vegetables are dipped into a bubbling
broth and quickly cooked. Selections of special dipping sauces are used.
 Tempura - A delectable variety of seafood and vegetables are coated with a tempura batter
and deep-fried.
 Tonkatsu - Fried breaded pork cutlets served with a sauce. It is usually served with
shredded cabbage or with miso soup. When served on top of cooked rice in a bowl with egg
and condiments, it is called katsudon.
 Yakitori - Various parts of chicken and vegetables threaded on bamboo skewers and grilled
over charcoal. During cooking, it is flavored with either salt or brushed with a mildly sweet
soy sauce.

Japanese Beverages. Japanese tea is the most popular nonalcoholic drink, especially
green tea. Bancha is very common. It is prepared with lower grade tea leaves and is served free in
restaurants. Matcha is regarded as the finest green tea in the world and is used exclusively in
Japanese tea ceremonies (chanoya).
Soft drinks (local and imported) are next in popularity, followed by fruit juices, sake and soy
milk. Yakult is favored by health-conscious persons because of its probiotic content (made by
fermenting skimmed milk with Lactobacillus casei). It is sold in at least 30 countries, including the
Philippines, Mexico, USA, Australia, India and Brazil and many European nations.
Among the alcoholic beverages, sake (rice wine) is still favored, although beer consumption
is increasing. There are many local beer breweries. Imported brands from Europe and the USA
are available.
Japanese beer, Happoshu, is also called "third category beer" has gradually decreased the
consumption of sake known as their national drink. The refined rice wine is seishu. There are also
breweries that manufacture wines, whisky and shochu, which is a distilled liquor made from grain
and is usually 50% proof. For the working generation, especially young adults, all kinds of soft
drinks are popular. For children and mothers, soy milk is encouraged.