Washoku
The time has finally arrived to tell you all about the tastiest part of my study abroad adventure–Food! Being from Hawaii, I grew up eating many of the popular foods in Japan. That being said, nothing compares to the amazing food I was able to eat in Japan. Though I would love nothing more than to explicitly explain each dish I ate, for both of our sakes I will focus on the best and the most unique parts of Japanese cuisine.
By far, my favorite food is a fairly famous Japanese dish that goes by the name sukiyaki. Sukiyaki is a popular communal dish where we sit around a hot pot to braise beef, tofu, clear noodles and various spices. A delicious and simple dish, Sukiyaki’s sweet and salty taste will satiate your taste bud every time. Though it is easy to find a Sukiyaki restaurant, in my experience the style made within a home is easily more tasty.
The next food, a Hakodate specialty, may be the most interesting food I have tried. This food is so unique even many well travelled Japanese people have never heard of it. Its name, is Ikameshi. Ika(squid) Meshi (cooked rice) is a dish made by cutting the legs off of a squid and stuffing it with cooked rice. From there, it is then braised in a shoyu broth and then cut into slices. Though this wasn’t the most appetizing or tasty food I have ever had, it is definitely representative of Hakodate.
Lastly, this last food needs no real explanation. Hakodate being a squid fishing town, there was no way I could leave before I had this famous Hakodate dish. Ika Sashimi. A delicious plate of fresh squid, this delicious food is served with the squid’s legs still wiggling. Truly an amazing food.