Japanese cuisine

You probably already know this, but if there’s one thing you cannot miss when visiting Tokyo, it’s trying its world-famous cuisine. When you think of Japan, images of skewers, sushi, maki rolls, or ramen naturally come to mind. But if you think those are the only dishes Japan has to offer, you’re in for a surprise! Of course, there are those grilled chicken skewers called yakitori, but also makis, consisting of rice and various ingredients wrapped in a sheet of seaweed. How could we forget sushi too, those little rice balls topped with slices of raw fish. However, do you know where sushi actually comes from? Spoiler alert: not from Japan! Let’s go back in time to 2nd century BC China, when people discovered a way to preserve fish by storing it between layers of fermented rice which, thanks to its acidity, kept the fish fresh for a longer period of time. At the time, they were only interested in the fish, so the rice was thrown away. However, when this technique came to Japan in the 8th century, the Japanese did not want to waste any food, so they began eating both the rice and fish—and this is how the first version of sushi was born! Later on, rice vinegar was added for more taste, and by the 18th century, the first sushi restaurants had opened in Tokyo, meeting instant success. So you get it now, you must really try out sushi here. Wait, there’s more than that though. Everywhere you go, you’ll find noodles, from ramen served in meat or fish broth; to udon, thicker and chewy; or soba, made from buckwheat flour. There is also gyoza, half-moon dumplings filled with either pork, chicken, or shrimp as well as all sorts of ingredients. Speaking of meat—if you get the chance, don’t miss out on trying the legendary Kobe beef, considered one of the best in the world. You’ll likely stumble upon donburi, a bowl of rice topped with either beef, pork, chicken, shrimp, or fish; as well as kare raisu, a Japanese-style curry dish with rice, carrots, potatoes, and sometimes meat. Furthermore, the tonkatsu is also quite common here, which is a breaded pork cutlet served with shredded cabbage, miso soup, and of course—rice again. This is just an insight of what all Tokyo has to offer. And there’s more, because Japanese cuisine originates from Chinese and Korean dishes, later adapted by locals and eventually influenced by Western cuisine. That’s how dishes like tempura, originally Portuguese, made their way into Japanese kitchens. Finally, to round off your meal, treat yourself to wagashi, traditional Japanese pastry, and either a cup of green tea or glass of sake.