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Firefly Squid Shabushabu: Less Bioluminescent, Still Delicious!The Japanese hotpot dish shabushabu is popular all over the place these days. You can definitely get it outside of Japan, and high-quality meat lovers will find some spectacular shabushabu restaurants in the dish’s home country. It's delicious, and it's even a pretty healthy indulgence, with lots of protein and vegetables being cooked in a light broth. One of the key ingredients in most renditions of this hotpot, though, is thinly sliced red meat! You delicately drag these slices through the broth, carefully cooking them to just the right consistency, leaving you with a wonderfully tender mouthful.
Toyama, on the other hand, has its own intriguing reputation. Float out onto the waters of Toyama Bay on a spring night, and you’ll be surrounded by a mysteriously beautiful sight: thousands of tiny squid, brilliantly bioluminescing blue in the nighttime sea.
And it turns out, not only are the squid beautiful to look at in the water, they’re also delicious to eat! We headed to nearby Kurobe to give them a try.,The firefly squid (ホタルイカ) you find in Toyama glow like their namesakes, but that brilliant blue light does stop once they’re caught and taken out of the water. Instead they look like delicate, transparent little cephalopods, and their small size makes them perfect to pop right into your mouth!
Especially when they’re in season, Toyama is the place to get firefly squid sushi, sashimi, and most importantly shabushabu hotpot. If you're a seafood-eating pescatarian, try firefly squid instead of beef shabushabu. Just like you would with a slice of beef, you put your firefly squid into the broth for just a few moments to cook, before a quick splash into a light dipping sauce. Then it’s ready to eat!
Eating the little squid whole (eyes, legs, innards, and all) might put some of us off a little (sure, sometimes eating a face can be unappealing), but the subtle sweetness of the squid is worth a try. Don’t miss the chance if you get one.,The firefly squid spend most of the year in the deep waters off the bay, but in April and May they venture closer to the shore to mate.
Unfortunately for the little squid, for humans that means it’s squid season! And time to try a uniquely Japanese dish.
If squid isn’t your thing, though, or you just want to try some other rare Japanese dishes, see our article on foods you’ll only find right here in Japan. Or take a look at the truly unusual “ippon udon” available in Saitama, which is a bowl of udon made with one single (very) chunky noodle!
Be sure to look out for more exciting articles every day at JAPANKURU!
Or add us on Instagram and Facebook to share your pictures of Japan. 🗾#tokyo#food#firefly squid2019.06.25
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Foods that you may only see in Japan!Any country will have its own unique dishes, and Japan is no exception to this.
These six delicacies are only the tip of the iceberg, but if you're looking for some unusual dishes to dig into, these will definitely get you started! Let's take a look at some unique Japanese cuisine!,!!! WARNING !!! the following contains !!! WASABI !!!
To some of us, it can be a lethal weapon, for some others, it is a pleasure.
Having that sensation that initially burns the mouth, then strikes through the nose, then brings tears to the eyes... Whether you like it or not, these dishes will surely wake you up!? Above, you'll see a full meal of wasabi: Daio Wasabi Farm's restaurant, in Nagano Prefecture, offers wasabi-don, or wasabi rice bowls. You can grate and grind your own fresh wasabi (none of that horseradish you get overseas!), to truly taste the real thing, and then wash it down with a refreshing wasabi beverage.,This shirasu pizza is another unique dish. Shirasu, whitebait, is full of calcium and is a fish that is widely used in Japanese cuisine.
There are a few places around Japan where you can enjoy these fish fresh, although they're only available raw for part of the year. The closest place to Tokyo, where you can taste the jewel-like little fish, would be Enoshima.,The people of Japan definitely like to develop unique ways to eat their fish!
One Enoshima restaurant decided that shirasu are not only destined for traditional Japanese cuisine, but are ripe for reinvention. If anchovies can be savored on pizza, why wouldn't whitebait be a good topping, too? And so, shirasu pizza.,Not your ordinary udon, this bowl has it all combined into one single hunk of noodle.,This dish, found in Hanyu City, Saitama, has just one long single strand of udon in a bowl. The udon has been cooked to soak up all the flavors of the broth. Just looking at it, you can see this isn't any ordinary udon. Despite the color of the noodle, though, the flavors are not too strong, and actually quite good.
Ippon udon (一本うどん, literally single-strand udon), as the dish is called, has a history shrouded in mystery and legend in Japan. Some gastronomic historians think it's a genuine dish that existed in Japan's past. One family in Japan offers the dish, saying their recipe dates back to ancestors from long ago. Others in Japan say that there's little evidence for this claim, and it's just the stuff of myth. It's true, looking at this dish... it doesn't seem like an obvious direction to go with udon. It even took the chefs three whole years to perfect this particular recipe.
In the end, they came up with one chewy and flavorful noodle, though!,This is not your everyday shabushabu hot pot!
Normally, shabushabu is mostly a meat dish, and you're more likely to find high-quality beef at a hotpot restaurant than seafood. However, in this case, delicate firefly squid (or hotaru ika, ホタルイカ), which glow in the nighttime sea, are quickly cooked in the mild broth, and eaten whole! If the eyeballs freak you out a little, this might not be the dish for you, but trust us when we say it's quite a delicacy.,Opt out of chopsticks.
Try eating this bowl of noodle with a single green onion!
That's right, in Japanese negi means green onion, so this is literally green onion soba. Seems hard to eat just looking at it, however, people who have tried say that it's actually not that hard to eat like this. You can see the negi does an alright job of picking up some noodles! The dish is a specialty of Ouchi-juku, in Fukushima Prefecture.
Don't worry, there are still chopsticks for those who need them.,You've got to come to Japan to try this out!,In Japan, cow or ox tongue is called gyu-tan.
It's a part of a cow that you only can get a limited quantity of.
Have you tried it yet?,Definitely worth a try! If you've never tried tongue meat before, it's really a different experience compared to the other parts of the cow, texture-wise, and flavor-wise.,Planning to travel to Japan? Everybody goes for ramen and sushi during their trip, but why not try these unique dishes while you're here? We think they're pretty delicious, but even if you don't end up agreeing, you'll have a great story to bring home!
Or do you live here? Have you already tried any of the dishes above?
Stay tuned for new original articles at JAPANKURU 🐶.
Make sure you follow us on our Facebook and Instagram networks for more Japanese stories!
↓↓↓ Also, let us know your thoughts in the comment below. ↓↓↓#tokyo#food#wasabi 2019.06.1931 
A Very Versatile Gem-Like Fish: SHIRASUShirasu 【白子：しらす】, or as we know it, whitebait, is a name given to juvenile fish of a few different varieties. Normally when we say shirasu we're commonly referring to a kind of sardine. It is eaten all around Japan, as part of breakfast, lunch, and/or dinner, but especially in areas near the ocean. From fresh ones to cooked ones, even dried ones, unlike other countries, in Japan, there are many ways to eat this fish.
In Japan, the fresh ones are referred to as "nama"【生：なま】and the cooked ones are normally called the "kama-age"【釜揚げ：かまあげ】, or "kettle-cooked". Some sprinkle the dried shirasu on their salad, for added flavor and calcium, mix it into their stir-fried rice, or even use it as a general condiment for dishes.
Shirasu is highly versatile in Japanese cuisine.,What do we even mean by this? Aren't they just all the same? What differences does it even make?
So, just like any other fish, whitebait actually comes into season as well.
Although shirasu can be found throughout the year, spring, just around April, or autumn, around October, are said to be the best seasons for the little fish in Japan. (Although this may vary depending on where in Japan you're at.) This is apart from the period of time when you're actually not allowed to catch them, which is from January to March in many places! You can't expect to find fresh shirasu all throughout the year, making it extra special when it's available.,Maybe the main difference with the kind of whitebait that you get in other countries is that the size of the fish themselves is actually smaller, meaning that they are younger.
As the whitebait grows, its flavor actually changes.
The smaller kinds are the ones that can be properly called shirasu, and they have a sweetness to them. As they grow older, the taste changes from sweet to a small packet of umami, and then as time goes on they start to have a slight bitterness, that adds complexity to the fish's flavor.
That is why the fresh ones served in Japanese dishes are the ones that are smaller.,If you're just searching for ordinary cooked shirasu, you should be able to find it at many of the places where they serve seafood in Tokyo. However, if you are looking for the fresh, raw ones, you'll need to travel a little away from the city.
The closest place you can get to from Tokyo would be the Kamakura/Enoshima area. It only takes about an hour and a half from Tokyo Station to get there! This region along the coast in Kanagawa Prefecture is called Shonan, and it's also famous for surfers, if that piques your interest.,When you hear whitebait, you might think of those delicious crispy fried ones, or whitebait fritters. Those are delicious as well, but when you're in Japan, you might just be surprised with what dishes they make out of this small fish.,The crispy edges of the crust and the cheese along with that delicious savoriness of the whitebait, with the slight tanginess of the tomatoes... The smell of it, when it just appears right in front of you...
It's just sooo tempting.
We were so impressed we wrote an article on this pizza, if you want any more details.,The simplest dish, and yet so tasty; this would be the most traditionally Japanese way of eating shirasu! The sweetness of the tiny fresh fish and the zing of the grated ginger, along with the savoriness of the soy sauce drizzled on top, it all just goes so nicely in a single bowl.,Actually, the top three places to eat shirasu in Japan are sometimes said to be Hyogo, Aichi and Shizuoka Prefectures. However, Enoshima and Kamakura are also famous for shirasu, because the area is close to Tokyo and the quality of the local shirasu is quite high.
To be more specific, if you're looking for some other really great places to try the fish, in the Kanto region (the eastern part of Japan), there's the Suruga Bay or Numazu in Shizuoka. If you're in the western part of Japan (the Kansai region), you can go to either Awajishima in Hyogo, or Wakayama.,If your looking for shirasu near Tokyo, the best place to go would be Enoshima. Just avoid heading over between January and March to make sure you can try them fresh! We recommend you sample the variety of different dishes that are available, so you get the most out of your shirasu experience.
All, the best on your next foodie trip to Japan!,If you do want to go on a trip elsewhere in search of more sweet, tasty shirasu, try driving over with Nissan's car rentals. Take a look at the road trips that we've gone on before!
Or looking to go to Enoshima? Take a look at our recommended day trip to Kamakura and Enoshima, finishing it off with a beautiful sunset over the beache.
Oh, also be sure to follow us on Facebook and Instagram for more articles like this, and to keep up to date with your info about Japan.#tokyo#food#shirasu 2019.06.1431
A Japanese noodle from the Edo Period in Saitama!? The Ippon UdonIt's hard to really imagine what ippon udon (一本うどん, or single noodle udon) is going to be like when you just hear the name of the dish. Of course, an ordinary bowl of udon will look something like what you'd get at Usami-Tei Matsubaya in Osaka, the originator of the popular kitsune udon: a tangled of noodles piled on top of each other in a nice warm broth made of katsuo-bushi【鰹節：かつおぶし】(bonito flakes) and konbu【昆布：こんぶ】(Japanese Kelp), with a soy sauce based flavor.
That's not exactly what you're going to get with ippon udon... but there's no point sitting and wondering about it when it's about to be placed right in front of you!
Let's go to see for ourselves.,That is one massive piece of ... udon?
We weren't really sure what to call it, but they call it an udon noodle, so it must be some kind of udon.
Taking a look at what is inside, there's the big ol' piece of udon, shredded spring onion, and an onsen tamago (温泉たまご), A.K.A. a Japanese soft boiled egg. At first we thought there might be something coating the outside of the noodle, since the color and texture looked so different from what we expect to see as udon. But no, that's just what happens when you cook a giant noodle in broth, apparently.
The broth seems quite dark, but the flavor isn't overly strong, and the noodle's texture... is kind of like mochi【餅】 rice cake, actually. If you venture over to Gotetsu to try your own bowl, we recommend you try it as it is first, then break the egg yolk and taste the difference. It makes the dish more rich and creamy, and milds down the flavor a bit.. mmm. Then, mix in the spring onion to add a spicy bite!
Enjoy the changes in the flavors!,For those who are curious about why Gotetsu (ostensibly a shamo chicken restaurant) made this one-of-a-kind udon, we have to go back to the original theme of the parking area.
Remember how this venue, called the "Onihei Edo Dokoro", is a reproduction of the fictional Edo town seen in Shotaro Ikenami's popular novel? And you know how Gotetsu is a restaurant in that town? Well, that fictional restaurant's specialty is the mysterious "ippon udon." So, even though this dish has a questionable history of actually existing (some say it was real, some say there's little evidence), the owners of Gotetsu thought it was important to develop their own ippon udon, and give visitors that authentic Gotetsu experience. It literally took them three years of development to get to a dish they believed customers would enjoy.
So that's why everyone is making a fuss about this udon! Not only does it look... amazing? But the restaurant worked hard to bring visitors an authentic experience.
So next time you travel towards Saitama, don't forget to stop by at this unique parking area to try the udon from the past!
Be sure to look out for more exciting articles every day at JAPANKURU!
Or add us on Instagram and Facebook to share your pictures of Japan. 🗾#kanto#food#udon 2019.06.1230
Exploring the World of Udon in JapanNowadays, Udon is well known amongst the travellers. It is said that the prefecture that is most famous for its Udon is Kagawa. The simple dish has many different flavours in each prefecture and that is why we are taking a look at the world of Udon this time.
What are you waiting for...?
Let's begin!,As we mentioned earlier, Kagawa is well known for its Udon.
Not that it was first created there, but the rate of production is the highest in Japan.
From simple udon to the most unique ones. Kagawa is definitely a one-stop Udon exploration site.
Sanuki Udon (讃岐うどん), is the famous Kagawa style Udon available all around this prefecture.,Saitama is the second largest when it comes to Udon production rate in Japan.
They also have a unique udon called the Ippon Udon (一本うどん), simply translated, this means a single long piece of udon.,Another popular Udon dish available all around Japan!
This particular Udon has a piece of Abura-age (油揚げ), deep fied tofu, that's been cooked in sweet soy sauce.,So, how did you think of our Udon tour?
Check out our website for new articles everyday! @ JAPANKURU.COM
and subscribe to our Facebook page and follow our Instagram account!#kansai#food#udon 2019.06.1121
Going to Osaka? You've got to try the ORIGINAL Kitsune Udon!Many of you might have already been to Osaka and if we ask you which food you've tried there, you may say, Okonomiyaki (お好み焼き), Takoyaki (たこ焼き), Kushi-Katsu (串カツ), like we've got on our list.
Kitsune Udon is one of them that we have on this list, but what exactly is this Kitsune Udon?,Basically, "Kitsune Udon" is a bowl of Udon noodles topped with pieces of deep fried tofu (油揚げ：あぶらあげ) that’s been braised in sweet soy sauce.
Some places may serve this with shredded spring onions or with any other toppings, but that is pretty much it.
"Kitsune" means fox in Japanese, but theres no fox used in this dish.
So why is this dish called a fox noodle?
There are a few reasons why this dish has got its name.
Some say, foxes love eating this deep fried tofu.
Some say it's because of the colour of the deepfried tofu. That is golden brown for us, but Kitsune-Iro, fox colour, in Japanese.
It is also said that when the deepfired tofu is curled up, it looks like a fox curled up,The resturant started its business back in 1893 (back in time when the period was called Meiji).
Yes, belive it or not, this place has been in business for 126 years and the current owner is the third generation!
This name comes from the business owners' family name, which is Usami.
The first generation opened a restaurant called Matsubaya, and that's where it all begun.
,This place is within a ten minute walk from the "Shinsaibashi" station.
Other articles related to Osaka.
One of Osaka's Best Hostels in the Amerikamura District | STAY in the City AMEMURA
Osaka Castle: What to Know and What to Do While You're There!
Kuromon Market: Where Osaka Natives and Travelers Alike Chow Down
Omurice Lovers! Eat at the Restaurant That Created Omuraisu (Japanese Rice Omelet) in Osaka - Hokkyokusei (北極星)#kansai#food#udon 2019.06.1120
3 Must Try Ramens in TokyoYes!! Ramen (ラーメン、らー麺、らーめん)←There's too many ways to write this in Japanese.
The standard "Chicken Broth", "Sardine Broth", "Pork Bone Broth", the "Combination Broth"...so on and so on.
Oh, that's right! They even have vegan and vegetarian ramen these days.
Okay, ramen may seem like a simple dish, but there's actually lots of work done behind the scene.
Ramen is one of the dishes that represents Japan for sure and we are going to introduce you three new flavours.,Starting with this one!
Worlds first blowfish broth ramen. "Fugu Dashi, Ushio, Hachidaime Keisuke" (ふぐだし潮 八代目けいすけ).
What a long name for a ramen restaurant. Lucky for us, they have a simpler name "Keisuke".
Their signature dish here is the "Fugudashi Ushio Ramen" (ふぐだし潮らーめん).
A broth made of Fugu, the famous deadly blow fish, is their specialty.
This fugu broth along with the seasalt from Okinawa brings you a fresh delight from the ocean.
They do have a soysauce based soup as well, but if you're going for the first time, try the salt based one.
You will get the true taste of the fugu more!
See more details on this here.,Right near Ebisu Station stands this Ramen called Kamuro.
They don't use any artificial flavours, nor any MSG. Their concept is a healthy bowl of Ramen.
They make a delishious ramen with fresh natural ingredients.
This on here in the picture is the "Tokusei Tori Chintan Ramen" (特性鶏清湯らぁめん). The Super Clear Chicken Broth Ramen.
They use Chicken as their main part of the broth along with Konbu (a Japanese kelp) and other vegetables.
The lovely flavour of the chicken with its clear soup is just... Perfect!
Article on Kamuro ←here.,Akihabara, one of the famous sopts for Ramen as well as their Otaku cullture, lies this "Hakata Furyu".
You get to choose how you would like your ramen done. (Just like your steak!)
- Barikata, The Extremely Hard (Noodles cooked for 7 seconds)
- Kata, The Hard (Noodles cooked for 15 seconds)
- Futsu, The Standard (Noodles cooked for 25 seconds)
- Yawa, The Soft Cooked (Noodles cooked for 50 seconds)
These are your options.
Even though the broth is made of pork bone, the soup is rather light than you would expect.
The black oil on top, called Ma-Yu (まー油), is made from garlic and onions, which is another part of their specialty.
Also, you can get up to two free servings of their noodle replacement "Kaedama" (替え玉).
Read the article on Hakata Furyu for any further details.
,There you go!
Three kinds of ramen in this article. Did you know any of these?
Let us know your thoughts on our FB page, and follow our Instagram page as well.
We will leave you with a couple more links to different ramen restaurants in the end.
The BEST Natural Tonkotsu-ramen shop! Ichiran: Open 24-hours!
New Ramen Experience at DARUMANOME in Tokyo!#tokyo#food 2019.06.0761
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