Season's Greetings: Autumn/Fall in Japan for Foodies

Bonito is a fish that is deeply related to Japanese food.
It is used in many dishes in the form of soup stock.
Usually, the bonito used in these dishes are cured into what is known as 鰹節、かつおぶし: katsuobushi.
The process the fish goes through to become katsuobushi is so long, we'll have to go into some other time!

Bonito is in season during autumn, and again in spring.
The difference is that those caught in spring have lean meat, and those in autumn are fattier. Both are nice in different dishes, but the ones in autumn are nicer eaten raw. So if you have a chance, head down to try the bonito in Kochi, where they have the best bonito in Japan.

Believe it or not, shellfish like abalone has its season as well.
Abalone, in this case, is in its best from July to September.
 

Yes, Tempura is also a food that is nice in autumn.
Why is that?
Although many restaurants try to use seasonal ingredients as much as possible, some of the tempura basics, the staples that never really change, are really in season during the autumn!


From prawns to pumpkins, eggplants and sweet potatoes, shiso leaves and all sorts of mushrooms, they all fall into the category of autumn foods in Japan. So next time you try tempura, see if there are any differences in the ingredients.