3 Ways Restaurants in Japan are Tackling the Coronavirus Outbreak

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Japan’s COVID-19 situation hasn’t improved, and a state of emergency has been called, but life goes on, and we still have to eat.

The many Japanese supermarket shelves completely empty of instant ramen, and other clear necessities (like melon bread), are a sure sign: people are worried about coronavirus, and especially now that Prime Minister Abe has called a state of emergency, they're staying home. But not everyone can cook, and instant ramen for every meal isn't a great plan either, which is why a number of eateries are still open around Japan. While people are hungry, however, most of them are trying not to be foolish. The public is looking for ways to avoid both infection and starvation, which is why restaurants have been taking on some interesting projects, to keep the people of Japan safe and satiated!



Image Source: M>YOKOO on Retty.me

Protections for Self-Service Eaters

It turns out that a surprising number of restaurants, cafes, and supermarkets in Japan employ self-service systems, where diners take their own tray and a pair of tongs, and choose their meal from a selection… all completely open to the surrounding air. In retrospect, this seems like it might not be a great idea at any time, but when fears about coronavirus "droplets" are spreading quickly, establishments of all kinds are doing their best to make sure their goods don't get contaminated.

Hotels around Japan, like Osaka View Hotel, have temporarily switched from a buffet-style breakfast to trays brought to the table. Supermarkets, which often have an open area containing a selection of prepared grilled and fried foods, have started pre-wrapping each item individually. And since places that sell baked goods in Japan almost always have open racks of food, pastry shops like Mister Donut have started putting thick, protective sheets of plastic over their displays, and taking extra steps to sanitize the tongs and trays.



Image Source: Domino's Official Website

Pizza Delivery – From 2 Meters Away

Pizza is the perfect food when you're stressed about staying home, and can't quite get it together enough to cook dinner, but customers have recently been hesitant even to order delivery. What if that one delivery person becomes a vector for disease? Well major pizza chains have taken the situation into their own hands, and instituted new policies to keep people feeling safe enough to keep ordering pizza.

At Domino's it's called the Zero Contact Drop-Off service (あんしん受取サービス), and at Pizza Hut it's called the Oki Pizza Service (置きピザ), but the protocol is essentially the same. Notify your delivery person that you'd like to participate in the service as you place your order, and when the pizza arrives, they'll place it in front of your door before backing 2 meters (about 6') away, often touted as a "safe distance." Once they confirm from afar that you've received your order, the delivery person goes on their way. At no point do the customer and the delivery person have to come in close contact! Together with thorough disinfecting and excellent hygiene from the pizza places, we can only hope this is enough to any viral spread caused by pizza delivery!



Sources: Kushikatsu Tanaka, Rocket News

Takeout Only! (Japanese Bento Style)

Quite a few restaurants in Japan that previously offered both eat-in and takeout options are shifting to shorter business hours and concentrating on takeout and delivery, and some are really shifting their target customer base. Japanese pubs, called izakaya, are generally where you might go for a night out. They're the bars and eateries where people gather at the end of the day for a good drink, and maybe a bite to eat. And now, apparently, they're where you get your lunchbox as well!

Kushikatsu Tanaka is a chain of izakaya specializing in kushikatsu (串カツ, put simply: fried things on skewers), and they are one of many pubs to put renewed efforts into lunchtime bento boxes for people to take with them and eat while still practicing social distancing. Instead of sitting at a bar, or a table in a crowded room, ordering fried skewers one by one, diners can just drop in and grab their box of kushikatsu to go. In this strange time when we're all switching to Skype-based dates and dinner parties over Zoom, picking up a bento and a beer to enjoy with friends – while still staying home – might be just the thing to bring us through to the light at the end of the coronavirus tunnel.

So, What’s for Dinner?

Have you heard about any other interesting ways that companies in Japan are trying to make things safer during this coronavirus outbreak? We'd love to hear what you think, and any interesting news you've picked up, on the Japankuru twitter, instagram, and facebook!

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      Hokkaido (北海道) is the northernmost of the four main islands that make up Japan. The area is famous for Sapporo Beer, plus brewing and distilling in general, along with fantastic snow festivals and breathtaking national parks. Foodies should look for Hokkaido's famous potatoes, cantaloupe, dairy products, soup curry, and miso ramen!

    • Niki, in south-west Hokkaido, is about 30 minutes from Otaru. The small town is rich with natural resources, fresh water, and clean air, making it a thriving center for fruit farms. Cherries, tomatoes, and grapes are all cultivated in the area, and thanks to a growing local wine industry, it's quickly becoming a food and wine hotspot. Together with the neighboring town of Yoichi, it's a noted area for wine tourism.

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      Sapporo, in the south-western part of Hokkaido, is the prefecture's political and economic capital. The local New Chitose Airport see arrivals from major cities like Tokyo and Osaka, alongside international flights. Every February, the Sapporo Snow Festival is held in Odori Park―one of the biggest events in Hokkaido. It's also a hotspot for great food, known as a culinary treasure chest, and Sapporo is a destination for ramen, grilled mutton, soup curry, and of course Hokkaido's beloved seafood.

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      Tochigi Prefecture's capital is Utsunomiya, known for famous gyoza, and just an hour from Tokyo. The prefecture is full of nature-related sightseeing opportunities year-round, from the blooming of spring flowers to color fall foliage. Tochigi also has plenty of extremely well-known sightseeing destinations, like World Heritage Site Nikko Toshogu Shrine, Lake Chuzenji, and Ashikaga Flower Park―famous for expansive wisteria trellises. In recent years the mountain resort town of Nasu has also become a popular excursion, thanks in part to the local imperial villa. Tochigi is a beautiful place to enjoy the world around you.

    • Tokyo (東京) is Japan's busy capital, and the most populous metropolitan area in the world. While the city as a whole is quite modern, crowded with skyscrapers and bustling crowds, Tokyo also holds onto its traditional side in places like the Imperial Palace and Asakusa neighborhood. It's one of the world's top cities when it comes to culture, the arts, fashion, games, high-tech industries, transportation, and more.

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      Shizuoka Prefecture is sandwiched between eastern and western Japan, giving the prefecture easy access to both Tokyo and Osaka. Not only is it known for beautiful natural attractions, with everything from Mount Fuji to Suruga Bay, Lake Hamanako, and Sumata Pass―Shizuoka's Izu Peninsula is known as a go-to spot for hot springs lovers, with famous onsen like Atami, Ito, Shimoda, Shuzenji, and Dogashima. Shizuoka attracts all kinds of travelers thanks to historic connections with the Tokugawa clan, the Oigawa Railway, fresh eel cuisine, Hamamatsu gyoza, and famously high-quality green tea.

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    • Nara Prefecture's important history reaches back to 710, a time now called the Nara era, when it was once capital of Japan. Called "Heijo-kyo" during its time as a capital, it's said that nara was once the end of the silk road, leading it to flourish as a uniquely international region and produce important cultural properties of all kinds. To make the most of each season, travelers head to Nara Park, where the Nara deer who wander freely, or climb Mount Yoshino, a famous cherry blossom spot.

    • Osaka is known for friendly (and funny) people, but its history is nothing to laugh at, playing a major part in Toyotomi Hideyoshi's 16th century unification of Japan. Thanks to long years of economic activity, it's one of Japan's biggest cities, and Osaka's popular food culture earned it the nickname "The Kitchen of the Nation." To this day Osaka is the model of western Japan, and alongside historic structures like Osaka Castle, it also has major shopping malls like Umeda's Grand Front Osaka and Tennoji's Abeno Harukas. Osaka is a place to eat, eat, eat, with local specialties like takoyaki, okonomiyaki, and kushi-katsu, and for extra fun, it's home to Universal Studios Japan.

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      The Chugoku Region (中国地方) consists of five prefectures: Hiroshima, Okayama, Shimane, Tottori, and Yamaguchi. In Chugoku you’ll find the sand dunes of Tottori, and Hiroshima’s atomic bomb site, plus centers of ancient history like Grand Shrine of Izumo.

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      Hiroshima Prefecture has everything, from world heritage sites to beautiful nature and delicious local cuisine, and it's either an hour and a half from Tokyo by plane, or four hours by train. Itsukushima Shrine on Miyajima Island and the Atomic Bomb Dome, two Hiroshima UNESCO sites, are famous around the world, but in Japan it's also famous for food. Seafood from the Seto Inland Sea, especially oysters, Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki, and Setouchi lemons are all popular, and the natural scenery alone is worth seeing.

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      On the other side of the Seto Inland Sea opposite Japan’s main island, Shikoku (四国) is a region made up of four prefectures: Ehime, Kagawa, Kochi, and Tokushima. The area is famous for its udon (in Kagawa), and the beautiful Dogo Onsen hot springs (in Ehime).

    • Kagawa Prefecture is on the northern part of the island of Shikoku, facing Japan's main island and the Seto Inland Sea. It's known for being the smallest prefecture in Japan, by area, but at the same time Kagawa is called the "Udon Prefecture" thanks to its famous sanuki udon. Aside from Kotohiragu Shrine and Ritsurin Garden, the prefecture's small islands are popular, and Kagawa is full of unique destinations, like Angel Road. They say that if you lay eyes on Zenigata Sunae, a huge Kagawa sand painting, you'll never have money troubles ever again.

    • Located in the most southwestern part of Japan, Kyushu (九州) is an island of 7 prefectures: Fukuoka, Saga, Nagasaki, Kumamoto, Oita, Miyazaki, and Kagoshima. The island's unique culture has been influenced by Chinese and Dutch trade, along with missionaries coming in through Nagasaki's port. Modern-day travelers love the lush natural scenery and fresh food, plus the natural hot springs found all throughout the area (thanks to volcanic activity)!

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      Fukuoka Prefecture has the highest population on the southern island of Kyushu, with two major cities: Fukuoka and Kitakyushu. Thanks to growing transportation networks, Fukuoka is more accessible than ever, and so are the many local attractions. On top of historical spots like Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine, travelers shouldn't miss Fukuoka's food scene, with motsu nabe (offal hotpot), mentaiko (spicy cod roe), and famous Hakata ramen―best eaten from a food stall in the Nakasu area of Hakata. Plus, it's full of all sorts of destinations for travelers, like trendy shopping centers, and the beautiful nature of Itoshima and Yanagawa.

    • KAGOSHIMA

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      Kagoshima Prefecture played a major role in Japan's modernization as a backdrop for famous historical figures like samurais Saigo Takamori and Okubo Toshimichi, who pushed Japan out of the Edo era and into the Meiji. Because of that, Sengan-en Garden is just one of many historical destinations, and when it comes to attractions Kagoshima has plenty: the active volcano of Sakurajima, popular hot springs Ibusuki Onsen and Kirishima Onsen, World Heritage Site Yakushima Island, even what Japan calls the "island closest to heaven," Amami Oshima. Kagoshima might be found on the very southernmost tip of the southern island of Kyushu, but there's plenty to see.

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      The island chain of Okinawa (沖縄) makes up the southernmost tip of Japan, which is why it's also the most tropical area in the country. Thanks to a history of independence and totally distinct political and cultural events, Okinawa has a unique culture, and remnants of the Ryukyu Kingdom are still visible all over the islands. Food, language, traditional dress, it's all a little different! It's also said to be the birthplace of karate.

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