As Ms. Andoh conducts the “In a Pickle” culinary workshop she shares with the participants the wealth of food knowledge that she has gained living the majority of her life in Japan and from her years of study at the prestigious Yanagihara Kinsaryu School of Traditional Japanese Cuisine.   A native New Yorker, she also has a degree in anthropology and a keen interest in the science of food, its roots in necessity and how a culture is built around native foods.

Mt. Fuji is as much a symbol of Japan as its food and it seems only fitting that on a clear day it can be seen from the Tokyo kitchen where A Taste of Culture workshops are held.  Unlike the mountain that is shrouded in clouds more often than not, Ms. Andoh sheds light on the foods of Japan: how to prepare them, how to serve them and even how to enjoy them.  The participants on this day span the globe from Finland to India and from Canada to Germany and all want to learn more about pickles from the author of Washoku: Recipes from the Japanese Home Kitchen and a contributor to Gourmet magazine for over 30 years.

As we chop, simmer, boil and ultimately create two different types of Japanese pickles, sokuseki-zuke (impatient pickles) and amazu shoga (pink pickled ginger) Ms. Andoh talks about formulas more than recipes and along the way shares with us the nutritional value of the various ingredients and a variety of interesting information about the Japanese kitchen where a pickle pot commonly resides on the counter or in the fridge of most homes.

As we start Ms. Andoh is quick to point out that tsukemono are not pickles in the true sense of the word.  The name is derived to the the verb tsukaru which more closely resembles the English word “marinate” in meaning.  While pickles have a long shelf life, most tsukemono have a limited shelf life and are best consumed within a relatively short period of time.  The art of making tsukemono is in the relative proportion of ingredients and in the timing of the actual pickling, or brining, process itself.  The variety of vegetables that can be utilized in the pickle pot is immense – the colors intense and all from nature or enhanced by natural ingredients like aka jiso (red shiso) leaves for a vibrant red or kuchinashi no mi (dried gardenia pod) for an intense yellow color.

It is difficult to put into words the effect that attending a workshop at Ms. Andoh’s Taste of Culture kitchen has on its participants.  Part cooking school, part food lecture and part food history and science education – all very interesting and inspiring.   The discussion on this day ranged from foods mentioned in the Kojiki, the oldest surviving Japanese book dating back to 712, that are still being made today in much the same manner but with the assistance of modern kitchen gadgets like the hard plastic pickle pot and microwave, not to mention the convenience of refrigeration.

I left the “In a Pickle” culinary workshop with much more than the two small jars of pickles we created and the samples of ingredients that are often unknown to or difficult for non-native Japanese to find let alone procure without a firm grasp of both written and verbal Japanese.

Participants are provided extensive written information on the workshop topic prior and advanced reading of the material only enhances the experience.  Ms. Andoh also provides homework and requests that students email her with feedback on the results.  Andoh has earned her stripes in the world of Japanese food and cooking, she is the only non-Japanese member of the prestigious Japan Food Journalists Association (JFJ), but she remains very approachable and her passion for Japanese food is contagious.

A Taste of Culture programs are conducted in English and attract both foreign residents of Japan and independent tourist-visitors to Japan at kitchens in either Tokyo or Osaka as are seasonal and ingredient specific tasting programs.  Market tours and onsite workshops can also be arranged.

A three hour culinary class, like the “In a Pickle” culinary workshop I attended and have documented here in pictures, culminates with a shared meal where participants dine on dishes made during the class that are often supplemented from Ms. Andoh’s well stocked refrigerator.  If she speaks about a dish or ingredient during a workshop there is a good chance that you will get to touch, smell or taste it by the end of your time in her kitchen.

If you live in or are planning a visit to Tokyo or Osaka and love Japanese food, make an effort to include and Taste or Culture program on your itinerary at the outset.  Your experience of Japanese food culture will be enhanced immeasurably.

Visit the A Taste of Culture website for program schedule, registration information, location and additional information.

If you can’t get to Tokyo why not purchase your very own copy of Washoku: Recipes from the Japanese Home Kitchen and put Ms. Andoh’s Japanese food recipes and wisdom to work in your own kitchen?

For more on my pickle making adventures inspired by Ms. Andoh and my day in the Taste of Culture Tokyo kitchen please take a moment to read my guest post “Making Japanese Pickles the Washoku Way” on La Fuji Mama, where enthusiastic fans of Ms. Andoh’s Washoku: Recipes from the Japanese Home Kitchen have teamed up as the Washoku Warriors to work through the recipes in the cookbook.

“In a Pickle” Tsukemono Workshop in Pictures:

 

Image credit:  Personal Collection

As you enter Yakitori Alley you will be met with a chorus of irishaimase (welcome) from the staff of the many closet sized restaurants that line the u-shaped alleyway, the tempting aroma of grilled meat and the festive sounds of patrons relaxing and enjoying the themselves with their friends after a long day at the office or out on the town.

Yakitori Alley, named after the grilled chicken skewers that are the specialty of the alleyway’s restaurants, offers an atmosphere that is casual and fun.  The restaurants are so small that most patrons dine in the alley itself on rickety stools that sit alongside small tables made from empty Kirin beer crates.

Perch yourself on a stool and order a cold beer to enjoy while you peruse the menu.  Many of the establishments have very basic English menus and staff, that while not quite bilingual, can help you place your order.  Cold beer, edamame and a complimentary dish cucumber tsukemono (pickles) were a pleasant way to relax and cool down on a recent muggy evening in the city.

While we waited the grilling began in a tiny kitchen right behind us. Yaktori and other skewered foods are cooked over charcoal on a special grill that is a common sight at festivals and restaurants throughout Japan.  Long and narrow, the skewers are rested on a ledge so that only the food is in contact with the heat.  The cook places the food on one end of the grill and slowly rolls it towards the other end until it is done.

Our chicken and leeks grilled to perfection…

Pork, sausages, meatballs and other tasty grilled treats are also on the menu but we steered clear of the liver, heart, skin and gizzards that some nearby diners were enjoying.

The setting may be humble and so is the food but it’s a great place to spend an evening with friends in Tokyo that will have you saying Oishikatta!

To get to Yakitori Alley take the train to either the Yurakucho or Ginza Stations and walk for a few minutes.  The alley is located beneath the Yurakucho Mallion alongside the JR Line on this map of Ginza.

Photo Credit:  Personal Collection

The fish roe melts in your mouth, the nori is crisp and flavorful and sushi tastes great even at 7:30AM after a tour of the market and tuna auction.  It’s a highly recommended dining experience in Tokyo!

Sushi for breakfast may not be everyone’s idea of good dining but it’s a dining experience in Tokyo that I highly recommend.  The streets of around Tsukiji are filled with closed shops on most afternoons but the market area is a beehive of activity in the early morning with lorries, bicycles and fish carts weaving about the streets narrowly missing pedestrians daring enough to wander about.

The stalls are filled with the freshest seafood, as you might expect, but also an amazing variety of dried seafood, pickled & fresh vegetables as well as tea, other condiments, dishes and cooking supplies.  Many stand up bars offer all sorts of culinary treats including ramen, tempura and grilled unagi (eel) for diners that may want options other than sushi.

More about the market itself and a suggested overnight itinerary with do’s and don’ts for your visit after I have had a chance to wade through the hundreds of photos that I took and get over yesterdays 4:30AM wake up call.

If you too would like to have sushi for breakfast then try one of the  Sushi Zanmai restaurants in the Tsukiji area – you won’t be disappointed!

Tsukiji Update: Photos and information about visiting the Tsukiji Morning Market & the Tsukiji Tuna Auction.

Image Credit:  Personal Collection

The good news is that for those travelers wanting to taste all of the great regional specialties in Japan a new guide has been published in English that will help make it a whole lot easier to do so.  Etsuko from Tokyofoodcast tells us all how we can get our very own copy of the just released Japan’s Tasty Secrets that will be given out at Narita, Chubu and Kansai international airports, as well as at travel fairs hosted in Asia, Europe and the United States.  Japan’s Tasty Secrets includes information on over 100 dishes including local favorites and more traditional fare.

Etsuko could have written the book herself and wrote about most of these treats in her Regional Foods of Japan series for The Nihon Sun without knowing about the book!   If you don’t already have Tokyofoodcast bookmarked then you are missing a lot of great information on the food and sake scene in Japan.  Etsuko loves food and offers a lot of great information and information on how to get out and taste the foods that are unique to Japan from a local perspective.

Japan offers her visitors more than just great sushi!

Despite the wide variety of Japanese foods highlighted in Japan’s Tasty Secrets, sushi is probably one of Japan’s most famous food export and maguro (tuna)the most commonly recognized sushi fish.

This week also marked World Ocean Day (June 8th), designated by the United Nations as a day to reflect upon our relationship to the ocean.  As one of the world’s main source of food there is great concern about the decrease in the population of some of the fish, particularly tuna, used in great quantities on Japanese tables and around the world.

“The U.N. reports that 75 percent of seafood species are maxed out or overexploited and catches of nearly a third of these species are less than 10 percent of what they once were. Ninety percent of the big fish — sharks, tuna, swordfish — are already gone, according to a 2003 study in Nature.”
Source: CNN, Commentary: World’s biggest fish are dying

Many different organizations publish guides on how to choose more sustainable options the next time you visit your favorite sushi bar but all have limitations, especially when you are in Japan and have limited language skills.   The guides (listed below) are prepared primarily for the North American market and include conflicting advice for consumers that would be very difficult to implement without a lot of effort.  That is not to say the effort isn’t worth it, it’s just not that easy to put into practice.

For example, sake (salmon) is a considered a sustainable sushi choice IF it is caught wild in Alaska but is best avoided if it is farmed.  Uni (sea urchin roe) is to be avoided if it came from Main but is a good choice if it came from Canada.  Most cuts of tuna are to be avoided with the exception of shiro maguro (albacore tuna) caught via trolling or by pole in the US and Canada.

I have yet to see a sustainable sushi guide for Asia in general, or Japan specifically, and would imagine that the recommendations would differ quite a bit from those mentioned above.  My guess is that Alaska salmon might not be considered sustainable when served in a Tokyo sushi shop simply due to the environmental impact of getting it here and some fish are more abundant in the waters of Japan than elsewhere in the world.

My limited language ability makes it hard for me to ask my local sushi chef where the fish I am eating comes from and my knowledge of the answer that will appease my concern about the sustainability of that fish is limited in English or Japanese.

I don’t have the answer and suspect that I am not alone in wishing for a resource that would make it a little easier to navigate my sushi choices in Japan with an eye on the sustainability of our oceans and the fish in them.  For now, I’m left with the guides below and a lot a questions:

Sustainable Sushi and Fish Guides

The Blue Ocean Institue offers an Ocean Friendly Sushi Guide
The Environment Defense Fund affers a Pocket Sushi Guide & a list of Smart Sushi Choices
The Monterey Bay Acquirium offers a selection of Regional Seafood Watch Pocket Guides as well as a Sushi Guide (PDF)

Image Credit:  Flickr, Sushi and Fresh Wasabi

At first glance when you dine out at a restaurant in Japan, you only notice the tray holding many tiny plates and bowls filled with delicious nuggets of tasty and often curious looking food.  You don’t think about whether everything matches when you gaze upon the multitude of dishes before you – you just know it’s a lovely and appetizing array that you can’t wait to get your hashi (chopsticks) into.

Such was the case recently when I went out for a tonkatsu lunch.  It was a joy to sit in an almost empty restaurant on a midweek afternoon, taking time to peruse the design details of the serene yet fairly typical Japanese restaurant all while enjoying a nice conversation with my dining companion.  I ordered the giant ebi furai set (fried prawn set) and when it arrived I took a moment to ponder the tasty display of rice, pickled vegetables, dipping sauces, dried fish and miso soup that accompanied the main course.  I found the overall presentation to be lovely and not at all unusual for Japan.

Upon closer inspection, and introspection, I took notice of the dishes themselves.  Nothing matched!  Most pieces were rustic in style but not one of the seven dishes on the lacquered tray could be said to match it’s neighbor – yet they looked good together.

“Wabi Sabi is a theory of Japanese aesthetics in which imperfection and transience are considered the touchstone of beauty”

A rustic pale pick platter held the main course, the dish for the tonkatsu sauce was a deep green that sat comfortably alongside a small white footed bowl containing the dried fish and a traditional lacquer bowl for the miso soup.  A tartar-like sauce sat in a pretty decorated bowl that would likely not be placed alongside the triangular bowl with very different surface decoration and style anywhere but in Japan.

The place setting above seems to embody the spirit of wabi sabi – it is perfectly imperfect.  An appealing and cohesive presentation despite the variety of styles, colors and shapes of the dishes upon which the food rested.

I often strive for a tablescape that meets the western definition of beauty with dishes that match one another in color and style. But lately, when dining out, I am taking time to ponder and appreciate not only the food itself but the wabi sabi of its presentation as well.   This experience has inspired me to select dishes not for the fact that they match something I already own but because they possess a special quality and beauty that calls to out me.  Before long I will be proudly pointing out my mismatched dishes and telling everyone how my time in Japan inspired a very personal kind of wabi sabi.

Image Credit: Personal Collection

Ekiben are special not only for the delicious regional foods within but also for lovely artwork on the protective paper wrappers.

Tsuyoshi Uesugi has colleted over 6000 ekiben wrappers over his years of train travel in Japan and has created a website (in Japanese) showcasing his collection and has also published in a book titled “Ekiben Kakegami Monogatari” (Station box meal cover paper story) that organizes the wrappers by rail routes and describes the significance of the regional designs and the contents of the ekiben. Asahi.com reports that he looks forward to monthly railway trips throughout Japan, where he eats 5-6 ekiben a day, and enjoys adding to his collection by searching out old wrappers at antique shops.

Uyesugi’s collection includes wrappers dating back to 1900′s and the artwork on some is very simple and on others very graphic and stunning.  The paper wrapper pictured above dates back to 1968 and features the logo of the the Osaka International Exhibition EXPO70, the distinctive diamond logo of the Japanese National Railways that operated from 1949-1987 and represents a the one hundred year anniversary of the start of the Meiji Era (1868 – 1912) when Japan first opened its doors to the west.

The artist behind this ekiben wrapper managed to capture the contrast between Commodore Perry’s blackship that entered Yokohama Bay in July of 1853 and the modern Shinkansen train in a striking graphic image that pays homage to the amazing modernization that occurred in Japan during and after the Meiji Era.

While the outside of the ekiben wrappers are beautiful and reflect regional scenes for many of us its what’s inside that counts – the food!  On the right is an ekiben purchased in Matsumoto featuring local fish and seafood, picked vegetables and other ingredient atop a bed of rice.

Today you can visit the Ekiben Room online to peruse images of eki bento available at train stations across Japan.  In a nod to Uyesugi and others like him they showcase not only the wrapper but the variety of shapes and sizes of the bento boxes and the contents of each regional ekiben on a clickable map of Japan.

Image Credit: Ekibento.jp, nos-ueno1 & Flickr, eki-bento

Passers-by can often ogle what the patrons have on their plates and sometimes the odors of the delectable treats waft from the kitchen right out of the open front of the restaurant.  Right on Roppongi Dori, situated under the Shuto expressway, there are restaurants with open fronts for al fresco dining.  Such places are located all over the city – including in some of the large office buildings in Shinjuku.  Restaurants that have a window on the courtyard open it all the way and allow in as much fresh air as possible.  Diners take off their ever-present allergy-barring masks and have the experience of eating in the best nature that a city like Tokyo can provide.

One of my favorite venues of this sort is Le Petit Tonneau right in the heart of Azabu Juban (map), with two other locations in Toranomon (map) and Kudankita (map).  The food is French and authentically so.  The Steak Fritte melts in the mouth, the Poisson de vie is cooked lightly in oil.  There is always crème caramel or crème brulee for dessert.  And the best part of the Azabu Juban location is the fact that the entire front window is removed in the spring so that diners spill out onto the street and the atmosphere is like a bistro or café right on the Champs Elysee in Paris.

Patrons sip wine with their lunch and enjoy the shoppers and families enjoying the day.  Lunch sets begin with cold cream soups thickened with a rich béchamel sauce. Choices for the main courses on the lunch set include quiche, risotto, Poisson, or beef. There is often a large, main-course sized salad with cheese and meat sprinkled liberally within.

The charge for such indulgences, including a small glass of wine and coffee or tea to finish is a mere 1800 JPY.  Dinner is considerably more expensive and does not come in such sets, but is still a good value for the money considering the delectable food.  The staff is omnipresent without being pushy and somehow the manager, who comes to Tokyo via New York and Paris, remembers every face that he sees and inquires politely after one’s children.  It’s an experience that visitors and locals alike can enjoy.

Outdoor dining is a staple of the restaurant experience of Tokyo throughout the spring and summer months.  Diners enjoy the atmosphere of nature without leaving the city.

This article is by our newest contributor, writer and writing professor, Aimee Weinstein.  You can read more from Aimee on her website The Weekly Weinstein: Tales of Tokyo Life where she blogs about Tokyo, parenting and the intersection of the two.

Image Credit: Aimee Weinstein Personal Collection – Used with Permission

Looking for more casual fare?  Look no further that the street food vendors that can be found on almost every street along Matsushima Bay.

Grilled corn on the cob, ebi (shrimp), ika (squid), hotate (scallop),tsubu (whelk in the spiral shell) and, yes, kaki (oysters) were standard fare at almost every street food stall that I came across and the prices were very reasonable.  The ebi was the most expensive at Y750 (approximately USD 7.50), the ika ,Y500, and the cheapest was the tsubu for only Y100.

Tasty street food in Japan – what could be better?

This and other great images of Japan can be found in The Nihon Sun Japan Photo Gallery.

Image Credit:  Personal Collection

On our first night in Sendai I took on the culinary challenge of gyutan at Date No Gyutan with my husband and one of his colleagues.  The restaurant has a modern feel with prompt and friendly service despite the crowds waiting to dine during the holiday rush that is Golden Week.

The gyutan is grilled on the premises in an open kitchen which sent the aroma of grilling meat wafting throughout the restaurant, tantalizing the diners as they patiently waiting to be seated.

The menu offered a choice of either salt or miso gyutan and combination plates with either thin or thick slices. My husband, a meat lover, ordered the thick slices (pictured on the left) at the suggestion or our hotel concierge and I opted for the thinner slices (pictured on the right).  Accompanying our selection was a pickled salad of cabbage with carrots and cucumber that had a peppery flavor, miso vegetables, gyutan broth and as much rice as you could eat. After sampling both, we agreed that the thin sliced Gyutan with miso flavor was the clear winner.

While in Sendai we stayed at the Metropolitan Hotel Sendai which is conveniently located next to Sendai Station and a short walk to Date No Gyutan .  The restaurant is open daily from 11AM until 10PM and offers an English menu.

At first glance Date no Gyutan may appear to a store rather than a restaurant as there are display cases of gyutan in the front with staff selling packages of this Sendai culinary treat but don’t be dismayed, the entrance to the restaurant itself is to the left of the display cases.

Click on the open red circles on Date No Gyutan access map (in Japanese) to see images of the four restaurants located within walking distance of Sendai Station (shaded orange on the map).

If you are in Sendai be sure to try gyutan and look for other regional foods from the Tohoku and Kanto Regions when you visit.

Image Credit:  Personal Collection

Japan’s local fish market vendors also have more time to chat with customers. Some markets even offer more than just sushi: how about oysters on the shell to try right on the spot,  little food stalls where they offer rice and soup to enjoy with tuna or uni you’ve just purchased in the market, or a fish store offering fresh squid sashimi that comes right out of the tank?

So, if you visit a new town in Japan, ask if there’s any local fish market open to public.

Here are just a few of the local fish markets that you might consider visiting on your travels through Japan:

Shiogama Wholesale Fish Market

Located in Shiogama, Miyagi Prefecturem the Shiogama Wholesale Fish Market is approximately 30 minutes by train from Sendai in Japan’s Tohoku Region.

This market is open to both professionals and the public. If you are traveling, it is best to go after 9:00 am when the real business is over. You will see fresh honmaguro tuna from Oma, anago eels, and lots of items in season such as hoya or sea squirt, noresore or baby anago, oysters, sea urchin and more. Just like Tsukiji, you can watch the guys with a big knife performing a tuna cutting ritual.
There is a tiny restaurant in the corner of the market where they offer rice and miso soup for around 300 yen. You can enjoy whatever you purchased in the market with the set. Make your own big uni don or kaisen donburi!

Hours: 3:00 am 1:00 pm Sundays 6:00 am to 2:00 pm

Location: 1-20-74 Shinhama Cho, Shiogama, Miyagi

Access: 15 minutes walk from the JR Shiogama station or 5 minutes by taxi

See more images from the Shiogama Fish Market on Flickr.

Nakaminato Fish Market

The Nakaminato Fish Market in Nakaminato, Ibaraki is approximately 30 minutes by JR and local train from Mito, Ibaraki in the Kanto region of Japan.

This market beats Tokyo Disneyland! It is a giant seafood amusement park where you find everything related to seafood and where everyone at all ages can have fun.

The train ride to Nakaminato is something not to miss. Picture a single car old train railing along the rice paddies without any homes in site. When you arrive at this gigantic market by the sea, you will find all kinds of places and things to eat with one specific category – all seafood. You will find lots of sushi and seafood restaurants to choose from after shopping for fish, but stalls in the market offers shucked oysters on the spot, uni lump with soy flavor BBQed on the shell or BBQ shrimps. They even have a DIY BBQ grill in the middle of the crowded market. In addition to fresh seafood, you spot all kinds of dried fish being made – including the whole process from the cleaning part, dipping in sauce part, skewering, or the final drying part. Finally, you find all kinds of seafood such as fish famous as winter delicacy, anko, big local clams, and crabs.

Hours: 7:00 am to 5:00 pm

Location: 21 Minato Motomachi, Hitachinaka, Ibaraki

Access: From JR Katsuda, take a single car local train, Hitachi-Naka Kaihin Tetsudo that runs twice an hour to Nakaminato Station. About 10 minutes walk from the train station.

See more images of the Nakaminato Fish Market on Flickr.

Fish Market & Auction in Kochi

The Local fish market auction in Kami-no-kae, Kochi is in the middle of nowhere in Kochi between Kochi City and Shimanto Nakamura in Japan’s Shikoku Region.

Participate in the program offered by Kami-no-kae Fishing Co-op where you can learn from the local fishermen how to tie ropes, fish using rock weights tied to the rope, and row an old style fishing boat. See how you can sign up for such experience.  In the afternoon, watch local guys bring in the fish and auction it off to a dozen local restaurants and shops in matter of 10 minutes (a short fish market video taken in Nakatosa, Kochi).

This is one extreme of a local fish market, but in the same area, there is a very nice fish market where you can stroll and have something to eat. It is called Taisho Ichiba and the whole market feels like it has stepped back in time to the Showa period (1926–1989).

Taisho Ichiba

Hours: noon to dusk

Location: 6382, Kure, Nakatosa Cho, Takaoka, Kochi

Access: 10 minutes walk from the JR Tosa Kure station

See more images of Taisho Ichiba at Sushiboy555′s photo set on Flickr.

Other Fish Markets in Japan on Tokyofoodcast

Wajima Morning Market in Ishikawa

Take some time to get our and explore some of Japan’s local fish markets and stop by and visit me at Tokyofoodcast to follow my foodie adventures in Japan and learn more about Japanese food and food culture.

Images used with permission of Tokyofoodcast