Before my first trip to Japan some friends who’d already visited advised me to take some products from home or to eat at places like McDonalds. They felt that Japanese food was ‘tasteless and strange’. Fortunately I didn’t follow their advice as I wanted to taste authentic Japanese food. I’m glad I followed my intuition because I quite like Japanese cuisine.
As Japan is an island country and surrounded by seas and the ocean, it’s not surprising that sea foods are very popular there and often served fresh and uncooked. The best places to eat the freshest fish and other sea products are the fish markets in port towns such as Aomori, Shimizu, Shiogama. There are many similar such towns all over Japan.
Of course, along with fresh or raw foods, seafood is also grilled or cooked in crispy tempura. Now, while I enjoy all kinds of dishes, there are a few that I simply couldn't make myself try. Maybe next time... Until then, you can try other foods in part two.
