A Quick Study on Japanese Food

Let’s look at some must-know details about this amazing and esteemed cuisine and keep in mind just how serious the Japanese regard their food.

  1. Japanese cuisine is one of only three national food traditions recognized by the UN for its cultural significance. Aside from French and Mexican food the UN recognizes that Japan’s cuisine helped mold and perpetuate her distinct culture and tradition, and to this day symbolized what they are.
  2. Everything about Japanese food is simple. Ingredients are as simple and as few to let its real food flavor shine through. Many are minimally seasoned; garlic, chilli peppers, and oil are infrequently used. Condiments add variety but are also simple, like soy sauce.
  3. Seafood, a major part of the Japanese diet, is a staggeringly huge industry in Japan. The world’s largest wholesale market for seafoods is based in Tokyo, selling 700 thousand tons of seafood a year. And it’s just one of the 12 based in Tokyo alone.
  4. While the Japanese diet includes a lot a vegetables, it is exceedingly hard to find a totally vegetarian recipe in Japan. There are not many vegans or vegetarians in Japan, and those who are, are not even 100% vegetarian. Even their vegetable dishes use some form of animal products – like fish flakes or dashi stock.
  5. Dining Japanese involves a lot of food rules and proper etiquette. It is good manners to slurp your food ( a sign that you appreciate it), also if you don’t rest your chopsticks on anything except the chopstick stand provided, not leaving your crumpled napkins on your plate, and not tipping the waiters.

We’ve got other juicy and serious tidbits on Japanese food that maybe we can share in another blog. Next time. In the meantime, why don’t you drop by Wild Wasabi, your Japanese restaurant in Lynnwood and see what our chefs have for you this season.