Autumn Foods in Japan

Autumn is one of our favourite seasons to eat in Japan. Sanma, the long, sleek fish (pacific saury in English), grilled with salt. The crisp skin cracks under the pressure from your chop stick, and you come away with this delicious, moist, dark piece of fish meat that tastes right in every way.

Grilled sanma, an Autumn delicacy.
Source: https://flic.kr/p/71XHGi 

Fruit harvests are also abundant in autumn. Japanese apples and pears are juicy and crisp, and persimmons are also starting to appear on trees and in the shops. The waxy skin of the persimmon hides a soft, orange flesh, similar to a peach or ripe pear, but tasting like neither.

Japanese sweet potato, satsumaimo, is another autumn favourite. Slow roasted over hot stones, the soft, baked potato texture, combined with the golden yellow flesh just demands a dab of butter. Don’t forget to pick up some roasted chestnuts while you’re out and about from the plentiful street stalls you will come across on our Japan Discovered Tour.

Daigakuimo, fried Japanese sweet potato coated with sugar.
https://flic.kr/p/gHYCmc

Shinmai (new rice) is the first crop of rice to be harvested in the year and is said to have subtle taste and texture differences. Some say this rice is moister, a little plumper and sweeter than regular rice.
Finally, autumn is the season for matutake. Matsutake is one of the most sought after mushrooms in the world, due to its unique spicy aroma and flavour. Highly prized in both Japanese and Chinese cuisine, one kilo of matsutake can cost up to €1,800 for the early season, highest grade mushrooms.

Matsutake mushrooms on sale in Kanazawa.
Source: https://flic.kr/p/aGVHcg

To experience this world class cuisine during one of the best times to see Japan, join our October 28th Japan Discovered Small Group Tour, or, if small groups are not for you, contact us for a tailor made self guided adventure.

Interactive Tokyo Map: The Best Tokyo Sightseeing Spots

     Tokyo is the capital of Japan and one of the largest metropolises in the world. If you're visiting Japan, you're likely to fly into this magnificent city. We often recommend to our clients that they spend a few days in Tokyo, and explore the city as much as possible. There's so many places to go that it's hard to figure out where is best to go though.

Giving goes a long way in Japan

                                    Immaculately wrapped gifts are the norm in Japan

Anytime a Japanese person goes abroad, he or she will go armed with a long shopping list – not of things for themselves but those for their loved ones, friends, work colleagues, bosses, people in their hobby group. The list is sometimes longer than their arms, if you know what I mean.

In some ways the Japanese have perfected the art of giving gifts. If you have ever been to a Japanese department store, just as you are being asked to make a purchase the person on the cash register will always ask you, “Is this item for yourself or a present for someone?” In the case of the latter, it means that the store assistant will meticulously wrap the item and even ask you if you would like “a free ribbon” to go with it. Have you encountered such service anywhere else in the world?

In addition to incorporating the times of year that people in the West traditionally give gifts – Valentine’s Day, birthdays, Christmas Day, etc. – there are two times of year that gifts are traditionally given in Japan. “O-seibo” (year-end gift) and “O-chugen” (mid-year gift) are given as a form of greeting. Recipients will generally be people who have helped you out recently, such as work colleagues or relatives.

At these times of year department stores will often set up whole sections of their stores dedicated to promoting these gifts. The items on sale are usually something functional but a bit “luxurious” – something that you would not usually buy yourself. Sets of luxury branded towels or $100 melons are just some of the things on offer. 

                                               Too pretty to eat?

Although it is generally older people who still send such presents, it is perhaps because they know the value of keeping good relations.

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