Our 2018 trip to Japan was full of interesting food experiences. I thought it would be fun to collect them together in one post along with the places we visited, in the hope that it will inspire more home cooking in the future.
Familiar Cities, Familiar Flavours
In Tokyo, I learnt how to make takoyaki and soba (buckwheat noodles) – the latter from scratch. I’ve eaten soba many times but it turns out the kneading and rolling process is quite elaborate. Soba remains my favourite Japanese noodle.
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We had a brief pause in Nagoya, where I couldn’t turn down a tenmusu (prawn tempura rice ball) bento, even though it was mid morning. Inspired by that city, my love for all things slathered with miso sauce or sweet red bean paste was reawakened. The following week, I was eating sweet bean jam on toast for breakfast and dreaming of Komeda’s Coffee opening in London.
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We always stop in Osaka on the way to visit family. The area around Dotonbori is a tourist trap; I can only handle its crowds and pinball machine noise in small doses. However, on this occasion we did find a particularly delectable katsu curry.
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Kii Peninsula Trip
We also spent some time on the Kii Peninsula, taking in Mie Prefecture along its eastern coast as well as parts of Wakayama Prefecture in the south and Nara Prefecture in the middle. Our first stop was Ise, where we visited the Grand Shrine and tasted local Ise udon.
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Kumano Sanzan
In Wakayama Prefecture, although we didn’t walk the Kumano pilgrimage trails themselves, we visited all three of the main Kumano shrines (‘taisha’). Collectively, they are known as the ‘Kumano Sanzan’. My favourite site was probably Nachi Taisha for its amazing mountain views, the adjoining Buddhist temple architecture and the atmospheric forest path between the shrine and the foot of the famous waterfall nearby.
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The other two main Kumano shrines are Hayatama Taisha and the head shrine or Hongu Taisha, which had a fascinating history. Its original site was across the road and a couple of rice fields away at a spot called Oyunohara, a tree-covered sandbank encircled by two confluent rivers. Following a destructive flood in 1889, the shrine buildings were rebuilt where they stand today. The old mossy foundations, surrounded by trees, still maintain a reflective atmosphere while the site’s entrance, now marked by a giant steel torii, attracts the buzz of drones and school excursions.
Unusual Dishes
Since we were mostly staying in small towns and onsen hotels (which tend to offer washoku menus), we were able to try some interesting dishes. Unusual delicacies included a faux-mochi dumpling made with millet (charmingly called ‘trick-the-husband’), and some rather luxurious venison tempura.
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