| Tempura, sukiyaki, sashimi, sushi - even | | | | cuisine. Sushi and sashimi both are raw |
| the words used to describe the most | | | | fish and seafood with various spices. |
| basic of Japanese dishes are exotic and | | | | Impeccably fresh fish is the secret to |
| beautiful. Japanese cuisine is easily | | | | wonderful sashimi and sushi, served with |
| one of the healthiest in the world, with | | | | wasabi and soya sauce. The Japanese love |
| its concentration on fresh fish, | | | | of beauty and simplicity turns slices |
| seafood, rice and vegetables. The | | | | and chunks of raw fish into miniature |
| pungent sauces and delicate flavors of | | | | works of art. Fish sliced so thin that |
| fresh foods complement each other | | | | it's transparent may be arranged on a |
| beautifully, and the methods of | | | | platter in a delicate fan that |
| presentation turn even simple meals into | | | | alternates pink-fleshed salmon with |
| beautiful events. | | | | paler slices of fish. Sushi is typically |
| The Japanese have easily a dozen | | | | arranged to best display the colors and |
| different names for rice, depending on | | | | textures to their best advantage, |
| how it is prepared and what it is served | | | | turning the platter and plate into |
| with. The most common meal is a rice | | | | palettes for the artistry of the chef. |
| bowl, a bowl of white rice served with | | | | Traditionally, meat plays a minor role |
| various toppings or ingredients mixed | | | | in the Japanese diet, though it has been |
| in. So popular is it that the Rice Bowl | | | | taking a larger and larger role over the |
| has even made its way into the world of | | | | past fifty years as Japan becomes more |
| Western convenience foods alongside | | | | westernized. Beef, chicken and pork may |
| ramen noodles. Domburi is a bowl of rice | | | | be served with several meals a week now. |
| topped with another food: domburi | | | | One of the more popular meat dishes is |
| tendon, for instance, is rice topped | | | | 'yakitori' - chicken grilled on a skewer |
| with tempura and domburi gyudon is rice | | | | and served with sauce. A typical quick |
| topped with beef. The Japanese adopted | | | | lunch might include a skewer of yakitori |
| fried rice from the Chinese, and a | | | | and a rice bowl with sushi sauce. |
| century ago, when curry was first | | | | In an interesting twist, Japan has |
| introduced, developed Kare Raisu, curry | | | | imported dishes from other cuisines and |
| rice. It is now such a popular dish that | | | | 'Japanized' them, adopting them as part |
| there are many fast-food restaurants | | | | of their own cuisines. Korokke, for |
| that serves several versions of it in | | | | instance, are croquettes adopted from |
| take-away bowls. | | | | those introduced by the English last |
| Besides white rice served as a side | | | | century. In Japan, the most common |
| dish, Japanese cuisine also features | | | | filling is a mixture of mashed potatoes |
| onigiri - rice balls wrapped in seaweed, | | | | and minced meat. Other Soshoyu - western |
| often with a 'surprise' in the middle, | | | | dishes that have made their way into |
| and kayu, a thin gruel made of rice that | | | | Japanese everyday cuisine include |
| resembles oatmeal. | | | | 'omuraisu', a rice omelet, and hambagau, |
| As an island nation, it's not surprising | | | | the Japanized version of an American |
| that seafood is featured in Japanese | | | | hamburger. |