In the Japanese cuisine, chefs often use shellfish and their roe in different dishes. Sushi (vinegared rice, topped with other ingredients, including shellfish, fish, meat and vegetables) features both raw and cooked shellfish. Sashimi primarily consists of very fresh raw seafood, sliced into thin pieces. Both sushi and sashimi are served with soy sauce and wasabi paste (a Japanese horseradish root, a spice with extremely strong, hot flavor), thinly sliced pickled ginger root, and a simple garnish such as shiso (a kitchen herb, member of the mint family) or finely shredded daikon radish, or both.
In Japan
Shellfish
Shellfish | In Japan
In the Japanese cuisine, chefs often use shellfish and their roe in different dishes. In the Japanese cuisine, chefs often use shellfish and their roe in different dishes. In the Japanese cuisine, chefs often use shellfish and their roe in different dishes; sushi features both raw and cooked shellfish. In the Japanese cuisine, chefs often use shellfish and their roe in Sushi, a variety of dish.
the movement of food in food pipe is called
user
Peristaltic contractions.
assistant
enumerate any notable structural mention?
user
Taste buds, mediastinum, diaphragm, trachea, etc.
assistant
what does the first thing mentioned here compose of?
user
Taste receptor cells.
assistant
does it have any functionality?
user
Yes, they are involved in detecting the five elements of taste perception: salty, sour, bitter, sweet and umami.
assistant
where does the last word derive it's name from?
user
Japanese.
assistant
when was it discovered?
user
1908.
assistant
what is it define as?
user
As a savory and is characteristic of broths and cooked meats.
assistant
enumerate any particular properties mentioned?
user
It has a mild but lasting aftertaste associated with salivation and a sensation of furriness on the tongue, stimulating the throat, the roof and the back of the mouth.
assistant
is there a mention of food stuff having high proportions of the said thing?
user
Yes, mushrooms, smoked or fermented fish, shellfish, etc.
assistant
what is the definition of the last food item?
user
It is an exoskeleton-bearing aquatic invertebrates used as food.
assistant
are there any benefits by it's consumption?
user
It is an important source of protein.
assistant
what is the relevance of this kind of food in the country mentioned earlier?
user
In Japan, sushi has traditionally been considered a delicacy. The original type of sushi, "nare-zushi", was first developed in Southeast Asia and then spread to southern China before its introduction to Japan sometime around the 8th century AD. Fish was salted and wrapped in fermented rice, a traditional lacto-fermented rice dish. "Nare-zushi" was made of this gutted fish stored in fermented rice for months at a time for preservation. The fermentation of the rice prevented the fish from spoiling. The fermented rice was discarded and fish was the only part consumed. This early type of sushi became an important source of protein for the Japanese.
History of seafood | Japan
These are often eaten as a snack with green tea. It is often included when cooking beans, putatively to add nutrients and improve their digestibility.
Kombu | Japan
Archaeological finds have shown that humans have been making use of shellfish as a food item for hundreds of thousands of years. In the present, shellfish dishes are a feature of almost all the cuisines of the world, providing an important source of protein in many cuisines around the world, especially in the countries with coastal areas.
Shellfish | Shellfish in various cuisines
As Japan is an island nation surrounded by an ocean, its people have always taken advantage of the abundant seafood supply. It is the opinion of some food scholars that the Japanese diet always relied mainly on "grains with vegetables or seaweeds as main, with poultry secondary, and red meat in slight amounts" even before the advent of Buddhism which placed an even stronger taboo. The eating of was spoken of as taboo, unclean or something to be avoided by personal choice through the Edo period. The consumption of whale and terrapin meat were not forbidden under this definition. Despite this, the consumption of red meat did not completely disappear in Japan.
Japanese cuisine | Meat consumption
It is cultivated under that name in Japan, and has been found to have health benefits.
Kayapo | Introduction
"V. flaviceps" is popular as food in Central Japan. All of its stages are consumed, but the larvae are considered a special delicacy. Small colonies may be collected and relocated into artificial hives near dwellings for the purpose of harvesting them for food. These colonies are sometimes even sheltered over the winter by humans, which benefits not only the humans but the wasps as well. This protection from the cold greatly helps their chances of survival. In some regions of Japan, "V. flaviceps" is eaten in a dish with rice. In the Chubu area (including Nagano, Gifu and Aichi), a dish in which the larvae are prepared in rice is considered a delicacy.
Vespula flaviceps | As food
Jellyfish is consumed in several Asian and Southeast Asian countries. In 2001, it was reported that Japan had annually imported between 5,400 and 10,000 tons of edible jellyfish from Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. Dehydrated and pickled jellyfish is considered a delicacy in several Asian countries, including China, Korea, Taiwan, Vietnam, and Japan. re-hydrating Dehydrated jellyfish can be prepared for eating by soaking it in water for several hours to rehydrate it, and then parboiling, rinsing and slicing it.
Jellyfish as food | Consumption
Shellfish should form an essential part of any healthy diet. Shellfish provide protein, vitamins and minerals, are low in fat and a wonderful source of the Omega-3 fatty acid. Different shellfish have different health benefits so, to make the most of these, we should vary the types we eat. There over 20 species available to eat in the UK alone. Shellfish are excellent sources of protein; a 100 gram serving of shellfish provides about 10-25 grams of protein, roughly a third to half of the average UK recommended protein intake. The protein in shellfish is of high quality, containing many essential amino acids and, because of a lack of connective tissue, very digestible for people of all ages.
Shellfish Association of Great Britain | Shellfish and Nutrition
In traditional Japanese cuisine, oil and fat are usually avoided within the cooking process, because Japanese people were trying to keep a healthy lifestyle. Preserving fish became a sensation; sushi was originated as a means of preserving fish by fermenting it in boiled rice. Fish that are salted and then placed in rice are preserved by lactic acid fermentation, which helps prevent the proliferation of the bacteria that bring about putrefaction. During the 15th century, advancement and development helped shorten the fermentation of sushi to about one to two weeks. Sushi thus became a popular snack food and main entrée, combining fish with rice.
Japanese cuisine | History
Between the 1960s and 2000, Japanese total meat consumption increased fivefold. Japan is the second-largest fish and seafood importer in the world, and the largest in Asia. However per capita consumption of fish and seafood declined from 40 kg in 2007 to 33 kg in 2012, partly due to a rise in meat and dairy consumption. In a 2014 survey by the Japanese organization Animal Rights Center, 4.7% of respondents were vegetarians (including vegans).
Animal welfare and rights in Japan | Animal product consumption
50–60% of the population ate fish only on festive occasions, probably more because of poverty than for any other reason.
Japanese cuisine | Vegetarian
Japanese obsession with fresh food—which manifested in certain aspect of Japanese cuisine traditions of eating live seafood, which includes Ikizukuri and Odori ebi, has gained criticism—condemned as a form of animal cruelty. Japanese cuisine is heavily dependent on seafood products. Compared to other developed countries, the Japanese eat more fish than most of them, consuming about 45 kilograms of seafood per capita annually. An aspect of environmental concern is Japanese appetite for seafood, which might lead to depletion of natural ocean resources through overfishing. For example, Japan consumes 80% of the global supply of blue fin tuna, a popularly sought sushi and sashimi ingredient, which might lead to its extinction due to commercial overfishing.
Japanese cuisine | Food controversies
Starfish are sometimes eaten in China, Japan and in Micronesia.
Starfish | As food
In Japan "kayu" – because it is soft and easily digestible – is regarded as a food particularly suitable for serving to invalids and the elderly. For similar reasons "kayu" is commonly the first solid food served to Japanese infants; it is used to help with the transition from liquids to normally cooked "plain" rice, the latter being a major part of the Japanese diet.
Congee | Japan
In the Japanese cuisine, chefs often use shellfish and their roe in different dishes. Sushi (vinegared rice, topped with other ingredients, including shellfish, fish, meat and vegetables) features both raw and cooked shellfish. Sashimi primarily consists of very fresh raw seafood, sliced into thin pieces. Both sushi and sashimi are served with soy sauce and wasabi paste (a Japanese horseradish root, a spice with extremely strong, hot flavor), thinly sliced pickled ginger root, and a simple garnish such as shiso (a kitchen herb, member of the mint family) or finely shredded daikon radish, or both.
Shellfish | In Japan
Jellyfish salad, a popular dish in some areas of Asia, may be prepared using cold marinated jellyfish that is thinly sliced. Some Asian airlines serve jellyfish salad as a part of their meals. Jellyfish sushi is consumed in Japan. In Thailand, a crunchy style of noodle is produced using jellyfish. The Japanese company Tango Jersey Dairy produces a vanilla and jellyfish ice cream, prepared using cubes of diced Nomura's jellyfish ("Echizen kurage" in Japanese) soaked in milk. It has been described as "slightly chewy." Following the 2009 Japanese Nomura's jellyfish bloom, students in Obama, Fukui designed a Nomura Jellyfish powder to be used to make caramel sweets as part of a NASA-designed food safety management system established in the school.
Jellyfish as food | Dishes
Kanji acts as a coolant during summer, promotes digestion, and is very nutritious.
Kanji (food) | Health Benefits
The milk meanwhile was chosen for its ability to quickly bolster underfed children.
Food in the Occupation of Japan | School lunches
Initially, they were only used by the nobility. The general population used their hands, as utensils were quite expensive. Due to the lack of meat products Japanese people minimized spice utilization. Spices were rare to find at the time. Spices like pepper and garlic were only used in a minimalist amount. In the absence of meat, fish was served as the main protein, as Japan is an island nation. Fish has influenced many iconic Japanese dishes today. In the 9th century, grilled fish and sliced raw fish were widely popular. Japanese people who could afford it would eat fish at every meal; others would have to make do without animal protein for many of their meals.
Japanese cuisine | History
Salt, citric acid, and polyphenols also contribute to their antimicrobial activity, so they are a natural preservative for foods and help prevent food poisoning and other bacterial stomach problems. Umeboshi is used as a cooking accent to enhance flavor and presentation. They may also be served as a complement of a drink with "shochu" and hot water.
Umeboshi | Consumption
In Japan, Ikizukuri ("prepared alive") is the preparation of sashimi ("pierced food") made from live seafood. The most popular sea animal used in ikizukuri is fish but octopus is typically the only species that is still moving on the plate. Another fish dish invented by a Taiwanese chef from Chiayi, is called Yin Yang fish (also "dead-and-alive fish") in which the fish's body (but not the head) is rapidly deep-fried and served while the head is still fresh and moving. It is prepared extremely quickly, with care not to damage the internal organs, so that the fish can remain alive for thirty minutes.
Eating live animals | Fish
Synanceia is edible to humans if properly prepared. The protein-based venom quickly breaks down when heated, and raw stonefish served as part of sashimi is rendered harmless simply by removing the dorsal fins which are the main source of venom. The fish are considered a delicacy in many parts of Asia, including south Japan, south Fujian, Guangdong in China, and Hong Kong. In the Hokkien-speaking area, they are considered delicacies and good for health. The meat of Synanceia is white, dense and sweet, and the skin is also edible. They are usually cooked with ginger into a clear soup, and sometimes served raw as sashimi.
Synanceia | As food
As domestic raw materials lost their price competitiveness following the liberalization of imports, food makers more often produced foodstuffs overseas, promoted tie-ups with overseas firms, and purchased overseas firms.
Manufacturing in Japan | Food
Japanese food distribution drastically decreased from the effects of World War Two and the country's economic shortcomings. The need for food during the 1920s and 1930s rose drastically as Japan's population and average lifestyle increased. Japan was importing large amounts of rice, sugar, soybeans, and wheat from its colonies by 1935, and had a dependence on colonial possessions to distribute food to her people. 95% of Japanese rice between 1936 and 1938, just a few years before major conflict arose with the United States, was imported from its colonies in Korea and Formosa. Only 2% of Japan's rice came from foreign countries.
Food distribution | Japan
He also says that in recent years vegetables are poorer sources of nutrients, and that it is difficult to obtain sufficient enzymes from consumed food alone. His evidence for this is a chart based on references for 1963 and 2008 which shows values of beta-carotene, vitamin C and iron found in spinach and carrot, from which he appears to infer a comparable enzyme deficit in all vegetable food sources.
Hiromi Shinya | Claims about Health benefits
The Westernization of many areas of Japanese life includes consuming a diversity of foods. After World War II, Japanese dietary patterns changed and came to resemble those of the West. Many Japanese still prefer a traditional breakfast of boiled rice, miso soup, and pickled vegetables (tsukemono). The Japanese diet has improved along with other living standards. Average intake per day was 2,084 calories and 77.9 grams of protein in the late 1980s. Of total protein intake, 26.5% came from cereals (including 18.4% from rice), 9.6% from pulses, 23.1% from fish, 14.8% from livestock products, 11% from eggs and milk, and 15% from other sources.
Standard of living in Japan | Food
Aristotle stated in the "Parts of Animals" IV, 6 that jellyfish (sea-nettles) were eaten in winter time in a fish stew. In some countries, such as China, Japan, and Korea, jellyfish are a delicacy. The jellyfish is dried to prevent spoiling. Only some 12 species of scyphozoan jellyfish belonging to the order Rhizostomeae are harvested for food, mostly in southeast Asia. Rhizostomes, especially "Rhopilema esculentum" in China ( "hǎizhé", "sea stingers") and "Stomolophus meleagris" (cannonball jellyfish) in the United States, are favored because of their larger and more rigid bodies and because their toxins are harmless to humans. Traditional processing methods, carried out by a jellyfish master, involve a 20- to 40-day multi-phase procedure in which, after removing the gonads and mucous membranes, the umbrella and oral arms are treated with a mixture of table salt and alum, and compressed.
Jellyfish | Products
In Japanese cuisine, this fish is grilled or fried whole and served with its roe intact. Due to declining catches in recent years, attempts have been made to commercially farm the fish in Japan.
Shishamo | Food use
Before the availability of refrigeration, Japan did not consume raw salmon. Salmon and salmon roe have only recently come into use in making sashimi (raw fish) and sushi, with the introduction of parasite-free Norwegian salmon in the late 1980s.
Salmon as food | Products
In 675, the use of livestock and the consumption of some wild animals (horse, cattle, dogs, monkeys, birds) was banned in Japan by Emperor Tenmu, due to the influence of Buddhism. Subsequently, in the year 737 of the Nara period, the Emperor Seimu approved the eating of fish and shellfish. During the twelve hundred years from the Nara period to the Meiji Restoration in the latter half of the 19th century, Japanese people enjoyed vegetarian-style meals. They usually ate rice as a staple food as well as beans and vegetables. It was only on special occasions or celebrations that fish was served.
History of vegetarianism | Japan
Preserved foodstuffs are an important part of Japanese diet. They are often eaten at the end of a meal and are said to aid in digestion. The lactobacillus in nukazuke pickles may be a beneficial supplement to the intestinal flora. Since nukazuke absorb nutrients from the rice bran, they are high in vitamin B, which helped prevent beri-beri in 17th century Edo (present-day Tokyo). Almost any edible vegetable may be preserved using this technique. Traditional varieties include eggplant, Japanese radish (daikon), cabbage, and cucumber. The taste of nukazuke can vary from pleasantly tangy to very sour, salty and pungent, depending on the methods and recipe used or region.
Nukazuke | Introduction
Nagashi Emi also says that the origin of Gudetama is the start-up breakfast for Japanese workers: tamago kake gohan (raw egg on white rice). To be more specific, eggs have rich symbolic and metaphoric potential in terms of the millennial workers that inspired its creation. Gudetama is only the yolk, not the entire egg, implying the selective nature of employment and capitalist valuation, which demands the best of people and discards the rest. Just like eggs, people in today's society are valued for what they can contribute to the society. Therefore, Gudetama has a strong social resonance and thus is able to earn people's love globally.
Gudetama | Food culture
"Acropoma japonicum" is an important food fish which is a bycatch in Korean waters but in Japan it is used in the commercial manufacture of fishcakes. It is also used to make fishmeal. This species is also of ecological importance as it is an important constituent of the diet of many commercially important fish species.
Acropoma japonicum | Human usage
In Japan the two species in the genus are collectively called , and this is also the common genus name. In Japanese cuisine, these fish are processed into , a product much like , though not really used in fine-dining restaurants or as condiment, but as a fish stock ingredient at more budget type popular-dining places, e.g., noodle shops. Although fresh fish might be eaten as sashimi or grilled, it has a lot of dark-red meat (), so it is valued much less than the similar "" (skipjack tuna). And it degrades quickly so shipment out to market is limited.
Auxis | As food
The reason why rice was issued with barley was to combat nutritional deficiencies such as beriberi. Often, soldiers would forage for fresh fruit to provide vitamins. Typically ¼ cup of canned tuna, or sausages, and/or squid would be cooked from either captured locations or hunting in the nearby area. Preserved foods from Japan typically were issued sparingly. Other foods issued: 1 ¼ cups of canned cabbage, coconut, sweet potato, burdock, lotus root, taro, bean sprouts, peaches, mandarin oranges, lychee or beans. 3 teaspoons of pickled radish (typically daikon), pickled cucumber, umeboshi, scallions and ginger added flavor to the rations. Sometimes less than an ounce of dried seaweed, was issued for making sushi in the field, or beer and/or sake was issued to help boost morale.
Imperial Japanese rations | Introduction
The LDP & Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fishery’s created a program called Food Action Nippon Program ("FAN"). The slogan for the program was "Everybody, let's increase the Food Self-Sufficiency Ratio!". It was aimed to educated consumers about Japan's low food self-sufficiency ratio and to encourage domestic consumption. In 2005, "Food Education" legislation was created to encourage using locally-grown food for public school lunches. Through this legislation, children were taught about local agriculture and food traditions and local farmers were benefited as well.
Agricultural protectionism in Japan | Government policies and other institutions
Due to its low food self-sufficiency rate, around 40%, Japan relies on stockpiling to secure a stable food supply. As of 2009, Japan's 1.2 million ton seafood stockpile included nearly 5000 tons of whale meat. In 2005, the Japanese government began encouraging public schools to serve whale meat in school lunches as part of an initiative to reduce the country's stockpiles. A reported 18 percent of public elementary and junior high schools offering lunches served whale meat at least once during the 2009/2010 fiscal year. However, there has been criticism of serving whale meat to school children due to allegations of toxic methylmercury levels.
Whaling in Japan | Commercial viability
In 1947, U.S. authorities established school lunch programs in Japan to provide nutrition for children in the larger cities affected by the food crisis. As a result, American charities and religious organizations developed the Licensed Agencies for Relief in Asia (LARA) to dispense food, clothing, and other aid to Japan. The school lunch programs were extended nationwide in Japan in 1951, with the intention of allotting 600 kilocalories and 25 grams of protein for each student. The lunches included a main course (usually warm) with a bread roll and a glass of milk. The bread was not donated because of its health benefits, but because Americans wanted to divest excess wheat to foreign markets to increase their profits.
Food in the Occupation of Japan | School lunches
Research into the shellfish consumed in the affected regions showed that a fat-soluble toxin was responsible for the 164 documented cases, and this toxin was traced to mussels and scallops harvested in the Miyagi prefecture. In northeastern Japan, a legend had existed that during the season of paulownia flowers, shellfish can be poisonous. Studies following this outbreak showed that toxicity of these mussels and scallops appeared and increased during the months of June and July, and all but disappeared between August and October. Elsewhere in Japan, in 1975 Fujisawa pharmaceutical company observed that the extract of a black sponge, "Halichondria okadai", was a potent cytotoxin, and was dubbed Halichondrine-A.
Okadaic acid | History
Through a long culinary past, the Japanese have developed sophisticated and refined cuisine. In more recent years, Japanese food has become fashionable and popular in the United States, Europe, and many other areas. Dishes such as sushi, tempura, noodles, and teriyaki are some of the foods that are commonly known. The Japanese diet consists principally of rice; fresh, lean seafood; and pickled or boiled vegetables. The healthy Japanese diet is often believed to be related to the longevity of Japanese people.
Culture of Japan | Cuisine
Surimi is a useful ingredient for producing various kinds of processed foods. It allows a manufacturer to imitate the texture and taste of a more expensive product, such as lobster tail, using a relatively low-cost material. Surimi is an inexpensive source of protein. In Asian cultures, surimi is eaten as a food in its own right and seldom used to imitate other foods. In Japan, fish cakes (kamaboko) and fish sausages, as well as other extruded fish products, are commonly sold as cured surimi. In Chinese cuisine, fish surimi, often called "fish paste", is used directly as stuffing or made into balls.
Surimi | Uses and products
Some sayings such as "shimotsukare o nana-ken tabearukuto byoki ni naranai" (しもつかれを7軒食べ歩くと病気にならない literally, eating shimotsukare prepared from seven houses will keep you from getting sick) noted that consuming shimotsukare promotes good health. The dish is also sometimes included in jubako (重箱 or Japanese tier bento bako) and shared amongst neighbours to prevent them from catching cold during winter.
Shimotsukare | Nutritional Information
Historically these shells are considered a delicacy, cooked and served in a broth of white wine, garlic and parsley.
Lithophaga lithophaga | Human culture
Known as ""Jeon-eo"", 전어, in Korea, these fish are a seasonal specialty and consumed in a wide variety of ways including raw, grilled, dried, etc. There are several "Jeon-eo" regional festivals in fall which attract large crowds. It is known as ""Konoshiro"" (コノシロ) in Japan. Konosirus punctatus is also an important fish consumed in China, Japan, India and Polynesia.
Konosirus punctatus | As Food
Rice is a staple in Japanese cuisine. Wheat and soybeans were introduced shortly after rice. All three act as staple foods in Japanese cuisine today. During the Kofun period, Buddhism became the official religion of the country. Therefore, eating meat and fish was prohibited. In 675 AD, Emperor Tenmu prohibited the eating of horses, dogs, monkeys, and chickens. In the 8th and 9th centuries, many emperors continued to prohibit killing many types of animals. The number of regulated meats increased significantly, leading to the banning of all mammals except whale, which were categorized as fish. During this period, chopsticks were introduced to Japan.
Japanese cuisine | History
Other food sources meriting special mention include Sika deer, wild boar (with possible wild-pig management), wild plants such as yam-like tubers, and freshwater fish. Supported by the highly productive deciduous forests and an abundance of seafood, the population was concentrated in central and northern Honshu, but Jōmon sites range from Hokkaido to the Ryukyu Islands.
Jōmon period | Incipient and Initial Jōmon ()
In most countries hagfish are usually not eaten, but this particular species is valued as food in the Korean Peninsula and among the Koreans in Japan. It is also enjoyed by Japanese as a local delicacy in some regions, particularly Nagasaki and Niigata Prefectures. It is known as "bù shì nián máng mán" (布氏粘盲鰻, 無目鰻, 蒲氏粘盲鰻, 青眠鰻, 龍筋, 鰻背) in Mandarin, "kkomjangeo" (꼼장어) or "meokjangeo" (먹장어) in Korean, and "nuta-unagi" (ヌタウナギ) in Japanese. As with all hagfish, the inshore hagfish produces slime when agitated. This is obtained by placing a live inshore hagfish into a container and knocking the container with a stick.
Inshore hagfish | As food
"Turbo cornutu"s is enjoyed as a delicacy in Japan, where it is known as "sazae." After cooking, the corkscrew-like animal can be drawn out of its shell using its hard operculum, or hard, rocky lid, to which it is firmly attached. The operculum is not edible, and must be discarded along with the animal's shell after eating.
Turbo cornutus | Consumption
Rice has been the staple food for the Japanese historically. Its fundamental importance is evident from the fact that the word for cooked rice, "gohan" and "meshi", also stands for a "meal". While rice has a long history of cultivation in Japan, its use as a staple has not been universal. Notably, in northern areas (northern Honshū and Hokkaidō), other grains such as wheat were more common into the 19th century. In most of Japan, rice used to be consumed for almost every meal, and although a 2007 survey showed that 70% of Japanese still eat it once or twice a day, its popularity is now declining.
Japanese cuisine | Rice
A 2009 Internet survey in Japan indicated 70.2% of respondents like "nattō" and 29.8% do not, but out of the 29.8% who dislike "nattō", about half of them eat "nattō" for its health benefits.
Nattō | Appearance and consumption
Another environmental concern is commercial whaling and the consumption of whale meat, since Japan is the world's largest market for whale meat.
Japanese cuisine | Food controversies
The fish is highly toxic, but despite this—or perhaps because of it—it is considered a delicacy in Japan. The fish contains lethal amounts of the poison tetrodotoxin in the internal organs, especially the liver and the ovaries, but also in the skin and the testes. Therefore, only specially licensed chefs can prepare and sell fugu to the public, and the consumption of the liver and ovaries is forbidden. But because small amounts of the poison give a special desired sensation on the tongue, these parts are considered the most delicious by some gourmets. Every year a number of people die because they underestimate the amount of poison in the consumed fish parts.
Takifugu | Introduction
In Japan, squid is used in almost every type of dish, including sushi, sashimi, and tempura. It can also be stewed ("nabemono"), and grilled ("ikayaki").
Squid as food | Japan
Within the archipelago, the vegetation was transformed by the end of the Ice Age. In southwestern Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu, broadleaf evergreen trees dominated the forests, whereas broadleaf deciduous trees and conifers were common in northeastern Honshu and southern Hokkaido. Many native tree species, such as beeches, buckeyes, chestnuts, and oaks produced edible nuts and acorns. These provided substantial sources of food for both humans and animals. In the northeast, the plentiful marine life carried south by the Oyashio Current, especially salmon, was another major food source. Settlements along both the Sea of Japan and the Pacific Ocean subsisted on immense amounts of shellfish, leaving distinctive middens (mounds of discarded shells and other refuse) that are now prized sources of information for archaeologists.
Jōmon period | Incipient and Initial Jōmon ()
Japanese cuisine has spread throughout the world, and representative dishes such as sushi and ramen, among others are popular. In many cases, Japanese food is adapted and reinvented to fit the preferences of the local populace. For instance, the California roll is a popular dish in the United States that is a modification of the Japanese makizushi, a type of sushi. In South Korea, both the Japanese curry and the ramen have been imported and popularized primarily in the form of instant food. Tonkatsu and tempura, which are derived from Western food, are now considered and marketed as uniquely Japanese, as well as the Japanese curry, which derived from the Indian curry.
Global cuisine | Japan
The liver of monkfish, known as "ankimo", is considered a delicacy in Japan.
Goosefish | Introduction
Many countries have imported portions of Japanese cuisine. Some may adhere to the traditional preparations of the cuisines, but in some cultures the dishes have been adapted to fit the palate of the local populace. In 1970s sushi travelled from Japan to Canada and the United States, it was modified to suit the American palate, and re-entered the Japanese market as "American Sushi". An example of this phenomenon is the California roll, which was created in North America in the 1970s, rose in popularity across the United States through the 1980s, and thus sparked Japanese food's – more precisely, sushi's – global popularity.
Japanese cuisine | Outside Japan
Another piece of reasoning behind the Japanese people eating nanakusagayu on the seventh day, Jinjitsu, is because it is also used as a day of rest. The soup mixture is easy on the stomach and is consumed to rest the digestive system that may have been weakened by the food that is consumed during the first days of the New Year.
Jinjitsu | Introduction
Before World War II, the average annual consumption of rice was 140 kilograms per capita, but it fell to 72 kilograms in 1987. This development further exacerbated the problem of rice oversupply, leading to a huge rice stock and creating great deficits in the government's foodstuff control account. The government inaugurated several policies to switch to non-rice crops, but they met with limited success and rice remained in oversupply (see agriculture, forestry, and fishing in Japan). As a downside, the percentage of the childhood population which are overweight has increased. A negative aspect of Japan's economic growth is industrial pollution.
Standard of living in Japan | Food
This Japanese style traditional condiment is believed to be a digestive aid, prevention of nausea, and for systemic toxicity, including hangovers. Green ume extract is used as a tonic in Japan. The citric acid is believed to act as an antibacterial, help to increase saliva production and assist in the digestion of rice. Additionally, umeboshi is claimed to combat fatigue (historically given as part of a samurai's field ration) and protect against aging.
Umeboshi | Health
Other than politician influence on food protectionism, observers of Japan have thought that Japanese consumers seem to be willing to support the high price because of issues related with food safety as well. Possible disease and poison in import food made many Japanese worrisome and turned to domestic produced goods only. In 2001, China exported vegetables with pesticide residues to Japan. In 2004, bird flu was found in import from Thailand, Indonesia, etc. In 2008, dumplings imported from China were found to be poisoned. There were cases of unsafe food found in Japan as well. Mad-cow disease was found in Japanese beef in 2001.
Agricultural protectionism in Japan | Food safety concerns
It is also dried to make stockfish; salted, dried, and made into "himono"; and cured in miso as "misozuke". It is the main ingredient of the fish sauce called "shottsuru". The egg masses are known as "burikko". In Korean the fish is called "dorumuk". The fish had also been used dried or in fish meal form as fertilizer, and shipped to agricultural areas at one time, into the 20th century.
Arctoscopus japonicus | Introduction
Around 62% of the Japanese martens' feces contained one or more seeds.
Japanese marten | Benefits to the environment
Until the mid-1970s, both public and private sectors pursued economic growth with such single-mindedness that prosperity was accompanied by severe degradation of both the environment and the quality of life (see environmental protection in Japan).
Standard of living in Japan | Food
NIWA used primarily brine shrimp to feed the juvenile lobsters, but little is known about a preferred food source. Chopped up mussel flesh has been used previously in Japan. Both these techniques carry some potential disadvantages – brine shrimp can introduce disease, and mussels deteriorate once introduced to the water, giving bacteria an environment to grow on. A study has shown that mussels provide the best food along with a carbohydrate source in the form of agar, allowing faster grow rates in the lobster.
Jasus edwardsii | Food
It is used as a food fish there, and it also has applications in Chinese medicine.
Inimicus | Relevance to humans
In most of the world, hagfish are not often eaten. In Korea, the hagfish is a valued food, where it is generally skinned, coated in spicy sauce, and grilled over charcoal or stir-fried. It is especially popular in the southern port cities of the peninsula, such as Busan. The inshore hagfish, found in the Northwest Pacific, is eaten in Japan. As hagfish slime binds vast amounts of liquid even at low temperatures, it was proposed as an energy-saving alternative for the production of tofu that does not require heating.
Hagfish | As food
He thought his business friend in Tokyo, Japan, might be able to help - Akiyoshi Kazama, the founder of Mitoku. In Japan, like other industrialized countries, many producers turned away from their traditional dietary roots in favor of mass-produced, highly processed foods with little of the integrity, flavor, or health promoting qualities of the original product. For example, just about all of Japan's important fermented foods, such as shoyu, tamari, miso, rice vinegar and mirin were being made by hurried, high temperature aging and contained highly processed ingredients. But Akiyoshi Kazama knew could find producers willing to meet Kushi's macrobiotic standards and was inspired by the idea of introducing Americans to the ancient culinary treasures of Japan.
Erewhon Market | History
Most human cultures with access to "Porphyra" use it as a food or somehow in the diet, making it perhaps the most domesticated of the marine algae, known as laver, (Vietnamese), "nori" (Japanese:), "amanori" (Japanese), "zakai", "gim" (Korean:), "zǐcài" (Chinese:), karengo, "sloke" or "slukos". The marine red alga "Porphyra" has been cultivated extensively in many Asian countries as an edible seaweed used to wrap the rice and fish that compose the Japanese food sushi and the Korean food "gimbap". In Japan, the annual production of "Porphyra" species is valued at 100 billion yen (US$1 billion).
Porphyra | Food
The macrobiotic way of eating was developed and popularized by the Japanese. During the Edo period in Japan peasants were not allowed to eat meat and had a diet based on staples of rice and soybeans. According to some macrobiotic advocates, a majority of the world population in the past ate a diet based primarily on grains, vegetables, and other plants. Because the macrobiotic diet was developed in Japan, Japanese foods that are thought to be beneficial for health are incorporated by most modern macrobiotic eaters.
Macrobiotic diet | Japanese popularity and influence
These shellfish are collectively called "ebi" in Japanese.
List of Japanese ingredients | Lobsters, shrimps, and prawns
Japan has a long history of importing food from other countries, some of which are now part of Japan's most popular cuisine. Ramen is considered an important part to their culinary history, to the extent where in survey of 2,000 Tokyo residents, instant ramen came up many times as a product they thought was an outstanding Japanese invention. Believed to have originated in China, ramen became popular in Japan after the Second Sino-Japanese war (1937–1945), when many Chinese students were displaced to Japan. Curry is another popular imported dish and is ranked near the top of nearly all Japanese surveys for favorite foods.
Japanese cuisine | Imported and adapted foods
Japanese internal food production declined by approximately 26% in the last two years of the Pacific War when the government prioritized resources, such as fertilizers and tools, towards the war effort. Consequently, farmers had fewer materials with which to produce food. In many cases, these commodities were destroyed through warfare, further depleting these already limited resources. Okumura Ayao, a Japanese food scholar, recalls the food crisis' impact in rural areas. He said: From 1944 on, even in the countryside, the athletic grounds of local schools were converted into sweet potato fields. And we ate every part of the sweet potato plant, from the leaf to the tip of the root…For protein, we ate beetles, beetle larvae, and other insects that we found at the roots of the plants we picked, which we roasted or mashed.
Food in the Occupation of Japan | Background
Some species of jellyfish are suitable for human consumption and are used as a source of food and as an ingredient in various dishes. Edible jellyfish is a seafood that is harvested and consumed in several East and Southeast Asian countries, and in some Asian countries it is considered to be a delicacy. Edible jellyfish is often processed into a dried product. Several types of foods and dishes may be prepared with edible jellyfish, including salads, sushi, noodles, and main courses. Various preparation methods exist.
Jellyfish as food | Introduction
During the Muromachi period, another way of preparing sushi was developed, called "namanare". "Namanare" was partly raw fish wrapped in rice, consumed fresh, before it changed flavor. During the Edo period, a third type of sushi was developed, "haya-zushi". "Haya-zushi" was assembled so that both rice and fish could be consumed at the same time, and the dish became unique to Japanese culture. It was the first time that rice was not being used for fermentation. Rice was now mixed with vinegar, with fish, vegetables and dried foodstuff added. This type of sushi is still very popular today. Each region utilizes local flavors to produce a variety of sushi that has been passed down for many generations.
History of seafood | Japan
While the daughter happily eats the ramen, the mother is horrified, as she thinks back to the days when ramen was eaten exclusively to ward off hunger. The idea of eating it in prosperous times mortifies the mother, a theme that is found in poems and music from this period, which were recited on the radio. One such poem (translated from Japanese) went: "Eating nothing but ramen on a date. With an empty wallet, yesterday and today. The tryst was most disappointing."
Food in the Occupation of Japan | Food culture after the Occupation period
Tsuruoka and the whole region of Shônai benefit from a large variety of fishes and sea food coming from the Sea of Japan. Among all the local sea foods you can find in Tsuruoka, there are: Cherry salmon, Japanese seabream, blue crab, littlemouth flounder, flatfish, black rockfish, tonguefish, flying squid, oyster, sea robin, sandfish, Japanese codfish, and others. The huge variety of fresh local fishes and seafood in Tsuruoka had contributed to the local sushi shops' good reputation, but it has also helped constitute a very particular kind of "family gastronomy", where fishes hold a very important place.
Tsuruoka | Seafood
A food poisoning outbreak of 26 cases in the Ganyudo area of Suruga Bay, Shizuoka Prefecture in Japan in September 1965 was traced to ingestion of the toxin surugatoxin (SGTX), named for Suruga Bay. SGTX is contained in the mid-gut digestive gland of the Japanese ivory mollusk, "Babylonia" "japonica", which is used as an ingredient in sushi and sashimi. The food-poisoning patients reported a variety of symptoms, including visual disorders, speech disorders, lazy eye amblyopia, pupil dilation (mydriasis), abdominal distention, dry mouth, numbness of lips, constipation, and vomiting. The toxicity shellfish from the Suruga Bay area varied with time – the toxicity was only present during July through September, when temperatures sometimes reached 25°C and it rapidly declined after 1978, making the availability of surugatoxin and the related substances neosurugatoxin and prosurugatoxin unavailable for research.
Surugatoxin | Background and discovery
The production value of the food industry ranked third among manufacturing industries after electric and transport machinery. Japan produces a great variety of products, ranging from traditional Japanese items, such as soybean paste (miso) and soy sauce, to beer and meat. The industry as a whole experienced mild growth in the 1980s, primarily from the development of such new products as "dry beer" and precooked food, which was increasingly used because of the tendency of family members to dine separately, the trend toward smaller families, and convenience. A common feature of all sectors of the food industry was their internationalization.
Manufacturing in Japan | Food
A main dish is Nare-zushi, a very traditional type of sushi which, centuries ago, was imported from Southeast Asia to China, and from China to Japan. Narezushi was the birth of sushi, and influenced how the Japanese later made their own styles of sushi that most of us know today. Another common dish is saury. Saury is a type of fish commonly used as Sashimi in this region. Whale and dolphin meat caught in Taiji-cho ( away), is also eaten by a small few.
Shingū, Wakayama | Cuisine
During the Jōmon period, it was important as a preserved food for winter in the eastern part of Japan. It was eaten in mountain villages until recently, but is rarely eaten now. The acorns of "Quercus crispula" contain astringent tannins and cannot be eaten as they are, but must be processed to become edible.
Quercus crispula | Use
The eating of the pickled fruit for breakfast is also supposed to stave off misfortune.
Prunus mume | Japanese
The inhabitants of Japan have eaten fugu for centuries. Fugu bones have been found in several shell middens, called "kaizuka", from the Jōmon period that date back more than 2,300 years. The Tokugawa shogunate (1603–1868) prohibited the consumption of fugu in Edo and its area of influence. It became common again as the power of the Shōgunate weakened. In western regions of Japan, where the government's influence was weaker and fugu was easier to get, various cooking methods were developed to safely eat them. During the Meiji Era (1867–1912), fugu was again banned in many areas. Fugu is the only food the Emperor of Japan is forbidden by law to eat, for his safety.
Fugu | History
Fishery had long been the main economic activity on the Sea of Japan. It is mainly carried out on and near the continental shelves and focuses on herring, sardines and bluefin tuna. These species are however depleted from after World War II. Squid is mostly caught near the sea center and salmon near the northern and south-western shores. There is also a well-developed seaweed production. The importance of the fishery in the sea is illustrated by the territorial disputes between Japan and South Korea over Liancourt Rocks and between Japan and Russia over the Kuril Islands. It is also reflected in various legends, such as the legend of the Heishi rock, which says that once when herring vanished, an old fairy threw a bottle with magic water into the sea, and the herring returned.
Sea of Japan | Economy
In Islam, the Shafi'i, Maliki and Hanbali schools allow the eating of shellfish, while the Hanafi school does not allow it in Sunni Islam. Nor does the Shi'ite school (Ja'fari) allow it. The Jewish laws of Kashrut forbid the eating of shellfish and eels. According to the King James version of the bible, it is alright to eat finfish, but shellfish and eels are an abomination and should not be eaten. Since early times, the Catholic Church has forbidden the practice of eating meat, eggs and dairy products at certain times. Thomas Aquinas argued that these "afford greater pleasure as food [than fish], and greater nourishment to the human body, so that from their consumption there results a greater surplus available for seminal matter, which when abundant becomes a great incentive to lust."
History of seafood | Religious views
Humans consume a large number of products originating from the seas, whether as a nutritious product or for use in other sectors: "More than one billion people worldwide, or one-sixth of the global population, rely on fish as their main source of animal protein. In 2000, marine and coastal fisheries accounted for 12 per cent of world food production". Fish and other edible marine products – primarily fish, shellfish, roe and seaweeds – constitute for populations living along the coast the main elements of the local cultural diets, norms and traditions. A very pertinent example would be sushi, the national food of Japan, which consists mostly of different types of fish and seaweed.
Ecosystem service | Marine products
The Japanese macaque is an intelligent species. Researchers studying this species at Koshima Island in Japan left sweet potatoes out on the beach for them to eat, then witnessed one female, named Imo (Japanese for yam or potato), washing the food off with river water rather than brushing it off as the others were doing, and later even dipping her clean food into salty sea water. After a while, others started to copy her behavior. This trait was then passed on from generation to generation, until eventually all except the oldest members of the troop were washing their food and even seasoning it in the sea.
Japanese macaque | Intelligence and culture
Pagrus major, the red seabream is a fish species in the family Sparidae. In Japan, "Pagrus major" is known as "madai" (, or "genuine tai") and is prized both for its flavor and for its traditional use as an auspicious food, often served at New Year's and at festive occasions such as weddings. In Korea, it is known as "domi" () or "chamdom" (; "true "dom""). Successful sumo wrestlers are often photographed holding the fish. It is also the most commonly eaten fish in Taiwan. Habitat preference is genetically coded in juveniles, which helps them to choose the optimal microhabitat in a fluctuating environment.
Pagrus major | Introduction
There is broad scientific consensus that docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) found in seafood are beneficial to neurodevelopment and cognition, especially at young ages. The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization has described fish as "nature's super food." Seafood consumption is associated with improved neurologic development during gestation and early childhood and more tenuously linked to reduced mortality from coronary heart disease. The parts of fish containing essential fats and micronutrients, often cited as primary health benefits for eating seafood, are frequently discarded in the developed world. Micronutrients including calcium, potassium, selenium, zinc, and iodine are found in their highest concentrations in the head, intestines, bones, and scales.
Seafood | Health benefits
This article traces the history of cuisine of Japan. Foods and food preparation by the early Japanese Neolithic settlements can be pieced together from archaeological studies, and reveals paramount importance of rice and seafood since early times. The Kofun period (3rd to 7th centuries) is shrouded in uncertainty. Some entries in Japan's earliest written chronicles hint at a picture of food habits from the time of the formation of the Yamato dynasty. When Buddhism became widely accepted with the rise of the Soga clan, a taboo on the eating meat (especially mammals) began to be enforced, and became common practice, although wild game was still being taken by mountain people, and would be eaten by townspeople when the opportunity arose.
History of Japanese cuisine | Introduction
In order to protect Japanese consumers from mad cow disease, only meat from cattle that is less than 21 months old is accepted; and spinal cords, vertebrae, brains and bone marrow must be removed. Michiko Kamiyama from Food Safety Citizen Watch and Yoko Tomiyama, Consumers Union of Japan, said about this: "The government has put priority on the political schedule between the two countries, not on food safety or human health."
Consumers Union of Japan | BSE Controversy
This cuisine became popular in the Meiji period, which is considered by many historians to be when Japan first opened itself to the outside world. Today, many of these imported items still hold a heavy presence in Japan.
Japanese cuisine | Imported and adapted foods
Japan is a major world power, having gained equal footing with the descendant countries of the former United States. This status is very much the result of its scientific and technological prowess; in particular, it is currently the only country with access to "radiation scrubber" technology. Also known as the , these nanomachines can eliminate nuclear fallout, although they must be distributed before a blast occurs to work effectively. The Japanese economy is one of the world's strongest, and the Japanese as a whole enjoy a high standard of living. However, Japanese society is far from perfect. The geography has since changed.
World of Ghost in the Shell | Japan
In some countries (mainly Indonesia and Japan) these sea snails are collected for food and the shells are traded.
Notocochlis tigrina | Human uses
One aspect of the fucha-ryōri practiced at the temple is the wealth of , one example being mock-eel, made from strained tofu, with nori seaweed used expertly to mimic the black skin. The secret ingredient used is grated "gobō" (burdock) roots. Dr. Masakazu Tada, Honorary Vice-President of the International Vegetarian Union for 25 years from 1960, stated that "Japan was vegetarian for 1,000 years". The taboo against eating meat was lifted in 1872 by the Meiji Emperor as part of an effort towards westernizing Japan. British journalist J. W. Robertson Scott reported in the 1920s that the society was still 90% vegetarian.
Japanese cuisine | Vegetarian
As early as 1961, reports of gastrointestinal disorders following the consumption of cooked mussels appeared in both the Netherlands and Los Lagos. Attempts were made to determine the source of the symptoms, however they failed to elucidate the true culprit, instead implicating a species of microplanctonic dinoflagellates. In the summers of the late 1970s, a series of food poisoning outbreaks in Japan lead to the discovery of a new type of shellfish poisoning. Named for the most prominent symptoms, the new Diarrhetic Shellfish Poisoning (DSP) only affected the northern portion of Honshu during 1976, however by 1977 large cities such as Tokyo and Yokohama were affected.
Okadaic acid | History
In 2003, researchers at Japan's National Cancer Centre suggested that "eating three or more bowls of the Japanese delicacy Miso soup every day could cut women's risk of developing breast cancer". Studies in 2020 have shown that habitual consumption of miso soup has the effect of lowering blood pressure and heart rate, or it has the effect of proliferating good bacteria in the intestines and helping prevent constipation. Miso soup also tends to be relatively low in calories, but you can ingest the protein contained in miso and the dietary fiber and vitamins contained in various ingredients together with the broth.
Miso soup | Health benefits
In 2007, it was noted in the book "Australia's food & nutrition 2012" that a distinct increase in convenience food consumption had been occurring in Australia. In the Republic of Ireland, breakfast rolls eaten by busy workers became a symbol of the Celtic Tiger economic boom. In Japan, onigiri (rice balls) are a popular convenience food that dates for millennia — by the Heian period these were established enough to be mentioned in literature. Additional Japanese convenience foods include prepared tofu (bean curd), prepared packages of seafood and instant ramen noodles.
Convenience food | By country
In Japan this type of cooking is thought to be American food, but in the U.S. it is thought to be Japanese. Aoki thought this would go over better in the U.S. than traditional Japanese cuisine because he felt that Americans enjoyed "eating in exotic surroundings, but are deeply mistrustful of exotic foods”.
Japanese cuisine | United States
Even in the countryside, food was scarce.
Food in the Occupation of Japan | Background