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Chanko-nabe

The sumo wrestler staple diet

Fresh ingredients are cooked in a shoyu, miso or salt base and served communally in a large pot. This is traditionally served (in large quantities) at sumo stables to help wrestlers gain weight.

Gyoza

Pan-fried Japanese dumpling

Originally hailing from China, the humble gyoza is now one of the most popular dishes in Japan. A delicate flour skin wraps around pork-based filling before being pan-fried to crispy perfection. Often served at ramen shops.

Chirashizushi

Mix ingredients + sushi rice

Chirashizushi, literally "scattered sushi", consists of various ingredients mixed in together with sushi rice. In the "Edo" style the ingredients are laid on top, but in Kansai and neighbouring regions the ingredients are different, and usually mixed in.

Dozeu-nabe

Loach double-cooked in sake and warishita

A signature dish of the Tokyo Asakusa district popular during the Edo period, dozeu-nabe or "loach pot" involves double-cooking loaches in sake and a blend of sake, miso and shoyu before transferring it to a hot metal plate and finishing over a charcoal fire.

Katte-don

Mix-and-match seafood donburi

A speciality of Kushiro on the south-eastern coast of Hokkaido, small portions of toppings (sashimi, pickles, meat) are separately bought and loaded onto the bowl for a unique take on the donburi (rice bowl) experience.

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The epic journey, in chronlogical order

Follow me as I battle hungry dogs, the Akita dialect and angry old ladies as I hunt for the perfect sushi.

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By Food

Sushi · sake · sashimi - food listings.

See all articles we have on the food we've eaten / seen / been too scared to try. Also check out The List!

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By Place

Hokkaido · Tohoku · Kanto etc.

I'm aiming to get through 60 cities in 77 days! See the places I've passed through already.

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foodjapan.net - your guide to Japanese food and travel

Hakodate Ramen

Sat - 06 Nov 10 Written by Loren

[food]^* A speciality of Hakodate, this humble shio (salt base) dish is a direct descendant of the predecessor to all ramen.

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Squid "Odori-don"

Mon - 11 Oct 10 Written by Loren

[food]^* A small, live squid is freshly prepared and served almost-whole on a bed of sushi rice in this rather memorable (in many ways) Hakodate dish.

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Day 20-B: Otaru (Part 2)

Tue - 21 Sep 10 Written by Loren

[blog]^* Day 20, Part 2: glass figurines, music boxes and teddy bears in the angelic little city-town of Otaru. Not much food today, though...

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Day 20-A: Otaru (Part 1)

Fri - 10 Sep 10 Written by Loren

[blog]^* Sorry about the delay, real life intervened! But we're back to bring you Day 20, Part 1: Otaru, an enchanting little tourist town on the western edge of Hokkaido.

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Day 19: Kushiro

Tue - 24 Aug 10 Written by Loren

[blog]^* Day 19 - a rather lonely and forlorn day in Kushiro, a city with a better past. Also: katte-don and robata-yaki. (Warning - discusses whale meat.)

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Katte-don

Tue - 17 Aug 10 Written by Loren

[food]^* Starting with a plain bowl of rice, small portions of toppings (sashimi, pickles, meat) are separately bought and loaded onto the bowl to serve in this Kushiro speciality dish.

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