 1 Japanese food
 2 what is Sushi
 3 Where to Eat and Drink
 4 Fukusuke: Tokyo Sushi chain
 5 Tokyo food shops
 6 History
 7 how/what to eat
 8 where to buy ingredients
 9 Recipies
 10 Sushi, do it yourself
 11 Salmonella from raw seafood
 12 Seafood Poisoning

\1 Jap food

One of the great pleasures of a trip to Japan is exploring the full and exotic range of Japanese food. Whilst dishes such as sushi and tempura are well-known the world over these days, there are hundreds of other types of local cuisine that will be new discoveries to all but the most sophisticated of Western palates. Many Japanese recipes embody a subtletly of flavour and mixture of texture rarely found in Western cuisine, and the presentation is often so exquisite that it feels an insult to the chef to eat what has been so beautifully crafted.

Picking at delicate morsels with chopsticks is only one small part of the dining experience, though. Robust and cheap dishes such as hearty bowls of ramen noodles or the comforting concoction kare raisu (curry rice) are staples of the Japanese diet, along with burgers and fried chicken from ubiquitous Western-style fast-food outlets.

With a little planning, eating out need not be too expensive. Lunch is always the best-value meal of the day, seldom costing more than Y2000. If you fuel up earlier in the day, a cheap bowl of noodles for dinner could carry you through the night, especially if you're planning on drinking, which is never a cheap affair.

Sushi, Sashimi and Seafood - Many visitors falsely assume that all sushi is fish, but the name actually refers to the way the rice is prepared with vinegar, and you can also get sushi dishes with egg or vegetables. Fish and seafood are, of course, essential and traditional elements of Japanese cuisine, and range from the seaweed used in miso-shiru (soup) to the slices of tuna, salmon and squid laid across the slabs of sushi rice. Slices of raw fish and seafood on their own are generally called sashimi.

In a traditional sushi-ya each plate is freshly made by a team of chefs working in full view of the customers. If you're not sure of the different types to order, point at the trays on show in the glass chiller cabinets at the counter, or go for the nigiri-zushi mori-awase, a slab of perhaps six or seven different types of fish and seafood on fingers of sushi rice. Other types of sushi include maki-zushi, rolled in a sheet of crisp seaweed, and chirashi-zushi, a layer of rice topped with fish, vegetables and cooked egg.

While a meal at a sushi-ya averages Y5000 (or much more at high class joint) at kaiten-zushi shops, where you choose whatever sushi dish you want from the continually replenished conveyor belt, the bill will rarely stretch beyond Y1500 per person. In kaiten-zushi, plates are colour-coded according to how much each one costs, and are totted up at the end for the total cost of the meal. If you can't see what you want, you can ask the chefs to make it for you. Green tea is free, and you can usually order beer or sake.

If you want to try the infamous fugu, or blowfish, you'll generally need to go to a specialist fish restaurant, which can be easily identified by the picture or model of a balloon-like fish outside. Fugu's reputation derives from its potentially fatally poisonous nature rather than it's bland, rubbery taste. The actual risk of dropping dead at the counter is virtually nil - at least from fugu poisoning - and you're more likely to keel over at the bill, which (cheaper cultivated fugu apart) will be in the Y10,000 per person bracket.

A more affordable and tasty seafood speciality is unagi, or eel, typically basted with a thick sauce of soy and sake, sizzled over charcoal and served on a bed of rice. This dish is particularly popular in summer, when it's believed to provide strength in the face of sweltering heat. Restaurants specializing in crab (kani) dishes are also popular and are easily identified by the models of giant crabs with wiggling pincers over the doorways.

Noodles - One of Japan's most popular and best-value meals is a bowl of noodles, the three main types being soba, udon and ramen. Soba are thin noodles made of brown buckwheat flour and are particularly ubiquitous in the central Honshu prefectures of Gifu and Nagano, though available all over Japan. If the noodles are green, they've been made with green tea powder.

There are two main styles of serving soba - hot and cold. Kake-soba is served in a clear hot broth, often with added ingredients such as tofu, vegetables and chicken. Cold noodles piled on a bamboo screen bed, with a cold sauce for dipping (which can be flavoured with chopped spring onions, seaweed flakes and wasabi - grated green horseradish paste) is called zaru-soba or mori-soba. In more traditional restaurants you'll also be served a flask of the hot water used to cook the noodles, which is added to the dipping sauce to make a soup drink once you've finished the soba.

In most soba restaurants, udon will also be on the menu. These chunkier noodles are made with plain wheat flour and are served in the same hot or cold styles as soba. In Nagoya, a variation on udon is kishimen, flattened white noodles, while the Shikoku and Okayama-ken version is known as sanuki-udon. For yakisoba and yakiudon dishes the noodles are fried, often in a thick soy sauce along with seaweed flakes, meat and other vegetables.

Ramen, or stringy yellow noodles, were originally imported from China but have now become part and parcel of Japanese cuisine. They're usually served in big bowls in a steaming oily soup, which typically comes in three varieties: miso (flavoured with fermented bean paste), shio (a salty soup) or shoyu (a broth made with soy sauce). A range of garnishes, including seaweed, bamboo shoots, pink and white swirls of fish paste, and pork slices, often finish off the dish, which you can spice up with added garlic or a red pepper mixture. As with the other types of noodle, many regions of Japan have their own local versions of the dish, such as Sapporo which specializes in the rich bata-kon (butter and corn flavoured) ramen. Wherever you eat ramen, though, you can usually get gyoza, fried half-moon-shaped dumplings filled with pork or seafood, to accompany them.

Meat Dishes - Meat is alien to traditional Japanese cuisine, but in the last century dishes using beef, pork and chicken have become a major part of the national diet. Beefburger and fried chicken (kara-age) fast-food outlets are just as common these days as noodle bars. The more expensive steak restaurants serving up dishes like sukiyaki (thin beef slices cooked in a soy, sugar and sake broth) and shabu-shabu (beef and vegetable slices cooked at the table in a light broth and dipped in various sauces) are popular treats.

Like sukiyaki and shabu-shabu, nabe (the name refers to the cooking pot) stews are prepared at the table over a gas or charcoal burner by diners who throw a range of raw ingredients (meat or fish along with vegetables) into the pot to cook. As things cook they're fished out, and the last thing to be immersed is usually some kind of noodles. Chanko-nabe is the famous chuck-it-all in stew used to beef up sumo wrestlers.

Other popular meat dishes include tonkatsu, breadcrumb-covered slabs of pork, crisply fried and usually served on a bed of shredded cabbage with a brown semi-sweet sauce; and yakitori, delicious skewers of grilled chicken and sometimes other meats and vegetables. At the cheapest yakitori-ya, you'll pay for each skewer individually. Kushiage is a combination of tonkatsu and yakitori dishes, where skewers of meat, seafood and vegetables are coated in breadcrumbs and deep fried.

Other Cuisines - Said to have to been introduced to Japan in the sixteenth century by Portuguese traders, tempura are lightly battered pieces of seafood and vegetables. Best eaten piping hot from the fryer, tempura are dipped in a bowl of light sauce (ten-tsuyu) mixed with grated daikon radish and sometimes ginger. At specialist tempura restaurants, you'll generally order the teishoku set meal, which includes whole prawns, squid, aubergines, mushrooms and the aromatic leaf shiso. Japan's equivalent of the pizza is okonomiyaki, a fun, cheap meal which you can often assemble yourself. A pancake batter is used to bind shredded cabbage and other vegetables, with either seafood or meat. If it's a DIY restaurant, you'll mix the individual ingredients and cook them on a griddle in the middle of the table. Otherwise, you can sit at the kitchen counter watching the chefs at work. Once cooked, okonomiyaki is coated in a sweet brown sauce and/or mayonnaise and dusted off with dried seaweed and flakes of bonito fish, which twist and curl in the rising heat. At most okonomiyaki restaurants you can also get fried noodles (yaki-soba). In addition, okonomiyaki along with its near cousin takoyaki (battered balls of octopus) are often served from yatai carts at street festivals. 

Authentic Western restaurants are now commonplace across Japan, but there is also a hybrid style of cooking known as yoshoku (Western food) that developed during the Meiji era at the turn of the century. Often served in shokudo, yoshoku dishes include omelettes with rice (omu-raisu), deep-fried potato croquettes (korokke) and hamburger steaks doused in a thick sauce (hanbagu). The contemporary version of yoshoku is mukokuseki or "no-nationality" cuisine, a mish-mash of world cooking styles usually found in trendy izakaya.


\2 what is Sushi

A staple rice dish of Japanese cuisine, consisting of cooked rice flavoured with vinegar and a variety of vegetable, egg, or raw seafood garnishes and served cold. Restaurants specializing in sushi abound in Japan, where subtleties of prep find a discriminating clientele.

Nigiri-zushi is a hand-formed oblong of rice topped with sliced raw seafood and a dab of wasabi, green horseradish paste; the ingredients of oshi-zushi are pressed to shape in a mold. For maki-zushi, a sheet of nori (laver, a seaweed) is spread with rice, then with seafood or vegetables and garnishes. The whole is rolled into a cylinder and sliced. In chirashi-zushi, a homestyle version, the ingredients are not formed, rather the vinegared rice is strewn with toppings and garnishes. Vinegar-pickled ginger root (sushoga) is a traditional palate-clearing accompaniment to sushi.

Sushi is actually the rice prepared and used with the raw fish. Sashimi is the raw fish. There are risks to eating ill prepared raw fish by inexperienced vendors or do it yourself chefs. Tuna can be heavly parasitized. Parasites include bacteria, tape and round worms which can be controlled if processed and stored properly. 


\3 Where to Eat and Drink

One of the most common types of Japanese restaurant is the shokudo (eating place), which serves a range of traditional and generally inexpensive dishes. Usually found near train and subway stations and in busy shopping districts, shokudo can be identified by the displays of plastic meals in their windows. Other restaurants (resutoran) usually serve just one type of food, for example sushi and sashimi (sushi-ya), or yakitori (yakitori-ya), or specialize in a particular style of cooking, such as kaiseki (haute cuisine) or teppanyaki, where food is prepared on a steel griddle, either by yourself or a chef.

All over Japan, but particularly in the city suburbs, you'll find bright and breezy family restaurants, such as Royal Host and Dennys, specifically geared to family dining. These American-style operations serve Western and Japanese food which can be on the bland side, but are invariably keenly priced. They also have menus illustrated with photographs to make ordering easy. If you can't decide what to eat, head for the restaurant floors of major department stores, where you'll find a collection of Japanese and Western operations, often outlets of reputable local restaurants. Many will have plastic food displays in their front windows and daily special menus.

Western and other ethnic food restaurants proliferate in the cities, and it's seldom a problem finding popular foreign cuisines such as Italian (Itarira-ryori), French (Furansu-ryori), Korean (Kankoku-ryori), Chinese (Chugoku- or Chuka-ryori) or Thai (Tai-ryori) food. However, the recipes are often adapted to suit Japanese tastes, so be prepared for the dishes to be less spicy than you may be used to.

Coffee shops (kissaten) are something of an institution in Japan, often designed to act as an alternative lounge or business meeting place for patrons starved of space at home or the office. Others have weird designs or specialize in, say, jazz or comic books. For this reason, in many of the old-style kissaten, a speciality coffee or tea will usually set you back a pricey Y500 or more. In recent years a caffeine-fuelled revolution has taken place, with cheap and cheerful operations like Doutor and Mister Donut springing up across the country, serving drinks and nibbles at reasonable prices; search these places out for a cheap breakfast or snack.

The best-value and liveliest places to drink are the izakaya pub-type restaurants, which also serve an extensive menu of small dishes. The major breweries run reliable izakaya chains, such as Sapporo's Lions Beer Hall and Kirin's Kirin City, which are generally large with a boozy atmosphere. The traditional izakaya are rather rustic looking, although in the cities you'll come across more modern, trendy operations aimed at the youth market. One type of traditional izakaya is an aka-chochin, named after the red lanterns hanging outside, with another variation being the robatayaki, which serves food grilled over charcoal. Most izakaya open around 6pm and shut down around midnight. From mid-June to late August, outdoor beer gardens flourish across Japan's main cities and towns; look out for the fairy lights on the roofs of buildings, or in street-level gardens and plazas.

Regular bars, or nomiya, often consist of little more than a short counter and a table, and are usually run by a mama-san (or sometimes a papa-san), a unique breed who both charm and terrorize their customers. Prices at nomiya are high and although you're less likely to be ripped off if you speak some Japanese, it's no guarantee. All such bars operate a bottle keep system for regulars to stash a bottle of drink with their name on it behind the bar. It's generally best to go to such bars with a regular, since they tend to operate like mini-clubs, with non-regulars being given the cold shoulder. Nomiya will stay open to the early hours, provided there are customers.

If there's live music in a bar you'll pay for it through higher drinks prices or a cover charge. Some regular bars also have cover charges, although there's plenty of choice among those that don't, so always check before buying your drink. Bars specializing in karaoke are not difficult to spot; if you decide to join in, there's usually a small fee to pay and at least a couple of songs with English lyrics to choose from, typically Yesterday and My Way.

When you want the bill, say okanjo kudasai (bill please); the usual form is to pay at the till on the way out, not to leave the money on the table. There's no need to leave a tip, but it's polite to say gochiso-sama deshita (that was delicous) to the waiter or chef


\4 Fukusuke: Sushi counter culture

A sushi lunch in Tokyo's Ginza district for 650 yen? Dreaming, I hear you say. Of course, if you end up indulging fully, you'll have to be prepared to part with more cash. But the lunch specials on offer at Fukusuke in the basement of the Sukiyabashi outlet of the Hankyu Department Store are a great way to experience high-quality sushi without burning a hole in your pocket.

Fukusuke celebrates its 40th anniversary this year and prides itself on delivering what Ginza branch manager Mamoru Fukaya calls the "complete sushi experience." Fukusuke is a sushi restaurant with a counter, not one of those kaiten sushi shops with a conveyor belt. Most people would be forgiven for assuming the place to be hellishly expensive. 

Sushi has always had the image of being an expensive treat, something to be savored on special occasions. With the gaining popularity of the kaiten shops, this most famous of Japanese dishes can be enjoyed almost as a snack. For those who don't speak Japanese, kaiten shops offer the freedom to just grab what looks good without knowing the name of the fish, let alone having to enter into some lengthy discourse with a sushi chef. 

According to Fukaya, however, there is a trade-off involved. Kaiten shops may be user-friendly, but he says the customer also loses an essential part of the "real" sushi experience. "If you ask the average kaiten sushi chef where the fish you're eating came from, he probably wouldn't know. Not from lack of knowledge, but simply because they order fish in bulk, and small talk isn't a part of the kaiten atmosphere," he explains.

"At Fukusuke, we encourage our customers to inquire as to the origin of the fish and to make conversation with the chefs." Special care has been taken in the production of an English menu with pictures, which covers close to half the menu and can be used to navigate the rest of the Japanese menu, which also boasts pictures. Some of the translations have been livened up, however. For example, tamago yaki, which is usually translated simply as fried egg. While that's technically correct, it's a description that doesn't really convey the time taken in preparing this topping. "Light omelette" is a more apt description. Likewise, the different cuts of tuna, are graded as fatty, semifatty and regular. 

One thing that sets Fukusuke sushi apart from not only kaiten shops, but also other counter-style restaurants is that the president of the company, Yasuo Horikawa, personally selects the fish used at all of the outlets in the Fukusuke chain. It's not an occasional chore, either. You can find him mulling around Tokyo's famous Tsukiji fish market most mornings before 6 a.m. "This kind of dedication shows that, in terms of sushi, the most important thing is the quality of the fish itself," Fukaya notes. Some unusual sushi toppings can also be savored at Fukusuke, including tachio, swordfish, and fugu, the famous puffer fish. 

The lunch specials served from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. are designed to satisfy a range of appetites. The A special (650 yen) includes five pieces of sushi, tea and a side dish, which changes daily. For a more substantial meal, the B special (850 yen) includes seven pieces of sushi, while the C special (1,200 yen) offers 12 pieces. The top-of-the-table special (1,300 yen) includes a more expensive array of toppings.

To really indulge, consider going for one of the fixed-priced meals, which start at 6,000 yen per person for groups of four to 14. Although this takes us into a different price range, it still offers value for money. As well as a large selection of sushi and sashimi, it includes side dishes of pickled vegetables, the ever-popular chawanmushi (steamed egg custard), grilled fish, crab soup and fruit. As far as alcoholic beverages are concerned, dry sake is the traditional drink of choice to accompany sushi, and Fukusuke offers a selection of the finest available. 

Fukusuke also features three wines, all French and all dry, to cater to the growing number of wine lovers. Available in half-bottles for 1,800 yen is a quaffable Chardonnay and a Chablis at a slightly pricey 2,800 yen. Heavy reds and sushi will probably never go together, so the light Beaujolais is a natural choice for those who really feel the need to drink a red. The flagship outlet in Ginza actually consists of three adjoining shops. In total, they can seat up to 130 customers at any one time. One of the sushi counters is unofficially touted as the world's longest and seats 37. In what may become a trend throughout the industry, 

Fukusuke's management has been working on a new picture menu that gives a breakdown of the calorie, protein, sugar, fat and salt content of 45 sushi toppings. The average piece of sushi contains about 40 calories. The shop's pride and joy is its original take on the California roll. This creation is as much a visual treat as it is a pleasure to eat. The center contains crab meat and avocado in a seaweed roll, while the outside layer is all rice with no seaweed on the surface. Instead, it's covered with the bright red roe of the flying fish. Enjoy!

The Ginza branch of Fukusuke is located on the B2 level of the Sukiyabashi outlet of the Hankyu Department Store. The address is Ginza Parumi B2, Toshiba Building, 5-2-1 Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 104-0061. Tel: (03) 3573-0471. 


\5 Tokyo food shops

In a country where the corner trattoria is likely to serve spaghetti topped with seaweed, there is a relatively unknown cuisine that is at once Japanese, tasty and moderately priced: katei ryori, roughly translated as "home-style cooking." Katei ryori restaurants are usually one-room affairs, always with a counter, sometimes with a table or two. Large plates of food are displayed on the counter. In typical Japanese style, you order several dishes and share them, then order some more. Don't speak Japanese? No problem: At katei ryori restaurants, you just point and eat. Here are three to try, all in central Tokyo.

Tamuko has only about 20 seats, and large plates of the daily specials were lined up on the counter: the classic katei ryori restaurant. One of its best dishes is a boneless fried chicken mixed with sauteed vegetables and a zesty citrus sauce. There's usually a dish described as "like hamburger," if you can call a seasoned minced pork patty topped with daikon and ginger a hamburger. Other dishes might include fish meatball stew, a sesame-flavored shredded chicken salad or a cold tomato salad that is just a fresh tomato sprinkled with seasoning--simple, but perfect. Tamuko, 11-8 Nihonbashi Hisamatsucho, Chuo-ku, Tokyo, about a five-minute walk from Higashi-Nihonbashi Station on the Asakusa subway line. Dishes start at about $6.50; dinner runs about $25 per person. No credit cards.

Uogashi is a small place run by a friendly couple. It's hard to go wrong here. Just make sure you finish your meal with the zosui. Zosui is like a soupy Japanese risotto. Uogashi's version usually has some nira (flat green onions), a little egg, a handful of some clamlike shellfish, and spices that season the rich broth. The result is a year-round stew that warms you in winter but feels light in summer. Zosui is served at the end of the meal, but there's plenty to enjoy before it. Try a sashimi moriawase (chef's choice) for the freshest in-season fish. Go for the jyaga imo (potatoes with a little meat)--Uogashi's version is far better than I've had elsewhere. There are various sauteed dishes as well. If you're not sure what to order, just put your trust in the owners--as long as you finish with the zosui. Uogashi, 1-45-5 Yoyogi, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, about a five-minute walk from Yoyogi Station on the JR Yamanote line. Dishes start at about $6.50, about $20 per person for dinner. No credit cards. Robata With several tables behind the counter and a small second floor, Robata isn't a traditional katei ryori, but with big plates of home-style dishes on the counter, it certainly offers the food. It's simple to order--the staff will check if you have any dislikes before serving you a series of giant platters of food, not stopping until you get through the whole counter's worth, or alternately, fall off your seat and roll away. The first time I visited, I dove into the first platter thinking it was my entire dinner. It turned out to be just an appetizer--some outstanding chili-flavored shrimp, a squid dish and several salads. Next came a soup course, then more large platters with a variety of chicken and meat dishes. The fourth course, or maybe the fifth since I was losing count, was an outstanding crispy whole fried fish covered with carrots, green peppers and onions. Robata, 1-3-8 Yurakucho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, near any of the JR subway stations in the Hibiya and Ginza areas. Dinner starts at about $40 per person. No credit cards.

Sushi: What has become a Japanese culinary art with delicious flavor and colorful form, actually evolved from very meager beginnings. In the 7th century, Southeast Asians introduced the technique of pickling. The Japanese acquired this same practice which consisted of packing fish with rice. As the fish fermented the rice produced a lactic acid which in turn caused the pickling of the pressed fish. Nare-Sushi is 1300 years old and refers to the finished edible product resulting from this early method. 

However, due to its lengthy process, anywhere from 2 months to a year, an altered form appears through the 15th and 16th centuries. Nama-Nare refers to this more rapid process of pickling which cut the fermentation time while including the rice as part of the meal. Ancient sushi such as, Nare-Sushi and Nama-Nare were the foundation for what later became the delightfully tasteful sushi we are familiar with today.

Improvements through the centuries came about because of a few entrepreneurial Japanese who possessed the knack for recipe variation. The 17th century saw this delicate finger food complimented with vinegar. Matsumoto Yoshiichi of Edo (Tokyo) introduced the use of rice vinegar into the sushi rice. The vinegar was a welcome ingredient. It served to reduce the usual lengthy preparation while adding a pleasant flavor of tartness. Although the process of fermentation was shortened, the custom of aged pickling with the boxed or rolled method was continued until the 19th century.

In the 1820's Hanaya Yohei of Edo (Tokyo) brought to Edoites a recipe most similar to what we are served today. His morsels, which included Sashimi (fresh sliced raw fish) or seafood combined with the vinegared rice, were prepared and served for customers directly from his sushi stall. Not only did Hanaya introduce raw fish to sushi rice (Edomae-Sushi/Nigiri-Sushi), he began a tradition of serving snack food at it's freshest and fastest. His idea won immediate favor over the more time-honored sushi dishes. The portable stall was popular through WWII and was the "Fast Food" predecessor to the sushi bars of today. 

This healthy and delicious mouthful saw its most recent transformation in the 20th century. Sushi now appears world wide with a United States popularity increase around the late 1970's. As in art, Japanese Sushi continues to grow, change and blossom. The most common forms are: Nigiri -Sushi (hand shaped sushi), Oshi-Sushi (pressed sushi), Maki-Sushi (rolled sushi) and Chirashi-sushi (scattered sushi). The changes are not in form or preparation as much as they are in the ingredients and the atmosphere where it is served. These adventurous and tasty creations can be found in the most elegant of settings or the grocery market counter. 

The Itamae-San (expert chef) has also seen change as demand for his/her craft has grown.Years ago, one could not practice this art form without a minimum of 10 years of training and proven skill. Now, due to the growing need, restaurants will hire Sushi chefs with just a few years of learning experience. But Sushi is about culinary expertise and an Itamae-San continually strives to master his/her skill while performing for the delight of the patron and serving an array of bright colors, mouthwatering tastes and tingling sensations. Even the most timid can indulge themselves with the amazing selections of sushi. Just the history of these rolled treasures should warrant a taste - so give in and enjoy an authentic Japanese edible art form


\6 History

Sushi may have originated in S.E.Asia. Try Kassam in N.Borneo. Doc of sushi is mentioned for the first time in a Chinese dictionary at the end of the 2nd century A.D. In Japan sushi dates to the Heian period (794-1185). Back then rice was not used. Fish and bivalves were pickled with salt. In the 17th century rice was added to the pickled fish to ferment. The tart lactic acid taste produced was carried to the present use of vinegar.

Funa-sushi made around Shiga, Japan is the oldest in Japan is currently as it was 1000 years ago. 


\7 how/what to eat

Sushi is vinegared rice topped with raw fish. Sashimi is slices of raw fish with a bowl of rice beside it. Sushi may be eaten by hand or chopsticks. If you are not familiar with chopsticks, dining at Jap or other Asian cuisine restaurants may present a challenge. Except in Chinese rests that provide plastic chopsticks, you eat with wooden chopsticks that come in a paper wrapper. Take them out, split them in half, and hold the two halves in one hand with your thumb, forefinger and middle finger, as if holding two pencils. Then let the middle finger slip between the two sticks. One stick will rest between the forefinger and middle finger, the other between the middle and ring fingers. Watch how other people manipulate the sticks to figure out how to pick up pieces of food correctly. To deal with soup, pick up the small bowl with one hand and sip from the edge of the bowl. You can dip your chopsticks into the soup to pick up small chunks of bean curd or thin slices of seaweed.

Noodles served on a wooden tray are simply picked up in bite-size portions. If served in a hot broth, alternate between picking them up and lifting the bowl to sip the broth. Slurping is a sign of a good appetite and eating with pleasure, and is in this instance, acceptable.

The honored seat (kamiza) is where the main guests sits. There is usually a tokonoma (alcove) with a kakejiku (hanging scroll) behind the kamiza. The seat is the farthest place from the entrance in a position where the guest can see the garden well. The shimoza (lower ranking seat) is close to the entrance or passageway. It is farthest from the alcove and the person sitting here has his back to the window or entrance.            
An oshibori towel, in a wrapper or on a small tray, gives you a chance to wipe your hands (or even your face) before you begin the meal.

NOTE: Omega 3 fish oil, abundant in raw fish, retards heart disease significantly. One meal a week is sufficient.

NIHON-RYORI "JAPANESE FOOD" - Table Manners

You start eating after saying "Itadakimasu" and finish with "Gochiso sama deshita". Slurping is done all the time while eating (soup, noodles, ...), but do not burp. Blowing your nose in public, and especially at the table, is considered very rude. Soy sauce is usually not poured over white, cooked rice.  When drinking alcohol you should remember that the Japanese pour alcohol into each other's cups, but one does not pour it into his or her own glass. You should always check if your friends' cups are getting empty, and then give them more. If someone wants to give you more to drink, you should take your glass and hold it towards that person. 

How to eat Noodles: Lead them with the chopsticks step by step into your mouth. Keep the distance between the bowl and your mouth small and slurp loudly.  ... Soup: Either you get a ceramic spoon which makes eating soups no big problem for an  unexperienced foreigner, or you do not get one. In that case you drink the soup out of the bowl  as it were a cup and fish out the solid stuff with the chopsticks. That's also true for eating noodle  soups (e.g. Udon, Ramen).  ... Sushi (Nigiri, Maki): Pour some soy sauce into a special little plate. The correct way of  dipping nigiri sushi is to dip it up-side-down with the fish part into the sauce. Only a few kinds of nigiri sushi should be eaten without being dipped. Hands or chopsticks can be used for eating Sushi.  ... Sashimi: Pour some soy sauce into a special little plate. Add wasabi into the soy sauce and mix it. Use the sauce for dipping the sashimi pieces.  ... big pieces of food: (eg. tenpura prawn, futo maki, tofu) Generally, you either separate the piece  with your chopsticks, or you just bite a piece off and put the rest back onto your plate. 

SOUPS: Dobin Mushi, Teapot soup Miso Shiru,  Oden, soup with stuff Suimono, clear soup Tsuboyaki, Soup in snail shell

Eating at restaurant - The following is a description of a visit in an average Japanese restaurant, for example, in one that you can find on the restaurant floors of department stores:  A Japanese restaurant usually presents its dishes with the prices in a window just in front of the entrance. The presented dishes are made of wax and look very similar to the real ones. When you enter the restaurant, the stuff will welcome you with the word "Irashaimase" as it is usual in any Japanese store. The waitresses and waiters are trimmed for efficiency, politeness, and attentiveness.  After sitting down, green tea or water will be served for free and later refilled. You also get a wet towel (oshibori) to clean your hands.  In some Japanese restaurants you may eat sitting on tatami mats. In such restaurants you must also take off your shoes before stepping onto the tatami floor.  If chopsticks are not already put on the table, you can find them in a box. Often they are wooden chopsticks that must be separated into two chopsticks before usage. 

The bill will be given you upside-down right after you get the meal. You will pay at the exit when you leave. Do not give a tip. Tipping is not done in Japan.  In some restaurants, you may have to pay first at the entrance and get a coupon which you exchange for the meal inside. 

The cuisine of Japan is shaped by its four distinct seasons and by regions. It is a cuisine that first and foremost delights the senses - in Japan, the eyes, nose, and palate feast along with the stomach. The essence of Japanese cuisine is based on various elements of taste, cooking techniques, and the use of the freshest seasonal ingredients. Japan (land of the rising sun) is composed of four main islands, stretching north to south: Hokkaiko, Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu. It also includes the islands of Okinawa and around 4,000 smaller islands. The whole of Japan would fit inside the state of California


\8 where to buy ingredients

Top Ten in English Japanese Cookbooks:
 þJapanese Cooking: A Simple Art  by Shizuo Tsuji. This book is considered the bible of Japanese cuisine. It has gone through several reprints. Recipes are easy to follow, as well as very tasty. The black and white drawings guide the reader through difficult Jap culinary techniques.
 þRice Paddy Gourmet  By Joan Itoh  Based on newspaper cooking columns that Itoh wrote about life as a foreign wife in Japan in the late sixties. This book features both traditional Japanese and East-West recipes as well as delightful stories of life in rural Northern Japan.  
 þIllustrated Eating in Japan (#3)  By Japan Travel Bureau (JTB)  This little paperback is part of an exceptional series called "Japan in Your Pocket!" - Pub by the Japan Travel Bureau. If you could only have one book with you in Japan to guide you through the basics of Jap cuisine, this is it. 
 þThe Book of Miso: Food For Mankind  By William Shurtleff and Akiko Aoyagi  This is the definitive book on miso. It is jam-packed with four hundred recipes and over one hundred illustrations and includes a history on miso in Japan.
 þThe Book of Tofu  By William Shurtleff & Akiko Aoyagi  Written by the same dynamic duo, The Book of Tofu is a must if you love any type of tofu -- fresh, freeze-dried, fried, Japanese, or Chinese. This book has five hundred recipes and even tells you how to make traditional Japanese tofu. This book is available for purchase through Amazon.com!
 þCooking with Japanese Foods: A Guide to the Traditional Foods of Japan  By John & Jan Belleme  This is a reference book-cum-recipe (200 in all) book on fifty traditional foods of Japan, including sake, mirin (sweet sake), vegetables, various condiments, grains, umeboshi (pickled plums), and so on.
 þThe Book of Soba  By James Udesky  If you are a noodle lover, you must have this book in your culinary library. An expansive discussion on buckwheat (soba) noodles: everything from how to make your own, the history, where to eat soba in Japan, and lots of recipes.
 þSake  By Hiroshi Kondo  This book remains the ultimate guide to sake. Everything is covered, and the color photographs are superb.
 þStep-by-Step Sushi  By Katsuji Yamamoto and Roger W. Hicks.  There are a lot of books published on making sushi, but this one remains one of the best. The step-by-step photographs and detailed explanations help to unravel one of the hardest dishes to make in the Japanese culinary repertoire.
 þBruce Cost's Asian Ingredients: Buying and Cooking the Staple Foods of China, Japan and Southeast Asia  By Bruce Cost  With a lay-out like a mini-encyclopedia, pictures, Latin names of ingredients, regions of use and recipes, all help you to decipher the myriad exotic foods found in Asia. 

Japanese Products by Mail Order  Nancy's Specialty Market
 PO Box 530  Newmarket, NH 03857  To order a catalog: (800) 688-2433, Orders only: (800) 462-6291  Nancy's offers an international selection of dried foods, spices, books, and utensils. Their Oriental (Thailand, Vietnamese, Japanese, Chinese) selection is expansive. Japanese items include everything from wakame, kuzu powder to make silky sauces, noodles such as udon, soba and somen, a large variety of soy sauces, tea, miso (fermented soybean paste), Japanese Cooking A Simple Art for the low price of $29.95, and even some tableware, such as multi-colored bowls. Nancy, herself, is currently recommending Myron's #1 Yakitori Sauce, an all natural, low-sodium sauce made by a small Massachusetts company.  

Japanese Product Lines found at local supermarkets or gourmet specialty stores:
 þKikkoman is most well known for its soy sauces. They even offer a lite (low-sodium) version. Many sauces, such as Tonkatsu (for deep-fried pork cutlets) and stir-fry sauces are also made by Kikkoman, as well as instant clear broth and miso soups.  Marukan & Nakano  Marukan and Nakano are both known for vinegars, mainly rice vinegar and seasoned rice vinegar for making sushi.
 þS & P is number one for seasonings and spices. Look for their authentic Japanese curry powder.
 þHouse offers a great variety of instant foods and soups.
 þNisshin sells a wide selection of instant ramen.
 þSho Chiku Bai, Gekkeikan & Hakutsuru  All famous makers of sake (rice wine).
 þAji no Moto  One of the many makers who sell instant dashi (Japanese fish stock) granules


\9 Recipies

It would be unthinkable to imagine the Jap diet w/o fish. The cuisine could survive the removal of meat and fowl, even noodles. But without fish, it would cease to be Jap cooking. Rice and seafood are the two pillars upon which the food of Japs is built. And as an island nation, if it swims in the ocean, it's consumed in Japan. There isn't anything that lives in the ocean that hasn't been tried, and turned into an object of remarkable tastiness through clever preparation. Sushi and sashimi are just the start; in the Jap kitchen, anything from the sea can be cooked so as to make it taste fresh, new, and delicious.

Broiled Salmon, (Sake no Miso Yaki) Four salmon steaks •One quarter cup white soybean paste (shiromiso) •Half teaspoon sugar •Half tablespoon soy sauce •Two chopped green onions
 Broil salmon on each side until done, about six minutes per side (salmon will be underdone at this point). Combine and mix miso, sugar and soy sauce. Spread on one side of each steak. Return to broiler until lightly browned. Turn over, spread sauce on flipside, broiled again. Garnish with chopped onions.
 Swordfish Teriyaki •Four swordfish steaks •Six tablespoons soy sauce •One quarter cup mirin (sweet rice wine)
 Combine soy sauce and mirin, marinate fish in mixture for half an hour. Save marinade. Either broil fish, or cook on outdoor barbecue for about five minutes on each side. (Be careful not to overcook.) Reduce marinade in sauce pan. Brush on steaks. Serve.
 Unfried Fried Red Snapper •Four red snapper filets •One quarter cup soy sauce •Three chopped scallions •Four tablespoons minced ginger root •Half cup sesame or other vegetable oil
 Boil lightly salted water in sauce pan. Boil each filet until tender, being careful not to overcook. Drain, arrange on serving plate. Sprinkle with soy sauce, scallions, ginger. Heat oil carefully until boiling, then pour over fish so that it sizzles. Serve quickly.

\10 Sushi, do it yourself

Notes on Sushi and Parasites. These notes on the subject of parasites in fish were contributed by Tym Parsons. He wants to make it clear that he is not a sushi chef. These notes are based on his personal experience. Robb Satterwhite, Editor.
 Since I am a fanatical lover of sushi yet not always willing to pay the exorbitant cost of eating it at a restaurant, I've learned how to prepare it at home. I called my local county health dept. to get some tips on how to detect parasites in fresh unfrozen ocean fish.
 One thing to keep in mind is that commercially processed fish fillets are over a light table in order to screen for parasites, but that will only detect something no more than a half inch deep, though sometimes now ultra-sound is starting to be used, which is better.
 Anyway, I was told that there are two main kinds of parasites to look out for: liver flukes and nematodes. The flukes shouldn't be much of a problem to detect because they're usually the size of your thumb (I've never found one BTW). Nematodes are more problematic, since they can be as small as three-quarters of an inch long and two diameters of a human hair in width. They tend to have a white translucent sheen (which isn't so helpful, since so is a lot of connective tissue) but are _perpendicular_ to the muscle striations, since they bore into the muscle. Also check for odd things lodged between the skin and the flesh. And the more experience you've had examining the fish the more you learn to tell what's normal and what's not. "When in doubt, throw it out."
 In any case, I understand there are only a couple dozen cases a year from fish parasite infestation in the whole U.S., usually due to people who prepare raw fish at home but don't know what to look for. And even then I understand the parasites usually get coughed up maybe 24 hours later. So the risks involved (at least for me) are negligible relative to the benefit. Tym Parsons
 Stephen Sickles wrote: I read with interest your posting about home sushi-making, because I too have recently decided to try and break the sushi rest tyranny over prep and cost. I would love to hear more about your experiences, re: 1) Where do you buy the fish you use?
 Fresh fish that is flown in daily can be had at most large supermarkets in large cities across the U.S. nowadays (see qualifications below).
 2) Do you ever freeze it (a good method, I've heard, for killing all parasites)? If you freeze it 24-48 hrs. (diff accounts) it will kill the parasites. Unfortunately that makes it no longer "fresh", and there is a discernable difference in taste and texture.
 3) Do you have any 'hints' on selection and purchase? The general rule for freshness is: does it smell like a "sweet ocean breeze" rather than "fishy" or like ammonia; are the eyes clear rather than dull; when you poke at it does the flesh bounce back up or stay depressed; is there any sign of oxidation (browning) of the flesh; is the flesh firm or are there gaps developing.
 As far as purchase, get only that which is advertised as "fresh" (That means it can't have been frozen, by law). Even then, oftentimes it will have been sitting in the case for a few days, so it's good to ask when it actually came in. And even then, you'll often get a vague or dissembling reply. So it's a good idea to get to know your fish-monger, or at least ask, "what do you particularly recommend today?"
 4) What are the 'safer' (less parasitic) fish to use as a starting point? ....Snapper or rockfish is a good bet. Tuna is a bit more problematic, and I've found some oddities. "When in doubt, throw it out." I love mackerel, but I've found parasites there too, and it tends to degenerate quickly. *Definitely* do not use fresh cod or herring or freshwater fish. I know someone who worked on a fishing boat in Alaska and he said that cod are absolutely riddled with parasites. I've never seen it at a sushi bar at any rate.
 5) Are there any books on selection/preparation that you recommend? The book that I have, "Quick & Easy Sushi Cook Book" by Heihachiro Tohyama and Yukiko Moriyama is a good one, tells you how to make everything from scratch if need be (like eel sauce). Tracking down a book can be difficult. I'd look in Asian grocery stores.
 My main interest is sashimi, and I was considering asking my sushi chef if I could accompany him next time he goes to market. I think it would be a great learning experience, and quite a bit of fun too.
 BTW, he once told me that if a fish has NO parasites, he is a little suspect of it. It seems that parasites rarely attack diseased fish. I don't tell this story often, because people who have never tried sushi may get the wrong impression, but it makes a little sense.
 Sounds a little hyperbolic to me though. I am not a sushi chef. The foregoing is based on my experience of 4 years making sushi (with no ill effects), and recollection of what I've read. I welcome any corrections from anyone who's in a better position to know.  Tym Parsons


\11 Salmonella from raw seafood

if you are not careful sooner or later Sushi will make you sick. Salmonella (S.typhi) and the paratyphoid bacteria produce typhoid-like fever in humans. Other forms of salmonellosis generally produce milder symptoms: Nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, diarrhea, fever, and headache. Arthritic symptoms may follow 3-4 weeks after onset of acute symptoms. Onset time -- 6-48 hours. Acute symptoms may last for 1 to 2 days or may be prolonged, again depending on host factors, ingested dose, and strain characteristics.  Penetration and passage of Salmonella organisms from gut lumen into epithelium of small intestine where inflammation occurs; there is evidence that an enterotoxin may be produced, perhaps within the enterocyte.

Salmonella is a rod-shaped, motile bacterium (nonmotile exceptions S.gallinarum and S.pullorum), non-sporeforming and Gram-negative. There is a widespread occurrence in animals, especially in poultry and swine. Environmental sources of the organism include water, soil, insects, factory surfaces, kitchen surfaces, animal feces, raw meats, raw poultry, and raw seafoods, to name only a few.

Serological ID of culture is isolated from stool.   Associated Foods: Raw meats, poultry, eggs, milk and dairy products, fish, shrimp, frog legs, yeast, coconut, sauces and salad dressing, cake mixes, cream-filled desserts and toppings, dried gelatin, peanut butter, cocoa, and chocolate.  Various Salmonella species have long been isolated from the outside of egg shells. The present situation with S. enteritidis is complicated by the presence of the organism inside the egg, in the yolk. This and other information strongly suggest vertical transmission, i.e., deposition of the organism in the yolk by an infected layer hen prior to shell deposition. Foods other than eggs have also caused outbreaks of S.enteritidis disease.  S.typhi and S.paratyphi A, B, and C produce typhoid and typhoid-like fever in humans. Various organs may be infected, leading to lesions. The fatality rate of typhoid fever is 10% compared to less than 1% for most forms of salmonellosis. S.dublin has a 15% mortality rate when septicemic in the elderly, and S. enteritidis is demonstrating approx a 3.6% mortality rate in hospital/nursing home outbreaks, with the elderly being particularly affected. Salmonella septicemia has been assoc with subsequent infection of virtually every organ system treatment: anti-biotic

note: use vinegar to prepare raw fish

Qualities of a safe restaurant (Sushi-Ya): Counter is immaculate. Chef exudes expertise. Rice is not cold. Wasabi is not overbearing. Wide variety of offering. Seaweed crackery, not rubbery. Uses real crab, not surimi. Fresh wasabi (grainy)  Ginger ivory, not pink. Atmosphere is serene. Tuna lustrous & glistening

Ciguatera = Toxin poisoning from the flesh of some fish produced by dinoflagellate algae eaten by the fish in food chain. It is extreamly difficult to discern contaminated fish as it is not the result of spoilage or species specific but related to area. Toxin is not destroyed by freezing or cooking


\12 Seafood Poisoning

This is the most common nonbacterial seafood poisoning syndrome occuring from ingestion of "ciguatoxin", which comes from certain phytoplankton at the beginnings of the food chain. It appears to be concentrated upwards in the carnivorous reef-dwelling fish, most notably snapper, barracuda, grouper, and jack. The larger the fish, the more likely it contains ciguatoxin. Studies imply that disturbances to reefs promote the toxic plankton, so with pollution, dynamite, and other ongoing elimination of reefs, this problem is growing. In the conUS it is seen on the coasts of Calif, Fla, and the Gulf, but also in northern landlocked states. It is more common in the Caribbean and South Pacific.

Actions of ciguatoxin are upon cell membrane activity of neuromuscular cells (sodium channels). Symptoms include hypertension, rapid heart rate, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, chills, paresthesia ("tingling" sensation), pain in the throat or teeth, painful urination, shortness of breath, fatigue, tremor, ataxia, vertigo, blurred vision, seizures, etc. Mortality rate is probably below 1% - usually from respiratory paralysis. An extremely unusual complaint in some is unique to this syndrome - is the reversal of hot and cold sensation - things which are hot feel cold, and vice versa. This may develop days after ingestion and may last months.

Most symptoms appear within hours of ingestion - usually no more that 12-24 hours. Generally symptoms improve over 4-5 days, although diff subtypes of this toxin may cause different effects, some with relapses. Some of the nervous system effects may last months or longer.

About 50,000 people/year suffer ciguatoxin poisoning. Cooking may lessen the effect somewhat, but the toxin is stable to freezing and heat. Scombroid Poisoning: Also called "pseudoallergic fish poisoning" because it is caused by histamine produced within the muscle of scombroid and related fish by bacterial decomposition. The fish involved include albacore, bluefin and yellowfin tuna, mackerel, needlefish, wahoo, bonita, and skipjack. Mahi-mahi ("dolphin"), black marlin, anchovy, herring and amberjack have also been implicated.

Cooking does not destroy this toxin. Fish containing high amounts may have a slightly peppery taste. Symptoms occur shortly (within two hours) of ingestion. They include flushing, redness of the conjunctiva, itching, hives, airway spasm, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, headache, palpitations, and dizziness. Symptoms usually resolve in 12 hours. Death is rare.

Antihistamines such as "Benadryl" (diphenhydramine) or the H2 blockers such as "Tagamet" or "Zantac" may be useful.

Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning is caused by a toxin produced by some plankton in the diet of many shellfish. Although it is most common in temperate waters in cooler months (thus the old axiom not to eat shellfish in months with an "r" in the name), it can occur anywhere anytime. In this country its occurrence is monitored and clam flats are closed when there are significant levels of toxin.

Cooking does not destroy this toxin, which causes paralysis of the respiratory tract muscles. Victims with severe poisoning die if not supported by ventilator. This illness is relatively uncommon in the US, and is most likely seen in those who dig and eat clams on the shore being unaware of the danger.

Infectious Agents, Vibrio Fish Poisoning. Vibrio organisms are bacteria that inhabit most of the waters off the US, Great Britain, Australia, and probably many other parts of the world, since warm water and warm weather favors their growth. These organisms can grow rapidly in seafood and cause severe gastrointestinal illness and more severe sepsis. In parts of the world V. cholerae - the causative organism of cholera - cam also be found in seafood. The easy part of this syndrome is that these organisms are killed by cooking and therefore simply avoided by cooking all seafood - especially shellfish. Some believe "cooking" seafood by marinating it in lime juice (as in ceviche) kills these organisms with no proof, so it would be a gamble. DON'T.

Fish Tapeworm. One of the exciting things about the fish tapeworm, Diphyllobothrium latum, is that it can grow up to six feet long or more in the human intestine! Although this may not cause serious illness, in some it causes a pernicious-anemia like illness, and may cause chronic abdominal complaints. Nice to have a friend go with you wherever...  Fish tapeworms are usually obtained by eating raw fish, especially salmon sushi. One group of parasitologists has a T-shirt with pictures of various fish tapeworms and the saying; "If you knew sushi like I knew sushi...". The good news is that the eggs of these parasites are killed by freezing (to 0 deg F for 24 hrs).

Scombroid Poisoning - Usually occurs from eating fish that was inadequately stored or preserved. Bacterial breakdown begins quickly, especially in warm climates, and in certain fish this decomposition creates toxins that are not destroyed by cooking, canning, freezing, smoking or drying.

Many types of fish have been implicated in scombroid poisoning, but the most common have dark or red meat. Local names for fish may vary. The list includes:

 * Albacore  * Mackerel
 * Amberjack  * Mahi-mahi (dolphin)
 * Anchovy   * Pilchard
 * Bluefish  * Sardine
 * Bonito   * Tuna (bluefin, skipjack, yellowfin)

Symptoms occur rapidly after consumption, beginning almost immediately in many cases. They are similar to those of an allergic reaction and might include flushing, itching, hives, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, headache, dizziness or shortness of breath. The illness usually lasts for several hours.

Contaminated fish will probably look normal but it may taste strong or peppery, and it might make your mouth tingle. If fish tastes peculiar or causes any sensation of numbness or tingling, don't eat it.

Scombroid poisoning is typically treated with antihistamines (eg, Benadryl®) and forced vomiting. Histamine blockers such as Tagamet® or Zantac® may also be useful. If symptoms are severe or prolonged, seek medical help
