Japan

The island of Japan is marked by diverse seasons and regions, each offering the array of food ingredients so many people around the world enjoy. The forested mountains supply foraged wild greens and fruit, roots and wild mushrooms while the sea abounds with tuna, squid, urchins, crab and Japanese crayfish, a delicacy similar to lobster that is served split, brushed with soy and mirin and grilled. The lakes and rivers throughout Japan are home to freshwater fish such as carp, best served sashimi or simmered, and trout, often grilled or lightly pickled. Monsoon season is necessary to grow the rice that is a staple of the cuisine. Miso, fermented soybeans, is another foundational ingredient of Japanese cooking often used for flavoring dishes but commonly enjoyed as a savory soup with a bowl of rice.

Japan not only produces alcoholic beverages such as rice wine, or sake, and beer (Kirin, Sapporo and Asahi), but the Japanese have a drinking culture that includes drinking parties to forward business and social relationships. Other popular beverages include plum wine or umeshu; a fruit-flavored drink called chuhai; and shochu, a distilled spirit made from a combination of sweet potatoes, rice, wheat and sugar cane.—Leska Tomash