Wa Shoku

“Wa Shoku” is traditional Japanese food.  And you need to know that real, traditional Japanese food, like that eaten by Japanese people in places outside the cosmopolitan cities like Tokyo and Osaka, is nothing like anything you have ever eaten in the United States. Period. I was reminded of this again last night here in Kanazawa at the annual welcome dinner that my boss hosts each year at the beginning of the Japan tour.  I watched as course after befuddling course was set before a group of newbies who, although game to try new things, were given pause as they tried to puzzle out what the dish contained before consuming it. The presentation is beautiful, make no mistake about it.  But what is this bluish-black thumb-sized gelatinous thing that has just been set so artfully before me?  A small squid, as it turns out.  Or is it 2 small squid?  Hard to tell.  Are these potato sticks? No, deep-fried unagi spines.  This looks like some kind of soft walnut...Oh, fish testicles? Oh well, hakuna matata!

Of course, the Japanese are not above exploiting our squeamishness for their own amusement.  Today I was in Fukui doing TV promotion for a concert this weekend.  One of the talking points is always Japanese food and the locals were anxious to get my appraisal of their local delicacy called “heshiko” whereupon a small tray was presented to me which held 8-10 thin, brown anonymous slices. I grabbed the one with the toothpick in it, said “itdakimasu” (“let’s eat”) and stuck it in my mouth. Now, imagine if, when Lot’s wife was turned into a pillar of salt, that she had a mackerel in her hand.  That’s what that fish tasted like.  I commented that it would be great with rice, which received great approval.  Happily, I was given one as a gift which I will be bringing back to the States with me.    

Because of my tenure in Japan I have a hard-won reputation as a lover of Japanese cuisine.  This is simply because I think it is rude to reject someone’s hospitality.  In doing so you reject them and their culture.  To be sure, this approach has its challenges but the rewards are worth it.  So, to paraphrase Kipling, “If you can look at the silver-dollar sized whole octopus in your soup with tentacles frozen in its death frenzy and eat it while others are rejecting theirs, then you will be a man, my son!”