Category: Destinations

Lajollacooks4u Explores Japanese Food Scene

image_pdfSave as PDFimage_printPrint Page

Last month, Chef Jodi traveled to Japan to learn more about Japanese cuisine and immerse herself in Japanese culture.

Her first stop was Tokyo, where she visited the famous Tsukiji Market, one of the highlights of her trip.  There, she visited various shops, sampled deliciously fresh seafood and dined on some of the best sushi she’s had in her life.

She also came across a knife shop at the Market that originated 600 years ago making samurai swords, Azuma Minamoto no Masahisa.  Www.tsukiji-masahisa.jp  Chef Jodi was blown away with the quality of the knives and had the pleasure of meeting the family members of the shop, descendants from the original craftsman from over 600 years ago.  She then splurged and bought one of their knives, a stainless steel version rolled over 60 times – a great addition to her kitchen!

Next, Chef Jodi traveled to Kyoto, where she had a wonderful cooking experience in the humble home of Taro and Yoshiko.

Learning all about the cultural aspect of the food of Japan, Chef Jodi prepared delicious authentic Japanese food in an intimate environment.

While also in Kyoto, Lajollacooks4u’s fabulous Master of Ceremonies, Adam, also had an amazing authentic samurai experience, where he was actually given a private class how to handle a samurai sword.

Another component of her Kyoto trip were the tea houses and tea ceremonies. Green tea is a spiritual and holy ingredient for the Japanese and is specifically used for the ritual of the tea ceremony.

Chef Jodi thoroughly enjoyed sipping on the green tea as she experienced the ceremonies and overlooked the beautiful gardens.

Her third stop was Hakone, about an hour outside of Tokyo.  There, Chef Jodi and her family visited the Hakone Onsen, a famous hot spring area, known for its spa-like atmosphere.  It is a popular destination for the Japanese people to relax and unwind, as the springs are so rejuvenating and cleansing.

Being that Chef Jodi walked over 100 miles in the 18 days she was in Japan, this experience was a must for her weary muscles.

Finally, the last legs of her trip were spent in Nagoya and Kanazawa, where she sampled many more Japanese flavors and markets.

“The Japanese are one of the most kind, humble, and considerate cultures I have ever visited,” Chef Jodi said.  “And their love for food is reflected everywhere you go – from sushi to dashi to Yakitori, Kobe beef and soba, udon and ramen noodles.  This was truly the trip of a lifetime.”

 

Please follow & like us 🙂

Follow by Email
Facebook
Instagram
LinkedIn
close

Enjoy this blog? Please spread the word :)