Japan Rail Pass Now - Japan Travel Guide

Culture
Nowadays, traditional and modern Japanese architecture coexist harmoniously, and it is quite common to see Japanese cities and towns that
have areas with high-rises and skyscrapers located next to an old district, complete with cobblestone roads and several-hundred-year-old
houses.
Cuisine
Japanese cuisine comprises a diverse selection of foods and drinks, such as the following:
Traditional Dishes
Rice – This is the Japanese staple food. It can be steamed or fried and is frequently consumed with meat, fish and vegetables.
Miso soup – This is made of miso paste and stock, known as dashi. It can be prepared many different ways and can be mixed with other
ingredients such as fish, tofu, carrots, mushrooms, potatoes or meat.
Noodles – Considered a good substitute for rice, noodles are a common Japanese food. They come in different types, with soba, udon and
ramen being the most popular. They can be eaten plain or with toppings and other ingredients such as egg, vegetables, meat and seafood.
Sushi – This is rice mixed or topped with different ingredients. Some of the most popular varieties are the nigiri-zushi (a block of rice with
toppings of vegetables, meat or seafood), maki-zushi (rice and other ingredients are rolled and wrapped in a sheet of seaweed), and chirashizushi
(sushi rice with fresh vegetables and seafood as toppings).
Tonkatsu – A type of deep-fried dish featuring a crumbed pork cutlet. Its origins date back to the 19th century and it can be served as a
standalone, with rice and soup, or as a sandwich filling.
Yakiniku – Translated as “grilled meat”, this Japanese cuisine covers a wide selection that includes grilled pork, beef, chicken, seafood and
vegetables.
Sweets – The Japanese have some of the tastiest desserts and sweets. Wagashi, which typically consists of mocha and red bean paste, is a
traditional sweet that is frequently served with tea. Other common Japanese sweets are the melonpan (melon bread), anmitsu (agar jelly cubes
mixed with red bean paste and fruits), anpan (sweet roll stuffed with red bean paste), chinsuko (biscuits made of flour and lard) and castellan
(Japanese sponge cake).
Beverages
Tea – There are many kinds of Japanese tea but the most popular is the Japanese green tea, which is extracted from the Camellia sinensis leaves
and served during tea ceremonies. Other types include the genmaicha (green tea with roasted brown rice), hojicha (green tea that is charcoal
roasted), matcha (powdered green tea) and mugicha (barley tea).
Shochu – Made from rice, buckwheat, sweet potato or barley, shochu is a distilled spirit that originated in Kyushu. It may contain between 25%
to 35% alcohol by volume, which is more than sake and wine but lower than vodka and whiskey.
Sake – Produced by an intensive rice fermentation process, sake is widely available in Japan and is commonly consumed with almost all types
of Japanese and international cuisines.
Beer – Japan is home to several large breweries and microbreweries, so the popularity of beer in the country remains at a high point. Lager
beers with low levels of alcohol are the most commonly consumed and are often partnered with a variety of Japanese dishes.
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