Our stew-loving reporter says a quick dash of one of Japan’s staple seasonings, added at just the right time, boosts the flavor of this cold-weather favorite.
soy sauce
Iconic character from Hayao Miyazaki anime is ready to terrify and/or charm you at mealtime.
If green tea, Japan’s favorite traditional drink, can make desserts better, why not its most important seasoning, too…right? Right?!?
We try out this revolutionary condiment that could change the way everyone eats sushi, sashimi, or anything really.
I’d like to fancy myself a man of refined tastes. When I eat ice cream it certainly ought to be rose flavored. My colas? Well, they better be of an unexplained taste. And when it comes to crackers, I accept nothing less than those doused in the essence of sea urchins.
And now you can too! All you have to do is pick up a pack of Waza No Koda Wari Noko Uni Shoyu crackers at your local food vendor this winter season.
One of the first things that foreign visitors to Japan learn about Japanese cuisine is that white rice served by itself is meant to be enjoyed as it is, not soaked in soy or doused in dipping sauce. But many people who aren’t all that well-acquainted with Japanese food find the taste of plain boiled rice bland, and love to drizzle sweet and salty sauces all over in order to jazz it up a bit, even if it does make eating it with chopsticks ten times harder.
The UK is one place that probably isn’t known for having a high level of familiarity with Japanese food. Chains like Wagamama and Shoryu Ramen do exist, but they tend to play fast and loose with the definition of Japanese food, and as a result many British diners wind up getting their tastebuds in a bit of a tangle. But now, Japanese company Kikkoman is actually encouraging this desecrating behaviour by bringing out a new product in the UK market: Kikkoman Sweet Sauce for Rice! As you might expect, it’s raising eyebrows in Japan.
Kikkoman is one of the most famous brands of soy sauce, especially since it comes in such unique container that is open on two sides and can never be closed. The company has been around since 1917, so they’ve had a lot of years to think of ways to advertise for the salty sauce around the world. One of their cutest ads comes from 1933 and features a crew of dancing cats in black skirts that make us squeel “KAWAII!”
Soy sauce is delicious, and it’s by far one of our favorite condiments. It can enhance all manner of foods and make even something as boring as plain tofu delicious. But even as much as we love it, how well do we really know it? For example, could our gourmand Japanese writers figure out they were eating soy sauce even if it didn’t look like soy sauce?
This might seem like a silly question – and it definitely is! But it’s also a legitimate question thanks to the clever food processing skills of a company that also makes pink curry. So, do you think our food-loving writers will be able to identify pink soy sauce? Or will we have the last laugh? Find out below!
Village Vanguard is a popular chain of novelty stores across Japan. There you can find all sorts of things from bird poop stickers to Resident Evil curry to wasabi toothpaste. As such, it’s easy to get desensitized to their range of items and lose the ability to be surprised with what they come out with next.
Or so we thought, until word came of a new product that will be sold there around the end of May. Purin Senyo Shoyu is a specially crafted soy sauce meant to be drizzled over a jiggly glob of pudding. You might wonder what pudding and soy sauce taste like together. The answer is surprisingly simple: it tastes like sea urchin.
If you fancy yourself as a bit of a soy sauce connoisseur or if you enjoy dabbling in Japanese fusion cooking, we’ve found a perfect way for you to earn some easy prize money.
The Japan Soy Sauce Association is currently accepting entries for two special contest categories: Washoku, for Japanese-style recipes and Your Country’s Cuisine, for food that incorporates the use of soy sauce into traditional dishes from your homeland.
With the top prize being 100,000 yen (US$834.87), if you’re a foreigner living in Japan, now’s the time to get that apron on and get cooking!
A while back we reported that Japan’s Twitter users couldn’t stop eating peaches with mozzarella cheese. We were creeped out at first, but the flavour combo even made its way into the legitimate snack companies’ repertoire, so there must have been something in it. This time, however, it seems the crazy tastebud thrillseekers out there have gone a step further by combining vanilla ice cream with avocado (and occasionally, even soy sauce).
But why would any sane person do this, and what does it taste like?
What’s that crumbly brown stuff on the rice pictured above?
If you guessed that it was some combination of spices, you’re (mostly) wrong. It’s actually the powdered form of a common cooking ingredient that you can find in any Japanese home. In fact, powdered foods in general have recently been drawing a lot of attention in Japan, so we wanted to share some interesting tidbits about them with you. And like the powder in the picture above, you might be surprised by what you find!
When it comes to Japanese food, the first thing people tend to think of is sushi–and with good reason! It’s certainly very popular, and it has numerous fans the world over. However, despite the popularity of sushi, sashimi, which is raw, thinly sliced fish, might be even more loved.
Of course, there are plenty of ways to eat sashimi, but it seems that the most common way is to mix some wasabi in a dish of soy sauce and then dip the fish in the soy sauce. A relatively straightforward but delicious process, right? Yes, but apparently that’s completely wrong!
The next time you sit down to enjoy a meal in a Japanese or Chinese restaurant, or perhaps this very evening when you open your kitchen cupboard at home, be sure to give your red-capped bottle of soy sauce a tiny salute. The designer of the now-iconic Kikkoman soy sauce bottle, Kenji Ekuan, has died at the age of 85.
MOST POPULAR
Now
Japanese dad reimburses wife for six months’ worth of breast milk, moves her to tears
J-pop megastar Utada Hikaru announces first concert tour in 12 years
B’z guitar lost for 20 years found in 10 days using social media
Muscle idol’s amazing Chun-Li photos shows gym is as important as sewing table for cosplay【Pics】
Virtual pantie flash part of Japan’s new schoolgirl-inspired swimsuit’s sailor style【Photos】
Cucumber Sprite? Japan was through with it before the rest of you all knew what to do with it
New Ume Sake Japanese Kit Kat features the flavour of traditional plum wine…with a twist
Elderly Japanese man goes Pokémon Go hunting at wife’s grave, offers sweet tribute to lost love
This amazing suit of samurai armor is made of five-yen coins, and you can make your own too【Pics】
New manga to reveal secrets of creation of Pokémon
Weekly
- Japanese dad reimburses wife for six months’ worth of breast milk, moves her to tears
Japanese manga artist begs readers to buy his first volume, spurred by fears of cancellation- Muscle idol’s amazing Chun-Li photos shows gym is as important as sewing table for cosplay【Pics】
Studio Ghibli anime theme park’s first official concept art revealed, hints at wonders to come- J-pop megastar Utada Hikaru announces first concert tour in 12 years
Vending machines in Tokyo Station not getting restocked, exploitative “black company” to blame
Tokyo restaurant has all-you-can-drink sake and all-you-can-eat sushi, and all of our love
Japan creates a hyper-intense fishing game that’s not for the faint of heart【Video】
Osaka stops putting rainbow marks on public toilets after complaints from LGBT communities
Japanese Twitter user posts beautiful photos of what may be Japan’s most picturesque shrine
Monthly
To combat declining birth rate, Japan to begin offering “Breeding Visas” to foreigners
Simple Japanese test claims how you draw a star reveals your personality- Japanese dad reimburses wife for six months’ worth of breast milk, moves her to tears
- Japanese manga artist begs readers to buy his first volume, spurred by fears of cancellation
Japanese knife craftsman transforms an everyday roll of aluminium foil into a super sharp blade
Even Japanese people are frightened by the concealed anger in Kyoto compliment foreigner received
Japanese bodybuilder becomes world-famous on Twitter, but not for his swole bod
Studio Ghibli fans surprised to find hidden images in Grave of the Fireflies anime poster
Bruno Mars throws towel at model for using phone at Japanese concert, she mistakes it as a gift
“But she looked 13!” is no excuse in the eyes of the Japanese law, 40-something man learns
Yearly
“Japan’s slowest roller coaster” derails, passengers don’t notice- To combat declining birth rate, Japan to begin offering “Breeding Visas” to foreigners
Amazing ad from Japan stars 72 actresses each showing one year of a woman’s life in one second
Children’s manga apologizes to sumo wrestler for drawing penis on Ghengis Khan’s face
Japanese idol singer holds memorial concert for 55-year-old fan who died alone and had no funeral
Anime girl virtual YouTuber unmasked as middle-age male otaku, loses some fans, gains others【Vid】- Simple Japanese test claims how you draw a star reveals your personality
What does “Konnichiwa” really mean? Understanding Japanese greetings- Japanese dad reimburses wife for six months’ worth of breast milk, moves her to tears
Wife makes chart for husband to stamp on days she doesn’t get mad, his notes to her are too cute
RECOMMENDED STORIES
Cucumber Sprite? Japan was through with it before the rest of you all knew what to do with it
New Ume Sake Japanese Kit Kat features the flavour of traditional plum wine…with a twist
Elderly Japanese man goes Pokémon Go hunting at wife’s grave, offers sweet tribute to lost love
This amazing suit of samurai armor is made of five-yen coins, and you can make your own too【Pics】
New manga to reveal secrets of creation of Pokémon
Japanese company recognizes marriage with anime characters, provides family support benefits
Tokyo restaurant has all-you-can-drink sake and all-you-can-eat sushi, and all of our love
Japanese company develops matcha paste that retains more health benefits than a cup of green tea
Paranormal activity sensed at a Twitter user’s local arcade…and Kirby is the cause?!
Japanese woodwork: A tradition hundreds of years old, but still as cool as ever 【Video】
All-you-can-eat sandwiches for 300 yen?! Our Japanese-language reporter dutifully investigates
W.T.F. Japan: Top 5 reasons sleeping on the floor Japanese-style is awesome 【Weird Top Five】
Japan can’t stop looking at modeling idol’s big, beautiful…muscles! 【Photos】
-
