What I ate in Japan for 7 days🇯🇵🍡 / Japanese home cooked meals

What I ate in Japan for 7 days🇯🇵🍡 / Japanese home cooked meals

Hello, I’m sharing all the meals I had over one week in Japan. Breakfast For breakfast, I had a plum rice ball and some warm water.
I’m happy there’s a lot of plum inside. I try to drink warm water first thing in the morning as much as possible. I’ve heard that using an iron teapot can give you some iron. I came to the cherry blossom festival in Monzen-Nakacho with my friends. The weather was perfect, just right for enjoying the cherry blossoms. We were a bit hungry, so we stopped by a wagashi shop. I bought two sticks of dango and ate them in the park. Each stick costs 150 yen. That’s really affordable. First, let’s talk about mitarashi dango. It’s a type of rice dumpling topped with a sweet soy sauce glaze. This one is goma-an dango, which is filled with sweet sesame paste. We took a short walk over to the shrine. For a late lunch, we went to a set meal restaurant. I chose the karaage set meal. It came with pickles, miso soup, salad, side dishes, and steamed white rice. The side dish was simmered konnyaku and carrots. Karaage is Japanese-style fried chicken, usually marinated in soy sauce, garlic, and ginger before being lightly coated and fried until crispy. The karaage pieces were big, which made me really happy! You can also enjoy viewing the cherry blossoms while on a board. Ah, seeing the cherry blossoms again after such a long time is truly beautiful. But with global warming, it seems there will be regions where cherry trees may stop blooming in the future. We took a break at a café. We had coffee and matcha lattes. Monzen-Nakacho is one of Tokyo’s traditional “shitamachi” (old downtown) areas. It still has charming old shopping streets and a warm, friendly atmosphere that really shows the spirit of Tokyo’s historic neighborhoods. With a history dating back to the Edo period, you can really feel the local culture here. After enjoying the cherry blossoms, we went to an izakaya for a drink. A “sour” is a type of alcoholic cocktail popular in Japanese izakayas. It’s usually made with shochu or vodka mixed with citrus juice and soda water. It’s light and refreshing, making it easy to drink. For the second drink, I ordered a ramune soda sour. Ramune soda is a Japanese carbonated drink that comes in a bottle sealed with a marble. It’s sweet and refreshing. We ordered some pan-fried gyoza as a snack. Eating gyoza made me want to have a beer too. Gyoza and beer are the perfect match. Go back home. Day 2 I made some amazake. It’s made from rice and rice koji, where the koji breaks down the rice starch into glucose, giving it a natural sweetness. It contains almost no alcohol, so even children and older adults can drink it, and it’s highly nutritious—often called “drinking IV drip” in Japan. Breakfast Since it’s rice, it keeps you full! Lunch Natto. I love it so much, I could eat it every day in Japan. I don’t use the sauce that comes with it; I just add a bit of mustard and soy sauce. Natto tastes better when it’s well mixed, so I stir it a lot. It tastes even better with green onions, but I didn’t have any this time. Sweet beans. In Japan, beans are usually eaten sweet. Xiaolongbao — I bought these yesterday. Normally they’re filled with soup inside, but I guess it all leaked out. I came to KALDI, a popular food store in Japan that offers a wide variety of products from around the world. At this store, they give you a cup of coffee at the entrance — and it’s really good! It’s fun because you can make dishes from all over the world that you’ve never tried before. There are many stores like this across Japan. I wonder if they have products from your country? Italian beer Korean flavored soju British cider Spanish lemon beer peach-flavored sour from Yamanashi, Japan! Strawberry rager from Hokkaido, Japan Guaraná soda from Brazil cola from Taiwan Thai green curry soup. I love.. and powdered coconut milk. Spicy Habanero from Belize This one’s extra hot! Salt from France Spanish squid cooked in its ink. Swedish mackerel in tomato sauce. Ukrainian borscht mix. Italian tomato paste German chocolate sweets. Korean biscuits. Dinner. When I go back to my parents house, I hardly ever cooked. My mother makes the meals for me,and she always prepares a lot for every meal. I poured sesame dressing over the salad. Tofu with salted kelo (shio kombu). sesame oil over the tofu. Miso soup with sweet potato and onion. Ninjin Shirishir. It is a simple and traditional Okinawan stir-fry dish made with shredded carrots and scrambled eggs. Shio kombu is a Japanese condiment made from kombu (kelp) that’s simmered in a sweet-savory sauce then dried and sprinkled with salt. It has a rich umami flavor and is often used as a topping for rice, tofu, or vegetables, or as an ingredient in mixed dishes. “Gindara kasuzuke” (Sake Lees-Marinated Black Cod ) Kasuzuke is a traditional Japanese way of marinating fish or vegetables in sake lees, the leftover mash from sake production, to add deep flavor. It’s sweet, rich in flavor, and delicious with a nice fatty texture. The seasoning is well absorbed. These days, Japanese rice is quite expensive in Japan, causing difficulties for many people. Japanese rice is essential to Japanese cuisine. And for dessert. this super popular treat called an omelette. It’s made with soft, fluffy sponge-like cake and filled with a special cream. They say it’s made with high-quality eggs. Yep—tastes amazing! Japanese desserts are generally less sweet compared to those from other countries, so they might feel a bit mild for foreigners. Day 3. I wasn’t really hungry in the morning, so I just had it together with lunch. Natto again today . I added some green onions too. Natto tastes better the more you mix it. I try to go for 100 stirs! Tonjiru (or Butajiru) I like to sprinkle some shichimi chili pepper on top. Tonjiru is like a rich miso soup with pork and veggies. It usually has stuff like daikon, carrots, tofu, and konnyaku, all cooked in a miso broth. Super comforting, especially in winter! It’s super nutritious and really warms you up. I’m heading out today to Jiyugaoka. Jiyugaoka’s a cool area in Tokyo, a bit southwest from downtown. It’s famous for cute cafes, small shops, and a chill, friendly feel. Perfect spot to hang out, shop, and enjoy some tasty treats. We headed to the bakery I was really looking forward to — “Comme’N.” This bakery is run by Shuichi Osawa, the first Japanese chef to win the overall title at the World Bread Championship, “Mondial du Pain.” But today, the bakery I’m after isn’t this one — it’s the gluten-free bakery, Comme’N., right across the street. They use rice flour and brown rice flour to make breads and baked goods that really bring out the natural flavors and textures of the ingredients. You can also order sandwiches there. There was a shrine nearby, so I decided to take a walk there. Next, I visited a wagashi shop called ItWokashi, known for their daifuku so soft it’s said you can almost drink it. It’s been featured on TV, and I’d been curious about it for a while. Their sweets are also popular as gifts. I’m going to buy two to try. For dinner, I went to a nearby Mediterranean restaurant. O RESTO la med. The bread and chicken that came with the starter were super good. The chicken had a great kick from the spices. Carpaccio of sea bream marinated with kelp, served as a salad with tomatoes and grated daikon radish. It looks beautiful, and the taste is something I’ve never had before The combination is amazing. Swordfish tartare with a basil pesto flavor. The fish is really fresh. Pork spare ribs with aigre-douce sauce — a sweet and sour mix of balsamic vinegar, honey, and ginger. my favorites! I’m full, but I’m going to order a rice dish to finish. Oyster risotto with shiso cream. super yummy! Everything was absolutely delicious — I’m totally satisfied. The desserts I bought today. This is oolong & almond flavor. This is hojicha & custard flavor. It has an incredibly soft texture. The outside tastes like oolong tea, and inside there’s almond cream. It’s totally different from traditional daifuku. This one’s also packed with cream. It’s a dessert with a whole new vibe. Day 4. Breakfast. I bought some gluten-free bread yesterday. It actually tastes pretty much like regular bread! Lunch. For lunch, I had kimuchi fried rice. Kimuchi is originally from korea. but Japanese peoplr love it and often use it in cooking. My family home always has some in the fridge. The kimuchi sold in japan isn’t as spicy as the korean kind, so it’s milder and easier to eat. It also goes perfectly with fried rice. Dinner. Tonight’s dinner is sashimi. I mixed a bit of soy sauce and wasabi ahead of time. Miso soup. bamboo shoots, shiitake mushrooms, carrots, green onions. daikon radish and shiso salad with a mayo dressing. so tasty, I could seriously eat it forever. Grilled eggplant topped with seasoned miso, sweet simmered pumpkin—soft, fluffy, and delicious. I wrap the sashimi in a shiso leaf when I eat it. First, I put a bit of white rice on the shiso. Starting with the sea bream sashimi. place it on top and enjoy it all together. Of course, the most common way is to eat it with seaweed, but using shiso gives it a refreshingflavor. “Shiso is this Japanese herb with a super refreshing taste. It’s kind of like mint meets basil. Next up is the salmon. Day 5. Breakfast. This is a kiwifruit called Zespri RubyRed. It’s very sweet. Amazake After doing a bit of work, I went to have lunch with my relatives. Since it was cold, I picked up a warm black soybean tea.
I really appreciate how in Japan you can get hot drinks from vending machines. Paid with Suica. Heading up to the restaurant level in the shopping mall. In Japan, restaurants usually show plastic food models of their menu in front of the shop. It’s great because you can get a clear idea of what they serve before you go in Went to a tempura restaurant today. Tempura set meal — it comes with miso soup, rice, and pickles. “rock salt”　“cherry blossom salt”　“wasabi salt” you can dip it in tempura sauce or simply sprinkle some salt. Both are delicious! I prefer eating it with salt. When I make tempura at home, the batter sometimes gets too hot and ends up feeling a bit heavy. But at a tempura restaurant, the batter is light and crispy, so it’s much easier to enjoy. White fish tempura. I eat the shrimp tempura with the dipping sauce. Kakiage. a type of tempura made by mixing various ingredients like vegetables and seafood together and frying them as one fritter. It contains shrimp, carrot, shiso leaf, and other ingredients. For dinner, we went to a Chinese restaurant. I had apricot liqueur—light and fruity. Potato salad. It’s stir fried, but the potatoes are still nice and crunchy. which makes it delicious. then had yurinchi, which is fried chicken topped with a tangy sauce and lots of chopped aromatics It was seriously delicious. And for dessert, sweet osmanthus ice cream. so unique and refreshing! Day 6. Breakfast. I made a sandwich with mizuna and ham, adding Japanese mayonnaise. Strawberries are big, aren’t they? Japanese strawberries have become large and very sweet. On the way to my grandma’s house for lunch, I stopped to buy a bento box. My grandma is 92 years old now, and she hasn’t been cooking much lately. There were so many types of bento that I got a bit overwhelmed. But since she wanted to try something different, so I decided to buy something other than traditional Japanese food. I bought a salad bento with 30 different ingredients, including a brown rice roll. Since it has a variety of ingredients, I thought I wouldn’t get bored eating it. pickles. Pastrami beef salad. Hijiki seaweed salad. Shrimp fresh spring rolls. Brown rice roll. Korean-style sweet and spicy chicken meatballs (tsukune). “My grandmother regularly watches sumo. For a snack, we had Japanese tea and roasted sweet potatoes. Recently, my grandmother often talks about her childhood and about the time during the war. These days, sweet potatoes have become incredibly sweet. Dinner. Miso soup with radish and carrot. Salad. Konnyaku simmered in a sweet and sour sauce. Grilled eggplant with seasoned miso. Tarako (spicy cod roe) salad with potato. Thick fried tofu topped with ponzu. Grilled mackerel. the fat is just right, so delicious! My mom’s meals always come with lots of side dishes, and that makes me so happy. Day 7. I came to Ginza to have lunch with friends.
It’s raining and cold. We came to a gluten-free brown rice Italian restaurant run by FANCL, a cosmetics and health supplement company. kale juice. Rice flour bread. You can enjoy unlimited drinks and bread. First, An assortment of appetizers. Gluten-free restaurants have finally started to become more common in Japan recently. However, since soy sauce contains gluten, it can be somewhat challenging to make Japanese dishes completely gluten-free. Next up is the soup. Sashimi dish. Main dish. fish. Homemade brown rice pasta. Dessert. I went shopping to find a gift for a friend. We had coffee and took a break. Ginza is always busy, so it’s hard to find a café you can get into right away. Thank you for watching! See you soon!

I’m sharing a video of what I ate during 7 days back home in Japan, including meals at my parents’　house.

00:29 Day 1
04:10 Day 2
10:24 Day 3
17:15 Day 4
19:55 Day 5
24:52 Day 6
31:16 Day 7

🌸Must eat japanese food in Japan.

#japanesefoodculture #whatieat #whatieatinaweek