A Culinary Journey Through The Regions

Many Japanese dishes have global reputations already, and there are those quite specific to a certain region in Japan. Each of Japan’s 11 regions is famous for a specific specialty cuisine. Here are the 11 regions from North to South: Hokkaido, Tohoku, Kanto, Hokuriku, Koshinetsu, Tokai, Kansai, Chugoku, Shikoku, Kyushu, and Okinawa. See the dish that each is famous for.

Hokkaido is the most northern and is popular for its seafood, like sea urchin and salmon. Sushi is the most famous, and also kaisen-don, which is sashimi on a bowl of rice. Hokkaido is also known for its fresh, quality vegetables. Another region is Tohoku, with its warm cuisines due to the coldness. Kiritanpo-nabe, tasty hot pot with kiritanpo, mashed rice, with different roots and vegetables can be found in Akita.

Kanto, where Tokyo is also located, Monja-yaki is the best local dish. It’s a dish cooked on a hot plate where all ingredients such as squid, cabbage and sweet corn are cooked together; halfway done a watery batter mix is added. The cooked parts can be eaten right off the plate while the rest can be later. Koshietsu area includes Yamanashi, Nagano, and Niigata prefecture, which get heavy snow. Their top dish is the famous warm food, Houtou in Yamanashi, similar to udon noodles, but flatter and chewy plus a soup.

Tokai is an area with warm temperature throughout the year. Mia prefecture is famous for Ise-Ebi, the Japanese spiny lobster. It is similar in taste with American lobsters but somewhat more delicate. Also famous is the Miso-Katsu, which is miso pork cutlet, especially in the Aichi prefecture where Nagoya is located. In Hokuriku region, in Kanazawa, there’s Jibu-ni. It’s thinly sliced duck meat coated in flour, simmered with vegetables shiitake mushrooms, bamboo shoots and parsley. They are combined in a soup made of stock, rice wine, soy sauce and sake.

Kansai region, with Osaka in its center, is famous for okonomiyaki and takoyaki, fried octopus balls. Okonomiyaki is the Japanese version of pancake, with vegetables, pork slices and batter mixed together. Takoyaki are crispy balls topped with green laver, special sauce, sliced and dried bonito, or mayonnaise. Chugoku region, where Hiroshima is located, is famous for the Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki. It’s cooked differently – layered – with soba or udon added.

Honshu Shikoku are southern islands, famous for Sanuki Udon, wheat flour noodles, with a full taste and smooth texture. Kyushu region is famous for Chanpon, in Nagasaki prefecture; it’s a noodle dish with lots of vegetables. Southernmost is Okinawa with its tropical weather and famous for Goya Chanpuru, made with bittermelon (goya) tofu, vegetables, meat or fish.

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Big Benefits from A Small Salmon

Sockeye is derived from the Halkomelem word suk-kegh, which means “red fish.” The language is spoken by the indigenous peoples along the lower Fraser River of British Columbia. Today you find them down the coast of California, also New York, Colorado, New Mexico, and Wyoming, Alaska and Canada.

Many think the name red salmon refers to the colors of the spawning males, but it’s actually the deep red flesh of the meat. Sockeyes are known also as blueback salmon because of the silvery blue coloration of the fish. During spawning, male sockeyes undergo dramatic physiological changes, including an increase in body depth and the development of a pronounced kype, a hook-like secondary sex characteristic which develops at the distal tip of the lower jaw. The body turns brilliant red, while the head turns green.

Sockeyes are among the smaller of the seven Pacific salmon species, but their succulent, bright-orange meat is prized above all others. They have a lifespan 0f 3 to 5 years, range from 24 to 33 inches in length and weigh between 5 and 15 pounds. Like all other Pacific salmon, they are born in freshwater. Then they will take the trip of migration into the ocean that offers them saltwater. They will return to the freshwater later on for mating. A female can lay between 47 and 205 eggs. Less than 1% will survive the first year of life. It is estimated that between 10 and 30 million of them are annually fished.

Sockeye salmon’s orange-red meat provides a delicious change from other fish varieties. Sockeyes can be grilled, baked, steamed, smoked or roasted. It is also eaten raw as sushi or sashimi. It is higher in calories than pink salmon but lower than farmed Atlantic salmon. The fish is rich in protein, a necessary building block for muscles and organs. Two particularly beneficial forms of fat found in sockeyes are the omega-3 fatty acids DHA and EPA, which boost heart health, brain performance, joint health and the immune system.

Sockeye salmon contains a small amount of cholesterol, about 45 milligrams per serving but are high in vitamin B12, essential for blood cell formation, DNA synthesis and proper brain functioning. A single serving of sockeye salmon provides about 80% of the daily value of the vitamin. Other vitamins present include niacin, pantothenic acid, folate, riboflavin, thiamin and vitamins B-6, E and A. Sockeye salmon also contains selenium, a mineral that’s an antioxidant and important in thyroid function and immune system activity.

Appreciating the Healthy Red Fish in Seattle

Enjoy our cold shared plates at I Love Sushi, one of them is the bright red and delicious sockeye salmon sashimi and, our sockeye salmon roll, one of our classics. Served gluten-free and great for those on a restricted or special diet.