Mochi
Mochi is a glutinous rice that has a chewy, spongy texture. It’s almost like you’re taking that first bite into your bubble gum, only it’s not sweet and it disappears after chewing it for a while. It’s used in all kinds of Japanese cuisine such as ice cream, soups, and even desserts. They even have a festival for it in the north of Japan.
Mochi is glutinous rice
Daikon
big root radish
Nankotsu (fried chicken cartilage)
Nankotsu can be found when eating yakitori, grilled meat skewers. It’s fried chicken cartilage which makes it softer than bone, but way crunchier than meat. It’s basically like biting through the end of a chicken bone, but with much more ease. I looked forward to eating nankotsu when I ate yakitori because it was always a nice break from eating the regular meat.
fried chicken cartilage
Natto (fermented soybeans)
Natto was something that I ate for breakfast whenever possible. Natto is made from fermented beans, so when you open it up, the beans are covered in a slimy material that, once stirred, turns into a sticky mess. Sometimes the packaging came with a Japanese mustard and soy sauce which helped get pass the strong flavoring of the beans. It was my absolute favorite thing to eat. It was smelly, it was messy, and not everyone liked it. My idea of an adventurous meal.
Natto is fermented soybeans
Horumon (pig intestines)
Horumon can be served for BBQ, but I found it most often at festivals and was my favorite things to eat when attending festivals. I searched for it. Horumon is pig intestines all sliced up and covered with some seasoning. It’s chewy, but it doesn’t taste like you’re eating the guts of a pig, where their food is processed and later digested through their behind. It actually has a nice flavoring to it, albeit and isn’t that bad once you get over the idea of what you are eating.
pig intestines
Sakuraniku (raw horse meat)
Yup, you read that right. Raw horse meat is served in Japan in restaurants and, ladies and gentlemen, I liked it. It could be an acquired taste, but I found it to be creamy and delicious especially because I had it with raw egg. This dish is completely normal in Japan, but I know it could be controversial in the US. Out of respect for the Japanese people who ordered it though, I could not refuse. It can be ordered at a yakiniku restaurant or an izikaya, but are more popularly found in certain regions like the Kumamoto prefecture.
raw horse meat
