Planning a trip to Japan? Check out where Andrew went and what he ate to get some great ideas.
Tokyo
Tsukiji Market
Location: Tsukiji 4-13-5, Chuo-ku, Tokyo
To seize the most unusual ingredients and to experience the newest food trends Andrew's grand visit to Japan begins in one of the greatest food capitals of the world - Tokyo. Andrew spends time at the world's largest fish market where the diversity of offerings can delight any seafood lover's cravings. Andrew eats a live, miniature river eel and eats fresh, raw slices of giant blue fin tuna and poisonous stonefish sashimi slices with chopped raw liver mixed with soy sauce.
Hafu
Location: Tsukiji 4-13-5, Chuo-ku, Tokyo
Even though Andrew ate some incredible foods in the market, he takes some additional items purchased from the vendors and takes it to an eatery right at the Tsukiji market to get them specially prepared for a meal. Andrew eats filleted, skewered and broiled eel, giant blue fin tuna eyeballs braised in miso and red wine and raw, sliced sea squirt served with a marinade of vinegar, scallions, and chili pepper.
Mayonnaise Kitchen
Location: S & H Boulevard 4F 2-5-17, Akebono-cho Tachikawa, Tokyo
Being such a culturally adventurous city, Tokyo is also known for snapping things up from other cultures and making it their own. For a shocking taste experience, Andrew heads to the Mayonnaise Kitchen where everything on the menu - savory or sweet is made with the creamy, white stuff. Here Andrew samples mayonnaise fondue, baked potato with mayonnaise, sausage made with mayonnaise and chicken cartilage and mayonnaise milkshake.
Nobu Tokyo
Location: Toranomon Office Tower 1F-4-1-28, Toranomon, Minato-ku, Tokyo
With so much diversity in Japan's food scene, where sometimes trendy can truly become ridiculous, food can also be elegant and refined. Andrew meets up with world-famous Chef Nobu Matsuhisa where he is treated to an evening of sublime dishes. He samples octopus egg (simmered in a mix of fish stock and soy sauce), sea cucumber eggs (harvested eggs created into one solid cucumber egg jerky), and turtle blood drink (blood mixed with sake for Nobu, which is blood mixed with Apple Juice).
After a long day of exploring what Tokyo has to offer, Andrew makes one last stop before heading back to his hotel room. Standing on a bridge, he tries some uniquely flavored ice cream he picks up from a local convenience store. Andrew tries octopus ice cream, pit viper ice cream (pit viper is a type of snake), and beef tongue ice cream.
Osaka
"Ichiban" Huruman Stand
Location: Dotonburi Street
For a sharp contrast to the city life of Tokyo, Andrew heads to Osaka, where food is known for being unpretentious, fun, and hearty. He begins by venturing to the backstreets of the former red light district of Dotonburi to try an Osakan food style called Horumonu or "throwaway bits." He samples pig's windpipe, cow's uterus and cow's large intestine.
"Creo-ru" Takoyaki Stand
Location: Dotonburi Street
To cap off the visit to Osaka, Andrew also experiences a bit of the street food. Here, he tries his hand at making Takoyaki before sinking his teeth into them! He tries takoyaki, octopus mixed in wheat batter and fried.
Koshin
Location: Osaka 2-1-2 Sennichimae, Chuo-ku, Osaka 542-0074
And nearby is a place that also serves the local snack food and other types of "bar food" for the late-night crowd. Andrew samples takoyaki with matsutake or mushrooms (with fresh octopus) and raw horse mane sashimi.
Lake Biwa
Kitashina Restaurant
Location: Shiga Katsuno 1287, Takashima-shi, Shiga-ken, 520-1121
Three hundred and fifty miles from Osaka is a favorite vacation spot for many Japanese. It also the birthplace of an older form of sushi. Andrew visits Lake Biwa in the Shiga Prefecture where he stops at a fish hatchery and a centuries-old restaurant to learn about the ancient art of sushi. Andrew tries funazushi, fermented fish and vinegar rice, which takes up to six years to make.
Okinawa
For a different type of Japanese cuisine, Andrew goes to the southernmost prefecture of Okinawa where he sits down with a local family for a traditional Ryuku meal. He eats goya fruit stir-fry with fried egg, tofu and pork. Andrew also tries squid ink soup, and giant tuna eyeballs, stewed in mirin, garlic, ginger, and brown sugar.
Location: 3-24-29 Moromizato, Okinawa City, Okinawa 904-0032
Makishi Market
Location: Naha City, Okinawa Island
But before closing his visit to quiet Okinawa, Andrew heads to the bustling market where he gets a taste of the unusual and area-specific foods that makes this island so special. He samples sea snake soup, goat ball and testicles and yako-gai (giant sea snail).
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