Seafood and in particular fish are a major component of Japanese cuisine. What is the importance of Japanese seafood and how did it come to be an integral part of the culture? If you have ever been fascinated by Japanese culture and food, then this article is for you.
In this article, we take a look at how fish grew in importance in Japan during tis early years and how it has played a fundamental role in shaping the cuisine.
Why are Japanese so intimately involved with seafood?
Japan is a marine nation bordered by the water. From far back there were lots of chances for capturing fish, and chronicles of eating fish date back to the midsection of the Jomon Time period [roughly 4,000 to 5,000 years ago] The Oyashio and Kuroshio tides carry small fish close to the coastal areas, and they draw in groups of larger fish in search, so there is an abundance of fishing environments along the coastlines.
When we look away from the coast, we see that a range of mountains is found in the middle of Japan, with yearly showers of virtually 2,000 milliliters. That large quantity of rainwater is partitioned by the chain of mountains and streams to both the Pacific (eastern side) and the Sea of Japan (western side) creating a huge amount of rivers.
Thanks to this, the transparent water currents were blessed with a wealth of freshwater fish, consisting of types such as ayu [sweetfish] and ugui [dace] Because the Japanese are a rice-farming community, we have storage tanks and wetlands for producing rice paddies, and given that fish live there too, the people rarely ate meat up until regarding 100 years earlier. Fish were their key resource of animal healthy protein.
Impact of Japanese seafood on their offerings
The opposite of American bacon and eggs
A customary Japanese breakfast has diversity. The rich diversity of ingredients in Japanese morning meals are periodic, but the foundation stays the same: fish, rice, miso soup, and a side dish like vegetables or pickles. This is Japan’s soul-food: legitimate home-cooking, the food Japanese families enjoy when they’re resting at home. A far-cry from bacon and eggs, but an absolutely different sort of scrumptious, for sure.
Bento as a quick and nutritious offering
We don’t typically have time to prep a home-cooked meal for our family, though. Especially since increasingly more individuals are participating in the workforce. But, when it concerns ready-made or frozen food, Japan has plenty of nourishing alternatives to pick from. Like Bentos: healthy lunchbox-style dishes that can include both fresh and frozen dishes, usually with fish as the major dish. Guilt-free and swift, the best combination for the aspiring and the famished.
