I love our year-round weather here in Hawaii. We don’t have the four seasons like other places, so once in a while, it’s nice to experience it, especially to enjoy what foods are in season. I was fortunate to go on a trip to Japan recently with Randy King and Seawind Tours. We went to Hokkaido, Tokyo and Kyoto, and if you have never gone on one of his journeys, it’s a must.
I resonate with Hokkaido because my mom was raised there and she often talks about her childhood memories and the foods she ate. Uni and kegani, the hairy crab, are coming into season now — so ono! The best uni comes from Hokkaido, as it feeds on kombu, and all the different locations that surround the waters of Hokkaido produce more than 90% of all of Japan’s kombu. Kombu is not just kombu; there are all kinds. The wild varieties are more expensive than the farmed ones. Their nuances produce different aromas, textures, flavors and therefore culinary uses. The differences lie in the story of where it came from, how it is grown and harvested and then cured. Not only do I love to listen and learn about every ingredient and its story, I appreciate the nuances in each dish more because I become more aware of what’s going into it. I get culinarily refreshed each time I go to Japan.
It’s late spring in May, almost coming into warmer days and summer. Hokkaido was still cool, so we got to see some of the late blooming cherry blossoms. Green and white asparagus were abundant. The young shoots from bamboo, vegetables like udo and fuki. The ayu (sweetfish), a river fish that usually has a life span of one year, is highly revered in Japan. To taste the ayu is to taste the river in which it swam. They are so proud when they are announced as the winner in an annual ayu tasting contest because it means they had the best water. That reminded me of when I tasted Kualoa oysters for the first time. I was tasting the water, the environment in which they were being raised — so clean, briny, flavorful. In Japan, I have also learned to appreciate the bitter flavors that are present in some dishes to enhance the taste. Eating the ayu with its liver (they cook the fish whole) accents the sweetness in the fish. I love the story about the decoy method used in the catching of the ayu. In fact, every where you go in Japan that boasts that they have great water, they will also most likely boast about their great sake, beer and tofu.
I love well marbled Japanese wagyu (beef), sushi, their fatty tuna and sashimi, ikura — but to immerse into what the local people eat, I like to go to the food markets. Don’t be afraid to eat from yatai stalls, or the tachinomi (stand up eating) and food market stalls.
I love the culture and history of Kyoto. The temples are so beautiful and peaceful. Many are in kimono. It’s a treat to see maiko (a younger apprentice geisha) and geiko (geisha, in Kyoto they refer to them as maiko and geiko; the very first geisha were men). The kaiseki was born in Kyoto; it originally was about sweets, and then pairing them with teas. Today, the kaiseki is a multi-course meal that normally features appetizers, soup, sashimi, something fried, simmered steamed and grilled, usually finishing with rice, pickles and miso soup. Shojin ryori is the food that is the Buddhist monks’ cuisine. Tofu came from China to Japan, landed in Kyoto, and many dishes can be made from tofu. The monks eat no living animal nor alliums.
Coming to and leaving from Tokyo makes me giddy. Originally born in Tokyo, I would eventually leave, and wouldn’t return until 43 years later. I cherish each time I return to find out and learn more about part of my heritage, and, of course, the food.
Chef and restaurateur Alan Wong has wowed diners around the world for decades, and is known as one of the founders of Hawaii Regional Cuisine. Find his column in Crave every first Wednesday. Currently, Wong is dba Alan Wong’s Consulting Co.
