As a born and raised Japanese, I encounter these 10 food items such as natto, tarako, and TKG so often that I don’t pay attention anymore. But they are worth being recognized and tasted. They are beloved, Japan’s everyday food and popular dishes at casual restaurants. In other words, under the raider Japanese local food.
Natto (納豆)
Natto (納豆) may or may not have become too famous as Japan’s strange food. It seems to be the front runner as Japan’s strange food and also the quintessential option for breakfast in Japan. Natto in one sentence would be “sticky fermented soybeans that smell like socks”. It has complex bitterness and umami. To eat natto, add soy sauce, stir well, and bukkake (pour) on rice, are the classic ways to do it right.
Tarako (たらこ)
Tarako (たらこ) is cured pollock roe. When it’s marinated with chili pepper, it’s called mentaiko (明太子) which originated in Korea. Tarako is one of the most popular ingredients for onigiri (おにぎり) rice ball which can be found everywhere such as 7-Eleven, kiosks at stations, and supermarkets. Among diverse tarako dishes at restaurants and izakayas (居酒屋 / Japanese tavern), tarako spaghetti (たらこスパゲッティ / たらこパスタ) is probably the most popular dish of all.
Surume (するめ)
Surume (するめ) is dried squid. It has different names for different parts and shapes: Legs are called ikageso (いかげそ). Shredded ones are called atarime (あたりめ). Surume in general is considered a snack. That’s why they are displayed in a snack and alcohol section at conbinis (コンビニ) such as 7-Eleven, LAWSON, and FamilyMart and also any other supermarket.
Shirasu (しらす)
Shirasu (しらす) or whitebait is the general term for the mass of baby fish. Shirasu in Japan is often boiled with salt and packed in whatever the container takes shape. Shirasu is usually served at room temperature or fresh out of a fridge. It’s consumed as a side dish or garnish on rice, tofu, and anything cool like spaghetti. Dried shirasu is called chirimenjako (ちりめんじゃこ).
Umesuisho (梅水晶)
Umesuisho (梅水晶) is shredded shark soft bones stirred with uber-salty umeboshi (梅干し / ume plum pickles). Umesuisho in Japanese means “ume crystal” because it looks like it. Umesuisho usually appears on izakaya menus as a side dish although it almost never appears on a table at home. It has a queer texture like crunchy rubber noodles.
Mozuku (もずく)
Mozuku (もずく), brown alga or Nemacystus decipiens, is a type of edible seaweed. It’s often consumed as an ingredient for soup and salad in Japan. It’s more like slimy noodles than fresh seaweed. Mozuku su (もずく酢 / mozuku in vinegar) is a popular mozuku dish and mass-produced ones are easily found in supermarkets.
Hijiki (ひじき)
Hijiki (ひじき) is edible seaweed. It looks like the black version of mozuku but tastes different. Hijiki is usually cooked as a simmered dish (nimono / 煮物), which is why it looks black. Simmered hijiki can be found anywhere: at school lunch, in a bento box (弁当箱), on the menu at izakayas, and on a dinner table at home.
Konjac (こんにゃく)
Konjac / konnyaku (こんにゃく) is a rubbery and chewy, jelly-like cake made from konjac potato flour. Konjac appears in many shapes: cuboid (which is most common), noodles called shirataki (しらたき), balls, grains, etc. Konjac is usually consumed as an ingredient for a simmered dish such as oden (おでん) which is known as winter food.
Nankotsu (軟骨)
Nankotsu (軟骨) in Japanese means cartilage / soft bone. In food terms, it means soft chicken bone. At Japanese izakayas, nankotsu is often served as a deep-fried snack. At yakitori (焼鳥 / chicken skewers) restaurants, it’s grilled in the same manner as other yakitori dishes. When nankotsu is taken from knee bones, it’s called genkotsu (げんこつ / fist).
TKG (卵かけご飯)
TKG is an acronym of “tamago kake gohan (卵かけご飯)” which means “chicken egg (tamago) bukkake-pour (kake) rice (gohan)”. TKG is a simple and quintessential breakfast dish that is usually consumed with soy sauce. Nowadays, there are not only special soy sauce and eggs that are optimized for TKG, but also TKG-specialized restaurants.
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