Food For Thought.

Japan has allowed me to discover some amazing things in the time that we have been here. One of these is the delicious cuisine. I am a massive food fan and had dabbled in some of Japan's dishes before arriving, but what I found what I got here was way beyond my expectations. Taste overloads and succulent food that made my taste buds quiver at the mere sight of the food. Japan definitely knows how to cook. So I thought I would compose a top 5 list of my favourite dishes since I got here. These top five will be sorely missed upon my return to England, where the only great dish we came up with was marmite, and that's more of a condiment.

Number 5: Sashimi

Sashimi is raw fish. Nothing more complex than that. But the way that something so simple becomes so beautiful with a dab of wasabi and a sprinkle of mustard is a mystery. The juicy fish literally fills my mouth with joy. We first encountered sashimi in Kamakura when we went for a late night drink with the guesthouse owners. The bar/restaurant we went to whipped up two courses before winning me over with its third (and main) course of three different fish, sashimi style. Beautiful food made by beautiful people.

Next in at Number 4: Sushi

I had tried sushi before I came to Japan. I thought it was amazing when I visited restaurants like "Yo Sushi!", but after the sushi I have eaten here the chances of me returning there in England, are zero. Unbelievably fresh sushi right off the chiefs blade, being made right in front of you is what I am talking about. From salmon sushi to tako(octopus) sushi, all making the taste buds feel alive again. That crap Tesco sell might aswell be dogshit compared to Japan's great creations.

Middle of the table, Number 3: Ramen

Ramen was my favourite dish before I came to Japan, however I have tried so many amazing things since I got here that it has been beaten to the top spot by a few others. The Ramen here is a million times better compared to the stuff that I had eaten before, and it is also unbelievably cheap. In England I would probably pay 9 pounds for a bowl of Ramen. Here it is about 4 pounds for a bowl of bigger size. That always makes me smile. I will always relate Ramen to Japan and it will always be something I could eat forever, the fact that there are so many types makes it an adaptable meal that could never get old.

Runner up, Number 2: Shabu Shabu

Picture this if you will. A huge table full of mass amounts of meat and vegetables. In the middle of the table is a large bowl, filled with a delicious soup. It is constantly hot because of the open flame that it sits on. Then you swipe up all that meat and veg and chuck it right in the bowl of soup. Wait for it to heat up, then dig in. My good friend Jun took me for my first Shabu Shabu, and I think that he may have introduced me to the greatest banquet food ever. A feast so delicious that anyone could dig in and be happy. Come to Japan, eat Shabu Shabu, die a happy man.

The Winner, Number 1: Okonomiyaki

The Hiroshima Okonomiyaki is cabbage, layered with noodles, layered with pork, layered with egg. Add some cheese, the tasty okonomiyaki sauce (which is a lot like BBQ) and some mayonnaise, and you have a delicious, surprisingly healthy and beautiful dish. Hiroshima's Okonomiyaki is the only type that is made with noodles and therefore my favourite type of Okonomiyaki. I really could not be enthuastic enough at describing this dish if I wanted to. My awful english, and inability to describe anything would not do this dish justice. The soft egg mixed with the crunch of the cabbage and the sweetness of the sauce all mix to become a taste orgasm. My taste buds wept with happiness when my teeth sank into the dish. Okonomiyaki, take a bow, you sir, are a champion.

Special Mention: Gyoza

Gyoza is more of a side dish than an actual meal but it is pretty much served in every restaurant and is insanely tasty. It is a dumpling filled with duck and cabbage, usually, and comes in all shapes and sizes. Cheap and tasty, they go well with all five of the dishes mentioned above, and I would feel a little guilty if I at least did not write a little about them. Gyoza you beautiful sod, never leave me.

Here are some of the foods that are really nice, but unfortunately did not make the cut: Takoyaki, Yakitori, Udon Noodles, Soba Noodles, Chanbon Noodles, Osaka Okonomiyaki, Nato, Chicken Intestine.