a unique experience
Yes, it is different from back home. It's a lot simpler here. California gets very creative with its sushi - which can be good and bad. Here, you are more likely to find one slice of something (yes, usually raw fish) atop of rice with maybe a dab of wasabi and that's it. But it's delicious and it couldn't get any fresher most of the time.
Sashimi (raw fish without rice) is one of my favorites - and the Japanese seem to think it's an amazing thing that a foreigner love sashimi.
Cherries are a national favorite - and they cost a pretty penny. Fruit here is amazingly fresh and delicious, bet I have to limit myself to the cheaper varieties. No $30 watermelons for me, thanks.
There are some exotic fruits I've never seen before.
Veggies are a bit more reasonably priced - my local 100 yen (about 1 dollar) store has a pretty decent selection.
Oh! One more thing - the Japanese peel the skins off of about every fruit they can - including apples and grapes. Just eat it, I say!
On about a weekly basis - sometimes more - I get asked by Japanese people if I like Japanese food. When I respond with an enthusiastic, "Yes, I love it all!", they usually start naming off examples of things to test if I really do love it all. Undoubtedly, that list always includes natto. Infamous - mostly among foreigners - for its hrmm... strong smell... this is a staple in the Japanese diet. It is fermented soy beans (I think) that look like they are stirred together with rubber cement. Well, until last week, I was unable to say how I felt about natto, as I had never been offered it before (Japanese just assume foreigners don't wanna go there). But my lovely friends, the Haras, finally introduced me to the wonderful world of natto. Yes, it stinks. There's no other way to put it. But, fortunately, I had been well prepared for the smell and somehow magaged to hold my breath during the first minute or so that I tried it. It was okay. Mixed with mustard and soy sauce -didn't taste like much of anything. But, I knew it was good for me and I knew it would impress the natives if I said I had tried - and even moreso if I actually liked it. So - I finished my whole bowl of natto and I'm still alive to talk about it. I may even try it again....
