Exotic Dishes of Japan
 

Have you just eaten? If so, don't go any further!! Otherwise check out this list of exotic Japanese dishes. Not sure about the Ikizukuri...

I'd do the flopping fish, as long as I wasn't the one that had to cut it...I've filleted many a fish in my time, but that's not work I want to do whilst eating. Reminds me of the steakhouse in Iowa that sold you expensive steaks and then "let" you cook them yourself!

I think I'd try everything but the milt and the blowfish.

I have seen that done. Way too cruel. Not my thing.

Natto, takoyaki, cooking in hot spring water, anko, squid ink, exotic???

I'm going to enjoy a portion of soured fermented mammary gland excretions swarming with live bacteria and thank my lucky stars we don't eat weird exotic foods on a daily basis at my home.

Exotic is in the eye of the beholder.

Half the stuff is not exotic IMHO.

Nato was something I ate since childhood, at least twice a week.
Takoyaki is exotic?

Not sure about this list.

I didn't think any of that stuff was exotic at all. I'll admit I've never
had raw fish milt, only cooked, but all the others seemed just in a
day's eating.

Ive had variants of the live fish thing, and also very recently deceased shrimps. I have also had the horsemeat, but very lightly cooked and thin sliced, like carpaccio.

I havent had raw fish sperm but I have to say that baked blowfish sperm is wonderful, although I didnt know what it was until after I ate it. The sake with fugu fin in it is absolutely rank. They light it on fire when serving it so the smell doesnt gag you. The flame burn away some of the smell. I like fugu sashimi and sushi quite a bit. Also, boiled fugu with vegetables and rice is very nice.

I've had natto once and that was enough for me. My western tastes could not adjust to the smell.
The basashi on the other hand is very good IMHO. I've enjoyed it several times.
I think tako, however would be considered a pretty ordinary dish.

Most of the citizens of the Western half of Japan can't adjust to that smell either. Low odour/odourless natto is available for those with sensibilities like yours.

It was a Western delicacy that prepared me for natto - truffle and truffle oil. Has a similarish palate of fetid/musty overtones. So it was my Western tastes that adjusted me to the smell of natto.

Ick. Personally I don't eat organs. Or most types of fish for that matter.

Jigoku mushi is "odd", but, really, I think this is focused on the traveler who thinks that calamari is exotic.

Cheers,

-Andrew

I went to a fusion restuarant in Tokyo and one of the dishes came sprinkled with cornflakes :D

It was a nice reminder that what is mundane and commonplace in one society may be strange and novel in another ;)

special facts about japanese food
 

Hi

Regionalism is also apparent in many dishes which are served throughout Japan such as zoni soup. For example, the dashi-based broth for serving udon noodles is heavy on dark soy sauce, similar to soba broth in eastern Japan, while in western Japan the broth relies more on the complex dashi-flavoring, with a hint of light soy sauce.

Thanks

I'd knew Whale meat would be included in the list before I opened the link and I was right! Right there at #3.

And I'm sure dogs would likely be included for the Korea list.

I've had about 8 of the 10. No live fish or horse meat for me, but really not exotic - maybe just xenophobic? Takoyaki (spelling) is about exotic tasting as french fries with gravy, and Natto is twice as palatable as Marmite! Fugu - very mild - like cod really.