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Japan

Made up of a series of four main islands (and thousands of smaller ones), Japan sits across the Sea of Japan from Korea and Russia in Far East Asia. Culinary Japan has emerged mostly unmolested by outside influences. Notable exceptions are tea, noodles, and soy, which were introduced by the Chinese, and the cooking method called tempura, lightly battering and frying foods, introduced by the Portuguese. Care, artistry and the freshest ingredients define Japanese cuisine. From precise preparation to artful presentation, no aspect of Japanese cuisine gets overlooked. Flavors, textures, colors, the overall composition and presentation of food on the plate—everything is designed to appeal to the senses. Though Japan is a mountainous country with relatively limited agricultural output, the waters around the archipelago are brimming with sea life. Not surprisingly, seafood dominates Japanese cuisine, along with rice, soy, seaweed, mushrooms, and fresh vegetables and fruits. An old Japanese proverb suggests primacy of preparation: Eat it raw before all else, then grill it, and boil it last of all.

Featured Cook ELIMARIE Cooking Level: Expert Home Town: Portage, Indiana, USA Living In: Nagoya, Aichi, Japan

About me: I'm 27 years old. I've been married to my husband Mark for almost 6 years, and we have two beautiful children: Jacob (10/31/02) and Tessie (01/23/04). I was a teacher for two years before stopping to have children and be a stay-at-home mom. We grew up in Indiana, but have been living in Japan for over a year now, with another 9 months to go. I have had to learn how to make many things from scratch, as American style convenience products just are not available here. I share my love of cooking with both of my children's Godmother's, and we love getting together to share our recipes and cook for one another. My Profile | Reviews | Photos | Recipes | Menus Favorite Food Lists Create your own Cook's Profile | MORE Cooks »