The Japanese Diet and the Effects on Health

Supermarkets share many similarities with American supermarkets, but there are still many differences. This section covers all the supermarkets I visited in Japan not just counting Kyoto. In every supermarket, there is a large seafood section serving anything from tuna to octopus tentacles. The seafood offers a freshness that is unobtainable in many landlocked, American grocery stores. There are many unusual aspects in Japanese grocery store including above-average fruit prices. The fruit all come from Japan and some fruit like the grapes and peaches are often very large, but still priced ridiculously high. With such high prices, the average Japanese person likely doesn't purchase many fruits, which seems like it would lead to a poorly balanced diet. As it turns out many Japanese people are frugal shoppers and can find the fruits in season to get a much more reasonably priced item. Bananas are not usually that expensive, so most Japanese people eat these. The fruit is of higher...

It was challenging to talk to Japanese people about what they ate on a day-to-day basis. Most Japanese people have a limited English vocabulary and it is unusual for a stranger to come up and start a conversation. Staff at my hostel were willing to answer questions for me, observing what food people ordered at restaurants, and what groceries people purchased helped paint a picture as to what was typically consumed by most Japanese people. I was able to talk to two people that I would place in a 25-35 age range. The woman said that Japanese people typically try to cook. She lived alone, so she found it challenging to frequently cook as most of the time she was busy working. When she would eat with a group of people she would make obanzai ryori. She usually bought premade meals at the grocery store; especially after 8 pm when most of these foods went on sale (more on that in a later blog). The food she recommended included plum wine, chilled soba, and onigiri.  The man I intervie...

Kyoto is in the Kansai Region. Each region has signature dishes. Kyoto is known for its vegetarian dishes as the area is historically populated by monks, who cannot eat meat. Many of these dishes include soba, yudofu (boiled tofu), tofu, matcha, and vegetables. A few common specialty cuisines are obanzai ryori, okonomiyaki, and shojin ryori. Obanzai ryori is a cuisine typically eaten among family members or a group of people. It features many simple sides made with local and seasonal vegetables. The main dish typically features rice. One of the people I had the opportunity to discuss typical diets says that this dish is frequently prepared by people in Kyoto. Okonomiyaki is a savory pancake. The pancake is made out of fried cabbage with various toppings and sauces. The toppings can include beef, pork, squid, kimchi, and other meats. Although okonomiyaki is not healthy it is important to note foods often eaten by Japanese people. Shojin ryori is a vegetarian dish. It features natt...

One of the major forms of transportation is the railway. I would be taking a bullet train from Tokyo to Kyoto. The trip lasts about 2 hours. In almost every station bento boxes can be found. Bento boxes are essentially Japanese lunch boxes. These boxes almost always contain rice, pickled vegetables, and some form of protein. The protein is often fish, chicken, beef, tofu, or egg. Bento boxes can be warm but are typically room temperature or colder. Here is an example of a shop that sells bento boxes. The right picture is the display at the front of the store, so customers can see the complete selection of items. The left picture are some of the bento boxes. Here are some examples of what the inside of bento boxes contain. Both boxes have rice and pickled vegetables. The left contains beef and the right contains chicken and noodles. On my train I witnessed people eating bento boxes, but most people had packed their own, but from what I could tell the contents were about the sa...

My first two nights would be in Tokyo and then I would head to Kyoto. One of the first things you notice in Japan are the numerous vending machines. There are vending machines on every corner, in almost every apartment building, and even in the remote mountains. There were two vending machines outside of my hostel and one on the top floor. The vending machines mostly carried drinks, but there are some special vending machines that can give you a hot meal that tastes delicious. There are machines that carry nonfood items like little toys or umbrellas. I only saw vending machines for drinks, ice cream, and a few with figurines in them. I visited many popular areas in Japan, so I was surprised I never saw any of the vending machines that served hot food. Here are some images of common vending machines I found throughout Japan:                                              ...

I double-checked my bags and said good-bye to my family before heading towards my gate. This would be my first time traveling by myself and my first time in Asia. I had been on trips with my friends where I had to be responsible for myself. I was nervous, but I knew that I would be okay. Communicating in Japan would be a challenge. I had completed the entire Duolingo unit on Japanese. I knew the hiragana and katana alphabet. I knew a few kanji characters, but not many. There were a few translator apps on my phone, but I did not want to make a fool of myself in those apps gave incorrect translations. I desperately tried not to be the dumb American stereotype while abroad. I set off with my notebook in hand to record everything; every thought, sight, and smell. I wanted to remember this adventure for the rest of my life. There were so many firsts on this trip. I lived in rural Pennsylvania, I had never been to a 7/11 yet alone a Japanese 7/11. There were so many things I never expe...