Japan is a world-renowned fermented food country. From the rich variety of pickles to the must-have miso soup and natto on the dinner table, to all kinds of fermented seasonings and Japanese sake, it all shows that the Japanese have a special liking for fermented food. There is a concept in the hearts of Japanese people that fermented food can enhance immunity. Therefore, during the epidemic, many people hoarded kimchi, yogurt, natto, etc., and the sales of fermented food in various places increased significantly.
Pickled dishes are unshakable “protagonists” on the Japanese table. Any Japanese restaurant will stock “exclusive” side dishes that are marinated by the owner himself. Pickles in Japan are colorful, look fresh and refreshing, and taste both sweet, sour, bitter, and salty. Traditional Japanese cuisine tends to revolve around the concept of “one juice and one dish”, where “one juice” refers to rice and miso soup, and “one dish” refers to pickled vegetables.
According to statistics, there are more than 3,000 kinds of pickled vegetables all over Japan, the common ones are pickled cabbage, pickled radish, pickled spinach and so on. Whether it is a small convenience store near a residential area or a large supermarket, you can buy a variety of pickles, and the price is very close to the people. One or two hundred yen (equivalent to more than ten yuan) a box is enough for the whole family to eat. A day or two. There is also a Xuanjin Shrine in Aichi Prefecture dedicated to Japan’s “God of Pickles”. Every year on August 21, the shrine will hold a grand festival, and pickle practitioners from all over Japan will come to participate in the worship.
In Japan, you can find a display rack full of miso seasonings in any supermarket. Miso is a representative fermented sauce in Japan. Its main ingredient is soybeans, similar to Chinese bean paste or tempeh. It has a good function of regulating the intestines and can promote metabolism.
Miso soup is incredibly simple to cook, yet incredibly nutritious. Studies have shown that miso is good for anti-aging, skin whitening, and anti-cancer, so miso soup has been an enduring delicacy on the Japanese table. The traditional Japanese breakfast consisting of rice, miso soup, pickled vegetables and natto, although difficult for foreigners to adapt to, is the most typical and common way of eating in Japan.
Japan is known as the world’s first “fermented country”, and they believe that fermented foods contain unimaginable powers that can increase the body’s absorption of nutrients. For example, compared with boiled soybeans, natto has higher nutrients and can enhance gastrointestinal motility. Fermented foods appear on the dining table of every household in Japan, and some people even think that “fermented foods are the secret to longevity of Japanese people”.
The Japanese highly respect fermented food, and have also derived a “fermentation culture”, and established the Japan Fermentation Culture Association. The Japan Fermentation Culture Association aims to promote the correct knowledge of fermented foods, and is committed to making fermented foods closely integrated with modern diet, public health, and beauty. In addition, the “enzyme trend” has also emerged in Japan, and various related products such as enzyme facial cleanser, enzyme beverage, and enzyme health care products are highly sought after.
