Japanese food doesn't begin
and end with sushi!

I think the worst mistake people can make regarding new food is by to mock it before they've even tried it. It's said that by the time most of us have reached the grand old age of 35, we no longer try out new foods or listen to new music. Well, I'm here to tell you that I got seriously into Japanese food for the first time at 57 years. Don't make the mistake I did and waste any more time. Go and try out some of these delicious and super healthy dishes from the orient. There's surely to be some fine Sushi Restaurants in a town near you, but Japanese food most certainly doesn't begin and end with sushi.

When most people think of Japanese food, the first thing that comes to mind is raw fish. Don’t ask me why or how this came into being, but ever since the world heard about sushi, Japanese food has only meant one thing – raw fish, and most folks thought that all you had to know on how to make sushi, was to slice a piece of raw salmon and put it on top or a knob of rice.

It has only been recently that I discovered a whole new side to Japanese food. It is a culinary delight just like the food of any other region on earth. In fact, as someone who has now tried and relished Japanese food, I might go so far as to say that it is among the rarest and the best cuisines in the world today.

Taste, especially in matters of food, is a very subjective thing. Most people cannot stand the smell of certain pungent herbs. Still others don’t like certain ways of cooking food. Even others may have a problem with the addition of certain spices or vegetables. But Japanese food incorporates all these tastes and caters to even more. What I like best about Japanese food is the fact that it offers a holistic approach to the concept of food itself. Like the concept of Zen, Japanese food treats each human being as a balance of the elements and suggests the making and consumption of various articles of food as a way to retain that balance.

This is what especially appeals to me. So, if there is some Japanese food that is fried, you can be pretty sure that a boiled or steamed accompaniment is suggested to go along with it. If there is a certain food that is raw, you can be pretty sure that the sauce that coats it is pungent enough to cover the taste. These are only the observations of a novice in the art of appreciation of Japanese food. Perhaps someone who had a tad more experience could relate the finer aspects much better.

By the way, contrary to popular belief, you don't have to sit on the floor to eat Japanese food in Japanese restaurants. Some of the more up market establishments have low tables but your legs actually dangle into an open space below the floor. This eating position also contributes to the whole experience of Japanese dining.

Ever since I have read up more about Japanese food, I have realized that it is a totally unique cuisine that demands a thorough understanding before it can be appreciated. And believe me, I have become a convert of sorts. I can now distinguish between sushi and sashimi; between ramen and udon; between wasabi and sake and even between various kinds of exotic vegetables and herbs used. Nowadays, whenever I go out looking for good food, a place serving Japanese food is one of the first ports of call.

I've put a quick list of the most popular Japanese foods in the right side column, but it only touches the most common dishes at the actual variety is quite exhaustive