We LOVE to eat, so we take food very seriously! One of the best parts of our work is finding the best foods in each destination and sharing them with guests on our tours.
Japan in summer time is warm, there’s no doubt about that. However, the warm weather also brings us the opportunity to embrace delicious cool cuisine that pairs perfectly with the warmer weather. Summer is just around the corner and we invite you to imagine yourself in Japan, surrounded by the buzzing energy summer brings. The below dishes are sure to offer a refreshing lift to your day.
1. Somen
Somen, sometimes spelled Soumen, is a surprisingly light noodle dish. The noodles are very, very thin and served cold with a variety of sauces for dipping. The dashi-based sauces are referred to as “Somen Tsuyu” and flavored with scallions and ginger. The clean flavors are a nice compliment to a warm day in Japan.
2. Yakitori
Summer in Japan is also known as festival season with many parades, outdoor street fairs and of course, food stalls. A popular dish at the food stalls and at festivals is a skewered chicken grilled over a charcoal fire called Yakitori. The meat is served on a stick and meant as an inexpensive and informal snack that is often enjoyed with a glass of beer.
3. Kakigori
Moving on to sweeter fare, Kakigori is a wonderfully icy treat. Kakigori is a Japanese version of a snow cone and is made with shaved ice, flavored by any kind of syrup and condensed milk. While a snow cone can have thicker pieces of ice, Kakigori’s ice has a fluffy consistency which is more like fresh snow. Kakigori is widely present throughout Japan during summer months and can be found at local shops, convenience stores and at festivals.
4. Ice Cream
Ice cream in Japan is a unique and fun experience during any season. In summer, there is no better way to enjoy the sites than with an ice cream cone in your hand. Japan is known for its wide range of somewhat unusual flavors of ice cream.
Here’s a list to illustrate the vast flavors:
- Sweet Potato
- Squid Ink
- Plum
- Wasabi
- Miso
- Lavender
- Red Bean
Would you want to try any of these flavors? Do not worry if you’re not feeling adventurous, standard chocolate, vanilla and strawberry flavors are also available. If you’d like to see Japan this summer, we still have availability for our July, August and September. Take a look at our Japan Tours to see all dates and prices.
Happy Travels!
