Birt
01-10-2005, 02:17 PM
A Quick Travel Guide to Japan Pt 2.
When you get tired of drinks and want to find something to eat, have no fear! Japanese food is delicious. Often foreigners find Japanese food intimidating, but if you are willing to try new and different things, I’m sure you’ll find something that suits your tastes. One of the first things you should do upon arriving in Japan is to get yourself to a conveyor belt sushi restaurant. Customers sit on stools while colorful and yummy plates of sushi pass by on a conveyor belt in front of them. When you spy something that tempts you, you simply reach out and grab it as it circles by. The sushi chefs usually stand on the other side of the belt, preparing and replacing sushi. Even if raw fish doesn’t float your boat, you can still enjoy the vegetarian sushi that is offered. Another Japanese food delight you should try is called Genghis Khan (named after the Mongol warrior). On the northern island of Hokkaido, this dish is considered a delicacy. I had the privilege of enjoying some while visiting the Sapporo Beer Garden in the city of Sapporo on the island of Hokkaido. Genghis Khan consists of lamb, cabbage, onion and sauces, stir fried together on an open grill. Now this is where it gets interesting. Part of the fun of the Genghis Khan dish is that you prepare it yourself… at your table. Each table at the Sapporo Beer Garden has a grill on it. After you order your all-you-can-eat, all-you-can-drink meal from your server, he or she will bring you a platter of raw mutton and a platter of uncooked vegetables. Now it is your job to make sure you cook it correctly! This was a great adventure and we felt that our Genghis Khan was a success. It certainly tasted great. Cooking food at your table is a popular event in Japan. There are restaurants dedicated to Shabu Shabu and Yaki-niku. Shabu Shabu (meaning “Swish, Swish”) involves cooking meat and vegetables in boiling water or oil right at your table. Yaki-niku is actually Korean, but is very popular in Japan. At Yaki-niku, you cook at your table using a barbeque. These table cooking experiences always involve great food, and are usually quite amusing for those of us that are not experts.
Even if you feel out of place and confused about what you should be doing in a sushi, karaoke, or shabu shabu situation, someone will be willing to give you instructions. Japanese people are extremely polite, helpful and welcoming. On any occasion when I looked lost (and there were many!), I could count on a Japanese citizen to approach me and offer assistance. There was even one occasion where a nice woman didn’t feel confident enough in her English to explain the way, so she took me herself! She walked 20 minutes out of her way to make sure that I found my way. Even when I was a naughty traveler and went to McDonald’s (gasp!) instead of exploring regional options, I experienced the best customer service I’ve ever had at a fast food restaurant. They carefully prepared, wrapped, and bagged each of my items. Everything was in perfect order. Nothing spilled, was cold, or forgotten, and when they handed me my purchase, they smiled and said thank you. Of course, I received great service at other establishments besides McDonald’s. Restaurants, clothing stores, train stations, museums, you name it, they had great service.
Japan also enjoys a very low crime rate. This is something that I appreciated first hand on many occasions while walking through the streets of Tokyo late into the night. Never once did I feel apprehensive, or unsure of my surroundings. Crimes against foreigners are particularly low.
Japan is a relatively small island nation, and traveling from top to bottom of the country is made simple by the excellent public transportation system. The trains and buses run like clockwork. The ease, reliability, and efficiency of the public transport makes traveling through Japan that much more simple and enjoyable. So, while you are there, you have no excuse not to see everything! I highly recommend that you purchase a Japan Rail Pass before leaving home. It will save you a lot of money if you plan to travel around the country. It is important to note that you can not buy these passes in Japan, so you must get them before you leave home. The Japan Rail website is very helpful: http://www.japanrailpass.net/. Check it out today and get ready for the adventure of a lifetime!
See it was worth the read.
When you get tired of drinks and want to find something to eat, have no fear! Japanese food is delicious. Often foreigners find Japanese food intimidating, but if you are willing to try new and different things, I’m sure you’ll find something that suits your tastes. One of the first things you should do upon arriving in Japan is to get yourself to a conveyor belt sushi restaurant. Customers sit on stools while colorful and yummy plates of sushi pass by on a conveyor belt in front of them. When you spy something that tempts you, you simply reach out and grab it as it circles by. The sushi chefs usually stand on the other side of the belt, preparing and replacing sushi. Even if raw fish doesn’t float your boat, you can still enjoy the vegetarian sushi that is offered. Another Japanese food delight you should try is called Genghis Khan (named after the Mongol warrior). On the northern island of Hokkaido, this dish is considered a delicacy. I had the privilege of enjoying some while visiting the Sapporo Beer Garden in the city of Sapporo on the island of Hokkaido. Genghis Khan consists of lamb, cabbage, onion and sauces, stir fried together on an open grill. Now this is where it gets interesting. Part of the fun of the Genghis Khan dish is that you prepare it yourself… at your table. Each table at the Sapporo Beer Garden has a grill on it. After you order your all-you-can-eat, all-you-can-drink meal from your server, he or she will bring you a platter of raw mutton and a platter of uncooked vegetables. Now it is your job to make sure you cook it correctly! This was a great adventure and we felt that our Genghis Khan was a success. It certainly tasted great. Cooking food at your table is a popular event in Japan. There are restaurants dedicated to Shabu Shabu and Yaki-niku. Shabu Shabu (meaning “Swish, Swish”) involves cooking meat and vegetables in boiling water or oil right at your table. Yaki-niku is actually Korean, but is very popular in Japan. At Yaki-niku, you cook at your table using a barbeque. These table cooking experiences always involve great food, and are usually quite amusing for those of us that are not experts.
Even if you feel out of place and confused about what you should be doing in a sushi, karaoke, or shabu shabu situation, someone will be willing to give you instructions. Japanese people are extremely polite, helpful and welcoming. On any occasion when I looked lost (and there were many!), I could count on a Japanese citizen to approach me and offer assistance. There was even one occasion where a nice woman didn’t feel confident enough in her English to explain the way, so she took me herself! She walked 20 minutes out of her way to make sure that I found my way. Even when I was a naughty traveler and went to McDonald’s (gasp!) instead of exploring regional options, I experienced the best customer service I’ve ever had at a fast food restaurant. They carefully prepared, wrapped, and bagged each of my items. Everything was in perfect order. Nothing spilled, was cold, or forgotten, and when they handed me my purchase, they smiled and said thank you. Of course, I received great service at other establishments besides McDonald’s. Restaurants, clothing stores, train stations, museums, you name it, they had great service.
Japan also enjoys a very low crime rate. This is something that I appreciated first hand on many occasions while walking through the streets of Tokyo late into the night. Never once did I feel apprehensive, or unsure of my surroundings. Crimes against foreigners are particularly low.
Japan is a relatively small island nation, and traveling from top to bottom of the country is made simple by the excellent public transportation system. The trains and buses run like clockwork. The ease, reliability, and efficiency of the public transport makes traveling through Japan that much more simple and enjoyable. So, while you are there, you have no excuse not to see everything! I highly recommend that you purchase a Japan Rail Pass before leaving home. It will save you a lot of money if you plan to travel around the country. It is important to note that you can not buy these passes in Japan, so you must get them before you leave home. The Japan Rail website is very helpful: http://www.japanrailpass.net/. Check it out today and get ready for the adventure of a lifetime!
See it was worth the read.