Washoku 和食

Traditional Japanese Meals on our trip to the mountains

Whenever we venture out of Tokyo for sightseeing, which is not very often, given Martin's busy  schedule and the cost of travel, we always try to stay at inns that feature traditional Japanese food and have an onsen.  During our recent trip to the mountains in Shizuoka, 静岡県、we stayed at the Hotel Alps ホテルアルプス　in Sumatakyo 寸又峡 。 I really enjoy this kind of food, Washoku 和食, and though the children don't prefer several of the items, they are gradually aquiring a taste for many of them, especially the varieties of fish.  And of course, there's always rice. 

During our short stay, we enjoyed two dinners and two breakfasts at the inn.  We ate on traditional low tables, with almost all the food already arranged there on the table when we arrived.  Only the rice and soup, which are served hot, were brought later.  Additionally, each of us had an individual hot-pot, which the waitress would light when we sat down.                        

In this kind of meal, presentation is everything.  The way that the food is arranged on the dish, the shape and appearance of the dish chosen for each particular food item, the way that the dishes are arranged on the table, it's all important and well considered.  Those subtleties are lost on me, though I appreciate that they exist.  To me, taste and texture, as well as appearance wet my appetite.  You can forget about temperature, though.  Most items are served at room temperature, making it possible to enjoy the meal while sitting and talking for a long time.   

Martin, whose Japanese is better than mine, would always ask the waitress to explain the basics, such as what sauce or dipping powder went with which food item, etc.  They don't get many foreigners there, deep in the mountains, and I think the staff was worried that we would be a challenge for them, wouldn't understand and would make big mistakes, like wearing our shoes in the room... but Martin did a fine job, and everyone relaxed and smiled.      

Breakfast, which in the home is 一汁三菜、three dishes plus miso soup、rice, japanese pickles, and tea.  But here in the inn it was more involved, perhaps with just more selection.  I have been served nattou 納豆　(fermented soybeans) several times, and like uni 海胆　（sea urchin), I didn't try it at all for about two years after the first taste.  But since then, I've been taking a little more each time, and though I would never admit to liking it, I don't hate it as much, and, as I've been told many, many times, possibly by Japanese people who themselves don't especially like it, 　　　　納豆は体にいいです。Nattou is healthy. 

  There was plenty of beer at the inn, water was available, green tea, of course, which Shizuoka is famous for, and there was canned coffee in the vending machine.  Unfortunately, there was not milk at the inn, though we did eventually, after much searching, find it in a store.  We noted that, being far from the calcium sources of the sea, and on mountainous land where cattle grazing would be impossible, many of the older people's backs were very bent.  They did have delicious ice cream, though.            And this is just a pix I took while passing through Tokyo train station on our way back.  Ever wonder how they make those lovely sponge cakes?

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