Japan is a gastronomic paradise in which every region and season has its own flavours
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By Adam Waxman
Pack up your chopsticks! The culinary map of Japan is a carnival of flavour-forward specialties spanning every prefecture with unique ingredients, dishes, and experiences that await at every turn.
When visiting Tokyo or Osaka, classes in making sushi, soba, gyoza and ramen are plentiful, but to really sink your teeth into Japanese foodie culture, here are some extraordinary experiences – featuring both regionality and seasonality – that are worth venturing out beyond the big cities.
Hot spring hot pot in Oita
Beppu, Oita, on the beautiful southern island of Kyushu, is serene and inviting and bursting with 2,900 vents of steam gushing 130,000 tons of water each day. This is a hot spring heaven known for its Hells of bubbling ponds. Locals use the hot steam to cook their food.
Dive into delicious seafood in Mie
Surf and turf by the sea in Ishikawa
Ramen-tic udon in Kagawa
A gourmet guide for Canadians
As tantalizing as the dishes and experiences featured above are, they are only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to exploring Japan’s stunning culinary diversity. Japan National Tourist Organization has prepared a comprehensive and helpful guide to specialty cuisines across all of Japan’s prefectures, complete with rich infographics and sample itineraries for foodies. It’s an easy and engaging tool that makes the flavours of Japan more accessible than ever.