Interesting Japanese Delicacies

If you thought that Japanese food didn't go beyond sushi and wasabi, think again! These dishes will expand your notions as to what constitutes world cuisine. Whether you’ll want to eat these dishes is another story altogether.

Hachionoko (ja)

Hachinoko is the larvae and pupae of kurosuzumebachi, or yellowjackets. Carefully harvested from nests, hachinoko is cooked in soy sauce and sugar. Hachinoko is said to be somewhat sweet with a crumbly texture.

Inago Tsukudani

Inago, a type of grasshopper, are locusts that are known to infect rice fields. Popular in the Yamagata, Nagano and Gunna Prefectures, this dish is stewed in tsukudani, a sweetened soy sauce that is simmered with mirin, a rice wine with 40-50% sugar content.

Zazamushi

Zazamushi are water insects that are known to inhabit gravel beds in Japanese rivers. Named for the sound that rivers make, zazamushi are both served in restaurants and sold canned in grocery stores. Zazamushi tsukudani are an example of the Japanese concept of gatemono, meaning bizarre foods.

Shirako

Resembling intestines, this delicacy comes from the part of a male cod fish called fish milt.  In more simpler terms, sperm sacs.  The taste is definitely acquired for this delicacy as many who have had tried Shirako for the first time did not enjoy the taste.

If you have adventurous culinary tastes, maybe Japan could be your next vacation destination. Even if eating water insects aren't your idea of a good time, there’s always Sushi and Ramen Noodles!