Everybody knows that Kobe beef is the most tender and tasty beef in the world.  It is widely sought after by restaurants that are concerned with bringing high quality beef to their customers.  But what many people don’t know is why Kobe beef is so terrific.  Well, it’s all because of the unique landscape of Japan that led to isolated populations of Wagyu cattle.  

The Maitake mushroom or "dancing mushroom" as it's known in Japanese, is a fungus which can be found growing at the base of Japanese beech, oak, and chestnut trees. Interesting fact: It wasn't until the 1970's that cultivation of the Maitake mushroom was perfected.

By planting spores of the Maitake in beds of sawdust or compost, over 40,000 - 50,000 tons of Maitake can be cultivated each year.

With the soaring popularity of Japanese food over the past two decades, the Maitake is now globally known as an elegant Japanese ingredient.

The Tsukiji fish market is the biggest wholesale seafood and fish market in the world. Its full name is The Tokyo Metropolitan Central Wholesale Market, but you can see how that is a mouthful! Because of its location in Tsukiji in central Tokyo and due to the large volume of foreign visitors, it is more commonly referred to as the Tsukiji fish market by tourists and locals alike.

The Inner And Outer Markets

There are two sections to the Tsukiji fish market, the inner and the outer.

One of the most popular dishes in Japan, Japanese curry "Kareraisu", is a delicacy that is not only enjoyed by the Japanese but also around the world. Japanese curry is a flavorful sauce that is most commonly served with rice, Japanese noodles, or bread.  Kareraisu is considered a Yoshoku, a dish that originates outside of Japan usaully from the West.

The island nation of Japan consumes more seaweed (both in quantity and variety) than anyone else.

When it comes to Japanese food, there are 3 main types of seaweed products:

1. Dry Toasted (Yaki Nori) 2. Dry Seasoned (Ajitsuke Nori) 3. Wet Seasoned (Tsukudani Nori)

Yaki Nori is likely the most well known of all seaweeds due mostly to its use for sushi rolls. Nori has been around as early as 689, a time when it was likely eaten raw and possibly used for medicinal purposes.

The caterpillar roll, which is often referred to as a dragon roll, is an enticing popular sushi roll. It is characterized by intricate layers of thinly sliced avocado pieces placed on top of the roll, making it resemble the back of a caterpillar. Many people like the caterpillar roll for its artistic look which is almost too pretty to eat!

As the population of the world grows so does the burden on the world's food supply. Not only has global warming wreaked havoc on food supplies but the excessive demand for certain foods has also severely depleted certain resources we've come to adore.

Scenario: Let’s say you’re super hungry, on a super tight budget, and absolutely love sushi.

Question: What are you going to do?

Answer: You’ll probably end up grabbing a burger and fries.

Originally, salmon were only found in the cold waters of the northern hemisphere. With the advent of salmon farms however, salmon can now be found in the southern hemisphere. The history of salmon in Japan is extensive, going back to the times of the Ainu (the aboriginal inhabitants of Japan's northern island of Hokkaido who believed their gods morphed into salmon).