Ekiben Map & Special Menu At NYC Restaurant

Ekiben are bento box meals which are specifically sold in railway stations throughout Japan. Ekiben often contain local specialties from the region in which they are sold, and their debut in Japan Week will allow attendees to experience a culinary tour of Japan’s diverse regions. Some train stations are so famous for their ekiben that people will make the trip to that station just for the delicious meal.

Food & Sake

Karashi Renkon

Karashi Renkon is a specialty dish from Kumamoto. It’s lotus root that’s been boiled and filled with a mustard and miso paste and then fried. The dish first came about when it was presented to Lord Tadatoshi Hosokawa, who was ill at this time, by a Buddhist monk to encourage him to eat more of this vegetable. Karashi Renkon has a crunchy texture and is popular to eat with rice and sake. Make sure to slice it first and not just bite into it though because the karashi mustard is extremely spicy and you’ll be in for a surprise if you’re not careful.

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Tonkotsu Ramen

The most traditional preparations for the broth for tonkotsu ramen are made by boiling pork bones, usually for 12 hours or more. Cooks usually begin with the freshest bones available, ideally with some fat and meat still attached. The bones must be slow boiled for hours, ensuring that all of the bone marrow is released and it creates a fragrant, thick broth.

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Red Wagyu

Kumamoto’s Aso Plain has the only free grazing cattle in the entire country of Japan. There are fewer than 60,000 of them, but they are of a quality and consistency far superior to all other cattle. The farmers take extreme measures to make sure these cattle get the best care. The grass the cattle graze on is burned off each year and replaced so that the calves are being raised eating only the freshest, nutrient-packed, grass which adds to how tender their meat is. Red Wagyu contains a higher amount of monounsaturated fat than saturated fat…

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Tourism

3-Day Model Trip by JNTO

Japan offers a myriad of wonderful and appealing attractions: great cultural diversity, colorful and inspiring natural wonders beautifully interwoven by four distinctive seasonal changes, and the boundless hospitality of its people. Japan is thus gaining tremendously in popularity as a truly unique tourist destination that is easily accessible from any part of the world. It is a des- tination anyone can enjoy on a reasonable budget and with a sense of complete security. With its genuine and heart-warming hospitality, Japan awaits you! Presented below are 3-day model trips for traveling the newly designated “theme regions” that showcase different aspects of Japanese scenery and culture. These model trips will help you prepare your own itineraries for visiting the destinations of your interest in the most timely and enjoyable manner. This is your point of departure for travel infor- mation about Japan's "theme regions!" Click the name of the region of your choice!

» Check Model Trips at JNTO

Restaurants in Japan

Japan is broken up into eight regions, each proud of its own unique food culture. We’ve compiled a list of recommended restaurants in each region that offer exquisite local specialties. From Hokkaido that's famous for seafood to Kyushu that's known for its tonkotsu broth, every region offers distinct, authentic eats that are certain to make your trip worthwhile.

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