It’s not too much a stretch to say Goya is the staple of Okinawa.

A genuine world of their own, the local foods of Okinawa prefecture draw on a deep cultural and historical heritage, finding inspiration through Chinese and Southeast Asian influences.

Ubiquitously located within Japan, kaitenzushi, or conveyor-belt sushi joints, are something you can’t miss. A popular spot for a quick lunch, sushi here starts at as little as 100 yen a plate.

You know, I love a good pizza. I also love my sushi. In fact, I love it a lot. Unlike pizza, though, whose in-your-face flavours hide weak ingredients, sushi is not much more than a topping and some rice.

In Japan, before you eat a meal, you say “itadakimasu” to express appreciation for those who cooked the food.

If you live on Okinawa, you might have heard about Goya, a local cucumber-like vegetable also known as bitter melon.

Somen, or somin in Okinawan dialect, comes in different varieties, but an Okinawan favorite is to have the noodles stir-fried in somin champuru.

In Japan, pouched ready-made curries are a popular item at grocery stores for busy people with little time to prepare a hot home-cooked meal.

One of the enduring images of Japanese food is of course sushi, which in a way you could call one of the world’s first fast-foods!

As an island nation, Japan harvests numerous types of seaweed from all around the country, such as hijiki from the crevices of rocks by the sea, and kombu from the shallow waters off the coastline.