When it comes to Japanese food, most people think of bento boxes, teriyaki and fresh sashimi, but that’s not what’s served when you go for a high-end, traditional Japanese meal. Though most of these dishes would send Westerners running to the bathroom with a napkin over their mouth, the Japanese call them delicacies and we have no choice but to make weird lists about them.
Weird Food From Japan
Photo: George Alexander Ishida Newman/ Flikr Creative Commons
Basashi: Raw Horse Meat
Served in many sushi bars and high-end restaurants across the country, basashi is a delicacy generally served with soy sauce, garlic and Japanese horseradish. At first glance, it’s served like a normal piece of sushi, but then you find out you’re eating raw horse and you want to undo it all.
Photo: Flikr Creative Commons
Shirouo no Odorigui: Live Fish
If you love eggs for breakfast, consider trying them Japanese style with shirouo no odorigui. These small, transparent fish are eaten while still alive, meaning they wiggle around your mouth when you take a bite before you swallow. If this is just too much for you to handle, try drinking them in a cup of vinegar to really start your day right.
Photo: Audrey/Flikr Creative Commons
Kujira va Iruka: Whale Tail
Whale tail is a delicacy that few people outside of Japan have dared to try. Each region has its own traditional way of serving, but you can generally find it diced and served as sashimi or deep-fried as an appetizer. I wouldn’t recommend making any comments about the ethics behind eating an endangered species, though. You’ll just get your ear talked off with justifications about how whale meat is safer to eat than any land animal and how it’s not biologically irresponsible to enjoy regional food.
Photo by Suoh Sato/Flikr Images
Nankotsu: Chicken Cartilage
If you’re craving some real Japanese bar food, you have to try nankotsu, deep-fried chicken cartilage that’s been heavily seasoned and served with ice cold beer. Eating it is sort of like eating the crunchy end of a chicken wing, aka the part you’re not supposed to eat. If you can’t imagine that, imagine what would happen if chicken nuggets were filled with bones. That’s nankotsu.
Photo by: Peter Kaminski/Flikr Images
Fugu: Poisonous Puffer Fish
A delicacy prepared and served by only the best chefs, the puffer fish has the general taste and consistency of rubber. It’s generally served as part of a meal, rather than a meal itself and is used to bring out the flavors of the dish as a whole. Sounds harmless enough, but if prepared the wrong way, fugu causes dizziness, nausea and a headache followed with death by asphyxiation. There is no known antidote.
Photo: Jonathan Baker-Bates/Flikr Images
Hachinoko: Deep Fried Bee Larvae
Nothing like deep fried bee larvae to get your juices flowing. The larvae is fried with sugar and soy sauce, giving them a slightly tangy, carmelized crunch that goes great with an ice cold beer. The best part? If you close your eyes you might actually like it.
Photo: Jos Purvis/Flikr Creative Commons
Shirako: Fish Sperm
Generally served as a soft, creamy-looking blob, shirako is not for the faint of heart. It has the same taste and texture of slightly-sour cream cheese, and is usually served alongside another seafood dish. The name itself translates to white children and basically sums up the dish: cod sperm.
