One of my favorite parts of traveling through Japan was eating so many delicious things. I'm such a huge fan of food. Not sure if you could tell, but I would spend good money on an unforgettable meal.
While in Itsukushima, we were able to sample a variety of foods that you can't find in the States or in Korea. Who knew a tiny little island would have so many yummy things? Who am I kidding? This is Japan. Everything is yummy.
I'm a huge fan of buns. That totally sounds weird, but it's true. I love any kind of steamed bun. When I was a kid, I used to make my parents buy these pre-made roasted pork buns at the Asian supermarket. They came in a package of four. I would always open the package and heat up one, but would end up eating the rest. No wonder I was a chubby kid.
Anyway, so with all of that in mind, when Markus and I were exploring the little alleyways of Itsukushima. My heart squealed in glee when I saw steamed buns. I was even more excited when I realized they were filled with conger eel. I've had so many steamed buns in my life. I've eaten roasted pork, shredded chicken, ground beef and even red bean, but never eel. It didn't disappoint and it was amazing. The flavors were really mild and were accented by the slight sweetness of the bun.
Something I had been dying to try for ages was okonomiyaki. It's a widely popular and well known dish in Japan. It's basically a savory pancake with layers of deliciousness. They have okonomiyaki joints all over Japan, but I was dying to try the ones with oysters in Itsukushima. We sat right at the grill and watched the chef create our meal right before our eyes. It's comprised of shredded cabbage, green onions, noodles, a thin pancake and then it's topped off with more green onions, brown sauce and oysters. I really loved okonimiyaki, but I knew I would. It was quite filling and Markus and I were able to share this whole plate and only spent about $15. It may seem like a lot but $7 per person for lunch in Japan is a steal.
We concluded our food tour of Itsukushima with a green tea slush. If green tea is ever an option for a dessert, I always choose it. I didn't think I would like this slush, but it was really nice. It was also a great way to cool down. We visited Japan in August and it was swelteringly hot and border line unbearable. Thankfully, this green tea slush refreshed me on such a hot day.
Later, I'll be posting more about eating cheap in Japan. People always so it's expensive, but Markus and I did it! So dear readers, be on the lookout for that!
