Trails to Oishii Tokyo

Our focus today is Shirauo, often called noodlefish in English. These beautiful fish have tiny, transparent bodies that grow up to only 10 centimeters long. They are both precious and pricey as the fish can only survive in brackish water conditions where freshwater meets seawater. Fishing for Shirauo symbolizes the coming of spring, their peak season. Visit a lake in the northern prefecture of Aomori to find out more about this mysterious fish.

Our focus this time is wasabi, the fiery root that is a pillar of Japanese foods like sushi and sashimi. Visit a traditional wasabi field in Shizuoka Prefecture recognized as one of the worlds Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems, try futuristic wasabi dishes, and find out why you most likely need a new wasabi grater!

World-famous edamame are soybeans harvested before maturity. Theyre great simply boiled and seasoned with salt, but check out some other ways to savor their sweet aroma and rich umami.