Kanto vs Kansai: Japanese Regional Food Differences (Ep. 167)

Today I'm going to talk about one of my favorite topics, one of the things that makes Japan special to me, and I'm guessing special to you too. It still gets me excited after all these years, and that is food. But not just any generic Japanese dish. Let's go a little deeper than that. I absolutely love that wherever you go in Japan, there are local specialties. But there are also certain foods that are just prepared completely differently, depending on what area you're in. And I'll get into those too. Let me start by telling you about a friendly little rivalry we have here on Honshū, the big island. That's the Kantō versus Kansai. I live near there, kind of, and I can attest that we get a little culture and food from both sides, which is kind of fun. There's the personality differences, which are pretty striking. And then there's the food - miso soup, udon, tempura - all made differently. There's a really funny story involving Osaka sarcasm and what they call certain udon. And let me tell you about the first time I had monjayaki - I was shocked. I'll end by telling you one of my favorite food differences. It involves how eel is prepared, and the cultural reason behind it is fascinating. Plus, I'll teach you a little trick for reading cup noodle labels while you're visiting Japan. [Please Note: Some of the links are affiliate links (both Amazon and other). This means that at no cost to you, if you use and purchase through them I receive a small compensation. This is paid by the retailer. It also helps support me and my artistic endeavors. Thank you.] Follow Uncanny Japan Patreon Uncanny Japan Website Thersa Matsuura Website Books on Amazon YouTube Facebook Instagram Buy Me a Coffee (one-time contribution) Subscribe on Spotify Subscribe on Apple Podcasts Credits Music by Julyan Ray Matsuura About SpectreVision Radio SpectreVision Radio is a bespoke podcast network at the intersection between the arts and the uncanny, featuring a tapestry of shows exploring creativity, the esoteric, and the unknown. We're a community for creators and fans vibrating around common curiosities, shared interests and persistent passions. spectrevisionradio.comlinktr.ee/spectrevisionsocial Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices