Sanrio Corporation 158
sansai (mountain vegetables) 162
sansho pepper 270
Sanuki udon 148–9
Sapporo, Hokkaido 301, 319–20
Nijo Market, 301
Saris, John 79–80
Sasebo, Nagasaki 81–4
Sasebo burgers 81–5
Sato, Shinji 326–7
satsuma-age (fried fishcake) 37–8, 70
Sawachi ryori 148
Sawyer, Jonathon 276
scorpions 167
Scorsese, Martin 68
Scotland 312–13, 316
sea caviar see umi budo
sea urchins see uni
seaweed 57
konbu 270
nori 49–58, 270
Porphyra 50, 57
umi budo 17–22
sencha tea 193, 196
Senderens, Alain 270
Senkoji Temple, Hirado 198–9
Settsu Shuzo 312
shabu-shabu (hotpot) 37
Sherwood, Poppy 211
shijimi clams 109–10
Shikoku 145–53
88 Temple Route 150
Kochi 147, 150
Kotohira, Kagawa 148
Umaji 150
Shimanaka, Yoshio 52–4
Shimane, Chugoku 105–11
Shimazu clan 34
Shimota, Hiroyuki 152–3
Shimotakehara, Tadataka 39
Shinji Fisheries Cooperative Association 109
Shinji, Lake 107, 109–10
Shintoism 111, 264, 290
shio koji (malted rice in a brine) 280
shiokara (fermented seafood) 115–17
Shippoku ryori 73–4
shirauo (whitebait) 110
Shiretoko National Park 326–7
Shiroma, Ichiro 14–15
Shiroyama Hotel, Kagoshima 36, 37
shiso leaves 270
Shō Hashi, king of the Ryukyu Kingdom 10
shochu 24, 41–8
Aka Kirishima 46
Astaxanthin 47
Chu-hai 42
Kirishima Distillery 43–8
korui 41
kuro shochu 46
Misty Island Gyoku 47
otsurui 41
Shogun (Clavell) 78
Shokando, Nagasaki 75
shosai (cold starter) 73
shotengai 131
Silence 68
silkworms 167–8
Singapore 232
69 (Murakami) 82
SMAP 329
snakes 23–4, 25, 27–8
soba 19, 201–8
Izumo 109
Okinawan 19
zaru 202
sobacha tea 193
Sojiki Nakahigashi restaurant, Kyoto 135, 285
soju (Korean distilled spirit) 41, 45
Sokan, Noguni 13
Souen tea house, Tokyo 195
Soundscape of Suikinkutsu 118
soy sauce 92–3, 95, 269, 277
Spain 13, 74
squid 301
La Strada restaurant, Nakanoku 202–5
sugar 67–80, 92–4
sugar cane 70
zarame sugar 239
Sugino, Hidemi 251–8
Sukiyabashi Jiro restaurant, Tokyo 158, 214, 220–21
Sumiyoshi Shrine Park 57
surströmming 122
sushi 209–22
Edo-mae sushi 210, 217
maki 210
nigiri 210
Sushi and Beyond 2, 4, 61, 129–30
cartoon character 61, 121
Sushi Kura restaurant, Hakodate 298
Sushi Samba restaurant, London 212
suzuki (sea bass) 110
Suzuki, Takabumi 261–4
sweet potatoes 43, 45, 46–7
Okinawan purple (beni imo) 12–16, 46
shochu 43, 45
Tabelog 157–8
Tadashi, Nagao 110
Takagi, Kanehiro 231
Takano, Masanari 171
Takashima, Shiga 122–3
Takashimaya department store chain 291
Taketsuru, Masataka 312–13, 317
tako yaki (octopus balls) 131–3
Tan, Ryu Hwan 218
Tanaka, Sokan 198–9
Tanaka, Tanaka 199
Tane, Yumiko 106
tare sauces 92, 95–101
tea 12, 151, 167, 191–200
bancha 192, 193
cultivation 197–8
genmaicha 193–4
goishicha 197
gyokuro 193, 195
hojicha 192, 193, 195
koicha 193
konacha 193
kukicha 192–3
matcha 107–8, 193–4, 198
mugicha 193
sencha 193, 196
sobacha 193
tea ceremony 70, 76, 107–8, 136, 194–5
Tea in Japan (Varley and Kumakura) 198
tempura 67, 73
Tenma restaurant, Osaka 129–31
Thailand 24, 117
Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet, The (Mitchell) 71
tofu 79, 270
‘tofuyo’ (Okinawan tofu) 26
yuba (tofu skin) 140, 271
Tohoku 167
Tokugawa Hidetada 79
Tokugawa Iemitsu 67, 71
Tokugawa Ieyasu 78, 79, 94
Tokyo 2, 3, 19, 20, 34, 50–51, 83, 179–258
Chiba 214–15
Ginza 228
Harajuku 61
Kabukicho 183–5
Koiwa 235, 241
Kyobashi 255
Minowa 205
Nakanoku 202
Shimo-Kitazawa 226
Yanagihara 242–9
Tomita restaurant, Chiba 190
tonkatsu (breaded pork cutlets) 33
tonkotsu ramen 33
Toriki restaurant, Koiwa 241
Torishiki restaurant, Tokyo 172, 234–5, 238, 239–40
Toriyoshi restaurant, Tokyo 236
Tosa beef 147
Trentina restaurant, Cleveland 276
Troisgros, Pierre and Jean 269
Tsuchiya, Sukejiro 171
Tsuji Cooking School, Osaka 216
Tsuji, Shizuo 1, 216
Tsukemen ramen 183, 185–6, 189–90
Tsukemen-Haku, Tokyo 183, 185–6
Tsukuda-jima 93–6
tsukudani 92–6
Tsukugen Tanakaya 94, 95–7
Tsukuhara, Yasuharu 166–9
Tsumago, Nagano 164
tsunami (2011) 3, 167, 188, 213, 284, 286
Tsuruhashi market, Osaka 128
Tsutaya, Hirado 75–6, 79
Turkey 238
Uchiura Bay, Hokkaido 303–4, 306
udon 129, 147
Sanuki udon 148
Ufushin restaurant, Sendai 186
Umaiya restaurant, Osaka 131–2
Umaji, Shikoku 150–51
Umansky, Jeremy 276, 280
umewan (sweet soup) 73
umi budo (sea caviar) 17–22
unagi (eels) 97–101, 110, 162
UNESCO World Heritage status 2, 130, 247–8, 249
uni (sea urchins) 138, 226, 228, 270, 297–311
bafun 305–7, 309
fishing 303–5
murasaki (purple urchin) 305–7, 309
Uni Murakami, Hakodate 300
United Kingdom 78, 192, 201
British East India Company 78, 80
British influence in Japan 68, 78–80, 231
United States
American influence in Japan 68, 73, 81–5
Usu, Hokkaido 303–4
Uto, Kyushu 54, 57
Utou restaurant, Tokyo 118
Vale Hotel, Niseko 328
Varley, H. Paul 198
venison 161
Vergé, Roger 269
Victoria, Queen of Great Britain and Ireland 34
Vietnam 117
Vrolijk, Remco 78–9, 80
Wabi restaurant, Horsham 211
wa
gashi (confectionery) 38, 70, 108–9
wagyu beef 18, 147, 162
wasabi 270
Watanabe, Lt Commander ‘Tadpole’ 229–30
whisky 312–18
Whisky Bible 315
Whisky Magazine 315
wine 170–76
Wong, Tai-Po 212
World Sushi Skills Institute (WSSI) 209–11, 213, 215–17
Xia, Jia Tian 214, 219
yakitori 96–7, 234–41
yakuza (organized crime syndicate) 184, 185, 311
Yamada, Masashi 160–63
Yamagata, Tadashi 219
Yamaguchi, Honshu 86
Yamaguchi, Yuko 158
Yamamoto, Fumichi 54–5
Yamanashi 173–5
Yamasaki, Sachiko and Yoshinki 129–31
Yamashiro, Kiyoko 9–12
Yamazaki Distillery 313, 315–16
Yanagawa, Kyushu 99
Yanagihara School of Traditional Japanese Cuisine 242–9, 265
Yanagihara, Kazunari 243
Yanagihara, Naoyuki 242, 245–9
Yanagihara, Noriko 243, 244–5
Yanagihara, Tokyo 242–9
Yanagihara, Toshio 248, 265
Yanagiya restaurant, Mizunami 159–63
Yanase, Takashi 81, 82
Yano, Junichi 109–10
Yano, Takamune 185–6
Yashin Sushi restaurant, London 212
Yasuda, Misako 138–9
Yoichi, Hokkaido 312, 317
Yokosuka 223, 229
Curry Festival 224, 232
Yomitan, Okinawa 13–14
yuba (tofu skin) 140, 271
Yubari, Hokkaido 321
yuzu (fruit) 145–53, 270, 271
farming 152–3
products 151
yuzu kosho 151, 271
yuzusco 271
zarame sugar 239
zaru soba 202
zazamushi 166
Zuisen Distillery 27
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Chapter 2
fn1 Today, as I write this, some weeks later, only one plant survives, a fragile pale green thread which, against all the odds, does seem to have a tiny spark of chlorophyll left in it. It hasn’t grown since we came home, but we live in hope and, come the spring, it shall be planted and, through sheer force of will on the part of my wife, I should not be surprised if one day it bears either the best-tasting, or the best-looking, Okinawan sweet potatoes in Europe.
** Actually, it just died.
Chapter 8
fn1 In 2015–16, the Japanese national broadcaster NHK made a twenty-five-part animated series based on my book Sushi and Beyond, broadcast in both Japanese and, on NHK World, in English. Which was a bit weird. To be honest, I still don’t really understand what happened there.
Chapter 10
fn1 Ryū Murakami, sometimes referred to as ‘the other Murakami’, is as well known and respected in Japan as his friend, the internationally better known Haruki Murakami. When I once interviewed Ryū Murakami, we met at the suite he keeps just for writing in a posh, high-rise hotel in Shinjuku. (He keeps a hotel suite just for writing. I often think about this.) He was an intimidating figure and our encounter was even more awkward than it might have been due to an unfortunate misunderstanding: he thought I was there for a heavyweight profile which would examine the social issues he wrestles with in his novels – homelessness, poverty, inequality and so on. I just wanted his restaurant recommendations. He later refused to be photographed for the piece. I hope I can make up for it with this description of the excellent burgers of his home town.
Chapter 15
fn1 Months later, at dinner with some Japanese friends in France, I mention my frustration. It turns out, there is a chain of tako yaki restaurants that does mix things up a bit with, for instance, a chocolate version. But I think my point still stands as these have hardly gained a wide currency.
Chapter 24
fn1 This was the school founded by Shizuo Tsuji, author of the book Japanese Cooking: A Simple Art, which had inspired me to go to Japan in the first place a decade ago.
Chapter 26
fn1 A large-grain, amber-coloured sugar, common in Japanese kitchens and with a lighter flavour than Western refined sugar. I think Japanese sugar is a really important but often overlooked ingredient when it comes to recreating Japanese flavours outside Japan.
Chapter 30
fn1 Minus any Aspergillus flavus, obviously.
Chapter 35
fn1 Back in Tokyo I asked a Japanese friend which of these two stories had been the biggest. She paused: ‘Definitely SMAP.’
The Meaning of Rice Page 35