In Japan, people have been eating seafood. I think it is famous for eating raw fish like sashimi or sushi. And many foreign people love such a Japanese menu.
However, in Japan, there are many other fishes. I think eating seaweed is typical Japanese food culture. And it is difficult for foreign people to understand. So, many people don't have knowledge of eating seaweed.
Then, in this article, I will introduce you to a Japanese eating seaweed culture. It is about Nori.
1．What is a Nori
Firstly, I will introduce a Nori.
1-1． Nori is seaweed that can be to eat
There are many kinds of seaweed, I think. But, the kinds that can be eaten are not many. Japanese people have been eating some seaweed, konbu, wakame, and Nori.
Nori is eaten for a long period. You can look at Japanese TV programs from older generations, and you will find Japanese dishes that contain Nori.
1-2．Basically, Nori is a harvest on the seaside of Japan
Nori can be taken in Japanese seaside. They are almost always cultivated.
Actually, there are natural Nori, and you can have them. However, it is very rare. So, it is almost impossible to eat.
But, by having popular Nori, you can enjoy tasting enough, I think.
1-3．Many variations to eat
Japanese people have many dishes. So there are many variations to eat.
For example, people can eat raw, dried, baking, or other cooked food.
I think you can imagine raw, drying, baking. Raw Nori is washed and seasoned with vinegar or soy sauce. Drying and baking are shaped like seats, and eaten with rice.
However, I think you may find it a little difficult to cook Nori.
But, there are many types of Nori.
For example, Nori will be cooked in Furikake, which is for eating rice by sprinkling. And you can eat Tsukudani with rice.
Anyway, Japanese people have been making many Nori foods. And nowadays, you can see new dishes of Nori in many areas in Japan.
2．Menu of containing Nori
By the way, how many dishes Japanese people have?
I can't introduce all of the dishes. But I can show you some popular Nori. Perhaps, you might be able to get it in your country. Then I want you to find a Nori menu at the shop in your town.
2-1． Onigiri
Onigiri, a rice ball, is a famous rice dish. And it is wrapped with a Nori seat.
Actually, Onigiri can be made without Nori seats. In fact, we can buy an onigiri that is not wrapped with Nori. The onigiri is tasted with salt.
But popular onigiri is wrapped with Nori. You can see Japanese TV animations that contain onigiri. The onigiri will be rapped by Nori.
2-2．Sushi
You might imagine sushi is made with raw fish and rice. But there is sushi with Nori. It is called Norimaki.
Norimaki is rolled sushi that contains some ingredients, for example, raw tuna, or cucumber.
2-3． Senbei
Senbei is one of the rice menu. It is made with powder of rice. It is a baked menu seasoned with soy sauce and so on.
Then sometimes, the senbei is wrapped with Nori. So the Nori-senbei has a good taste and flavor.
2-4．Tsukudani
Do you know Tsukudani? Tsukudani is one of the Japanese popular dishes. And it is made from little fish, shellfish, shrimp, and so on. Tsukudani is usually eaten with rice.
By the way, there are Tsukudani dishes of Nori. So, Tsukudani of Nori is very popular. It is taken with rice.
Usually, Tsukudani is seasoned with soy sauce, or sugar. It might be typical seasoning Japanese dishes. But Nori has such a good flavor, so you can have a good meal. I strongly recommend you to have it with freshly cooked rice.
2-5．Furikake
I think Furikake has a Japanese originality. Because Furikake has so many kinds. For example, they are made from little fish, eggs, vegetables, and even Natto would be in.
Of course, Nori is contained in Furikake. Nori has a good flavor, so it can have a good taste and flavor for rice. And I recommend that if you eat rice and Furikake, the rice should be freshly cooked.
Anyway, you might have gotten a knowledge of Japanese food culture of Nori in this article.
Nori is a very popular food, so you can buy on Japanese supermarkets.
It is not an expensive menu. And if you might be able to eat it in Japanese restaurant.
But this is the best recommended way to have it in Japanese ryokan. And if you visit the ryokan that has Onsen, your travel will be so good. And your memory of the Japanese travel must not be lost.
