Food & drink
Signature dishes, teas, spirits and table rituals: what people eat and what it says, from kimchi to dim sum.
Japan
Shimonoseki fugu
The fish whose liver kills within hours, served in translucent slices under state licence.
Hitsumabushi
Grilled eel over rice, which Nagoya insists on eating in three different ways.
Katsuo no tataki
A bonito fillet seared for twenty seconds over burning rice straw, still raw at the centre.
Nattō
Fermented soybeans, stringy and pungent: the breakfast that splits Japan east from west.
Sanuki udon
Wheat noodles kneaded underfoot, served in canteens where you help yourself from seven in the morning.
Sapporo miso ramen
The bowl that invented regional ramen: pork broth, miso, butter and corn, designed for -10 °C winters.
Noda soy sauce
Four ingredients, six months of fermentation, and the condiment that structures all Japanese cooking.
Shizuoka green tea
Four in ten hectares of Japanese tea bushes, and the sencha people drink every day.
Kit Kat in Japan
Hundreds of limited editions and a lucky charm turned emblem of the edible souvenir.
Matcha
Powdered Japanese green tea. Used in tea ceremony and many pastries.
Japanese Breakfast
Traditional Japanese morning meal: rice, miso soup, grilled fish, natto, pickled vegetables.
Ramune
Iconic Japanese lemonade with its characteristic glass marble.
Sushi
Japanese preparation of vinegared rice with raw fish, seafood or vegetables.
Ramen
Japanese noodle soup consisting of wheat noodles served in a rich and complex broth, topped with chashu (braised pork), marinated egg, nori, and green onions.
China
Goubuli baozi
Eighteen pleats per steamed bun, and a name that means "the dog ignores him".
Wenchang chicken
The poached chicken that gave rise to Singapore’s national dish.
Longjing tea
China’s most famous green tea, pressed by hand in a scorching wok.
Xiaolongbao
Steamed dumplings filled with broth, thanks to jelly that melts as they cook.
Baijiu
Chinese national alcohol. Strong spirit (40-60°) distilled from fermented grains.
Bubble Tea (Naicha)
Taiwanese drink that became a global phenomenon.
Sichuan Cuisine
Chinese regional cuisine known for its mala flavors (chili and Sichuan pepper).
Hotpot (Huoguo)
Chinese fondue where ingredients are cooked in spicy broth.
Chinese Tea
The six families of Chinese tea: green, white, yellow, oolong, red (black), and pu-erh (dark).
Dim Sum
Cantonese culinary tradition consisting of a variety of small dishes served in bamboo steamer baskets, traditionally enjoyed with tea during yum cha ('drinking tea').
Korea
Jeonju bibimbap
Rice cooked in beef broth, some thirty ingredients, and the instruction to mix it all.
Jajangmyeon
Noodles in black bean paste, a Chinese dish so Koreanised it is eaten on Singles’ Day.
Banchan
Korean side dishes served with main meal.
Gogigui (Korean BBQ)
Korean barbecue where meat is grilled at the table.
Makgeolli
Traditional Korean rice wine. Milky, slightly sparkling and low-alcohol drink.
Soju
Korean national alcohol. Traditionally rice-based distilled spirit, now often industrial.
Kimchi
Korean national dish of fermented and spiced vegetables, primarily napa cabbage (baechu) seasoned with gochugaru (red pepper flakes), garlic, ginger, green onions, and jeotgal (fermented seafood condiment).