How the Japanese do healthy in the heat.
It’s hot. It’s humid. You’re hungry. In Japan, the summer (‘natsu’/夏) months get to about 21–32 °C (70–90 °F) with peak humidity and typhoons hitting the archipelago around August. For visitors and home cooks new to Japan, even looking at a ramen shop may give you a heat stroke. But don’t worry, the natives are as hot as you are during the summer vacation!
Which begs the question: what kind of food do Japanese people eat to stay cool and healthy?
Légumes du Soleil
Tomatoes, cucumbers, and eggplants, like the rest of the world, are the best during the summer in Japan. While these vegetables aren’t native to Asia, this island nation loves their refreshing flavour and have welcomed them into their culinary repertoire.
The tomatoes generally look like tomatoes you see everywhere else in the world, but the cucumbers or kyuri (キュウリ) and eggplant or nasu (ナス) are a little different. They’re both rather petite and slender with the skin a little bit thinner than Western options.
For Japanese recipes with cucumbers, you can opt to buy the long English kind or the little Persian version. When using eggplant, Japanese ones have become more available abroad but you can also use other varieties like Chinese or Korean. In Japan, you can typically expect to find most produce packaged so you typically can only buy things at a portioned amount.
One great way to incorporate all of these options is: Hiyashi Chuka! This cold ramen bowl uses a type of noodles perfect for chilled recipes and a light soy sauce vinaigrette. On top, you can put pretty much whatever you like! The traditional toppings include: cucumber, tomatoes, ham, imitation crab, and a paper-thin egg omelette. To add eggplant, grill or roast it whole, then peel off skin and chill before eating.
Gorge Gourds
Pumpkin in the summer? That’s right, Japanese kabocha (literally, pumpkin) is known more as a hot item during the hotter months of June, July, and August rather than as a fall favourite like in the West. The skin and flesh are both rather soft in comparison to the bright orange varietals, which actually makes it easier to use in recipes for those not wanting the hassle of hacking one open. Kabocha is really healthy as well, as it holds better amounts of Vitamin C and B-complex groups without the sodium said Nutrition and You.
A traditional way to eat kabocha is to simmer it into a sweet soy sauce broth called Kabocha Nimono — which you can eat hot or cold. Another way is to throw a slice on the grill with the rest of your steaks and barbecue! The smoke and char would perfectly complement the sweet, tender squash.
On the opposite end of sweetness is the Goya, or bitter melon (ゴーヤ). A speciality of the Okinawa islands, this gourd is a rather unusual veggie for most Japanese people. The sharp, bitter taste tends to make more enemies than fans as it can overpower a lot of other ingredients in a balanced recipe. However, this summer vegetable is a powerhouse in nutrition.
Kaiser Permanente reported that goya is known in traditional medicine help with indigestion, and to have anti-inflammatory, antihistamine, and antiviral properties. Recent studies even had promising results that suggest goya helps manage diabetes via insulin levels. While not a cure-all for all illnesses (nor are we recommending it medically), this fruit can be a great product to add to your preventative care regimen.
A popular dish from Okinawa is Goya Chanpuru — a healthy stir-fry of goya, tofu, eggs, and pork belly! If you’re a fan of beer or shochu, thinly-sliced goya tempura can also be a great accompaniment to those easy natsu nights with good company and a good drink.
(Expensive) Fruit
Fruit, in general, is rather a pricey item in Japan. With a lot of fruits imported from the tropical countries further south, most of the Japanese fruit in the grocery stores are supplemented with foreign finds. However, those $100 melons and Emperor-level strawberries are the best during the hotter months!
If you’re in Japan in June, make sure to try the peaches or ‘momo’ (桃/ ‘もも’). These fuzzy, sweet fellas are nothing like any peach you’ve ever eaten before.
Upon the first bite, the lightly sweetened juice bursts onto the palate with the tender pink flesh nearly melting in your mouth. The flavour is a lot more delicate than those canned yellow peaches you see in plastic fruit cups and isn’t as overwhelmingly sweet. In fact, Japanese peaches almost have a floral note to them — a note you can find in a lot of Japanese produce when compared to foreign products. They typically cost 200¥ for one of typical quality, with the higher quality options starting at 1000¥ a piece.
If you’re gonna be in Japan during July, make sure to get your hands on the cherries or sakurambo (桜んぼ/さくらんぼ). First things, first: the beautiful cherry blossom bloom in March does not produce the cherries for the summer! Sorry :/
According to Japan Fruits, the fruit-producing cherry trees are typically grown in the northern Tohoku region with the harvesting period lasting only one or two weeks. Here, you won’t find the darker cherries but the brighter, coral red ones — and even the yellow Gassan Nishiki.
While you can find affordable and just-as-tasty options in store, big spenders looking for the crème de la crème can expect to cough up thousands of yen to get a dozen cherries from the famed Yamagata prefecture.
As for eating, we recommend just eating these fruits as is. Savour every bite and every penny by tasting nature’s sweets with intention!
Make sure to hydrate on your trip to Japan! (Our head writer personally recommends Pocari Sweat or Mugicha during the summer). The delicious food and amazing cultural experiences will make the hot weather worth your while.
We finished off with expensive fruits, but what makes them cost so much? Are they really that worth it? Come back July 3rd at 12pm EST to talk about the infamous fruits that may make your wallet cry, ApplePay self-destruct, and find out how this business all got started. In the meantime, follow us on Facebook and Instagram for more fun facts, photos, and tidbits!
