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Oysters are called "Kaki" in Japanese. They are very popular, and I myself have ordered them many times in different parts of Japan. They are called "Milk of the Sea", because they are so nutritious! Most oysters come from Hiroshima in southern Japan, but they can be found in almost all regions of the country.
What do oysters taste like?
The taste is very difficult to describe. Oysters have a very unique flavor, quite salty and tasting of seawater. The larger the oyster, the less intense the taste - at least in my experience!
The health aspect
Oysters do not actually have an aphrodisiac effect, but they are extremely healthy. They are packed with glycogen and amino acids, but also minerals such as calcium and zinc.
How are oysters eaten in Japan?
While oysters are mostly slurped raw in Germany, they come to the table in Japan in a variety of ways. You can of course eat them raw - then they taste especially delicious with the Japanese Ponzu sauce. Toppings like lemon and spring onions also go well with oysters. Oysters are also very popular grilled. They also taste very delicious! They can also be breaded and fried. That's called "Kaki Furai". By the way, you can also find oysters in sushi!
Oyster Recipe
Oyster culture in Japan
Kaki are celebrated in Japan! In Hiroshima, for example, there are all kinds of oyster specialties, from oyster soup to oyster rice, but also a dedicated oyster festival! Of course, there are plenty of freshly caught oysters to taste here! Oysters have been cultivated in Hiroshima for 1500 years.
Hokkaido oysters are known for their intense flavor and juicy flesh. The oysters from the Miyagi region in northeastern Japan are also very popular. They are similar to oysters from the Hokkaido region.
Rebion Iwate is also known for its excellent oysters, which grow three times larger in the spring than those harvested in the winter! The oysters here are traditionally harvested from the sea by free-diving women.
German vs. Japanese oysters
While oysters are considered an absolute delicacy in Germany and are often enjoyed with champagne, they are a very ordinary part of the Japanese diet. In Berlin, for example, you can order oysters with champagne in the gourmet department of the KDW. They cost around 26 euros. In Japan, on the other hand, you can also get oysters in fast-food-like restaurants. I was once in one with my mother in Tokyo. They had oysters from different regions of Japan, in different sizes. You could just order them at really affordable prices and eat them at one of the few tables in the restaurant. By the way, they served water (which is free in Japanese restaurants) or beer to drink.
The oysters available in Germany are much smaller than the Japanese oysters. However, I prefer the large oysters to the small ones anyway!
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