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Less street food than I expected!

So we’ve now been in Japan for just under a week and I must say, I have tried A LOT of different kinds of food. However, contrary to my original belief, street food is not something that can be found everywhere. While vending machines are never in short supply, street foods can only be found in certain areas. The first place where I actually found loads of street food was in Asakusa, near a large shrine. Here I was overwhelmed by the amazing street foods. The smell alone was enough to make my mouth water. On this particular day I tried takoyaki, which is essentially octopus deep fried in batter. I was a little on the fence about trying it at first, as I am not crazy about the texture of octopus, but the delicious batter and toppings made this a snack to remember! Other street foods that I found here include skewers of different sorts, melon buns (sweet buns), giant yam fries, cookies, pastries, mochi, and many other delicious local foods.


The next place where I encountered street food was in Harajuku, which happens to be my new favourite shopping district. Most notably, I saw at least ten different crepe stands, some almost right beside one another. While we know that crepes are not native to Japan, the Japanese have definitely put their imagination into these sweet French desserts! I have of course tried crepes before in Canada, but I had to see for myself what the biggest difference was. For one, there’s usually around thirty different crepes to choose from at each stand. Some of them are savoury, but the majority of the choices are filled with fruits, ice cream, chocolate, whip cream, or cheese cake. That’s right, a full slice of cheese cake. So of course, I had to try the chocolate cheese cake crepe, and boy was it good! I’ll definitely be back to try some more crazy flavours of crepes. 



There is also a culture surrounding street food in Japan, as my group and I had originally suspected. For one, even through street food is a popular on-the-go option, it is not appropriate to eat and walk at the same time. In fact, it is not appropriate to multi-task while eating at all from what I have observed here in Japan. In Canada, I often don't have time to set aside for a meal, so I end up eating in class or while I’m working. However, people in Japan don’t abuse food in the same way that we do in North America, and really take the time to sit and enjoy their meals, even amidst their busy schedules. 

I still have yet to try imagawayaki, or sweet buns filled with red bean paste, as I had hoped to do. However, I have tried dorayaki, which is fairly similar, and very delicious! It’s been so interesting to see how popular red bean paste is in Japanese sweets. It definitely a delicious way to enhance the flavour of any treat.

I can’t wait to continue trying street foods as I continue my adventures through Japan. 
Until next time, 
Francesca.


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