CXIX - Tokyo

Another tasty bento! This time it's a vegetarian one, bought at Tokyo station while waiting for the shinkansen to take me to Kyoto. Little rice balls flavoured with shiso furikake (紫蘇ふりかけ, a purple-mint seasoning), tasty grilled vegetables and a few slices of fresh fruit... oishii (美味しい, "delicious")!!

LXXXV - Tokyo

Minute Maid's Aloe & White Grape juice: THE most delicious drink ever invented by mankind.

With its sweet yet refreshing flavor and its little juicy bits of aloe floating around, I'd honestly be fine if I had to only drink this for the rest of my life. Unfortunately, it's one of those flavors (together with matcha -green tea- and sakura -cherry blossom-) which are only produced for the Asian market, and are almost impossible to find elsewhere.

LXXXI - Tokyo

, Kaiten-zushi (回転寿司, "revolving sushi") is a very popular kind of restaurant in Japan, where food is set on small plates placed on a rotating conveyor belt that winds through the restaurant. Customers are usually seated on counter seats all the way along the belt, and simply pick their food as it passes by. The colour of the plates determines the price of the sushi on it ― usually the simpler the plate colour or design, the cheaper it is.

Most gaijin will probably be pleasantly surprised by how affordable kaiten-zushi is, compared to how pricey Japanese restaurants abroad are: this one had plates starting from 130円 (1€), compared to the average 4€ each plate costs back home. As can be seen in the photo, some plates only contain cards ― they represent dishes which should be served hot, and therefore must be ordered to the waitress, or directly to the chef.

The first time I ate in a kaiten-zushi was quite embarassing, due to the fact that I was the only non-Japanese, the only female, and the only person under 35 years old. This is because this kind of restaurant usually caters to Japanese businessmen who don't have time for a proper meal during their lunch-break. Moreover, I didn't know how to ask for water, so I forced myself to drink the complimentary boiling hot green tea provided even though it was at least 40°C (104F) outside!

I did manage to ask for miso shiru (味噌汁,, "miso soup") though..

LXIV - Tokyo

The yummiest gyoza (餃子 or ぎょうざ - "dumplings") I have ever tasted.

Disclaimer: my opinion might have been slightly influenced by the pretty air-conditioned restaurant which provided an excellent escape from the sweltering August heat outside.

XLIX - Tokyo

Japanese people seem to be especially fond of western-style desserts ― especially sponge cake. Everywhere you turn in Tokyo station you will see displays full of boxes of pretty pastel-coloured cakes and sweets such as these.

IV - Tokyo

One of the products of Japanese culture foreign people are more familiar with is bento (弁当 or べんとう), and who can blame us? Where else could we find our food served in colourful cupcake liners to prevent the flavours from blending, or decorated with sesame and chestnuts?

The smiling piglet was a good choice indeed.

III - Tokyo

Food in Japan is one of the best things ever.

If you have to take a train from Tokyo Station and you haven't had time to have lunch, you're lucky: wherever direction you happen to look towards, food stares back at you. And by food I don't mean those stale sandwiches with bright yellow mayo (ugh) they sell in stations across Europe, nor those plastic-tasting croissants which have been sitting there for weeks waiting for a brave unfortunate enough traveler.

Not them.

You see, once you arrive in Japan, the whole tasty universe of bento opens its doors to you. No time for a proper lunch? With 800~1200円 (yen) you can buy a lunchbox full of fresh, healthy (and delicious) food.

I chose the one with the piggy smiling up at me.