Japanese Restaurant Near Me

Japanese cuisine is incredibly rich and varied, with a focus on health and wellness. Few cuisines boast the benefits that this food culture does. Japanese food has surged in popularity in the United States over the last 50 years, especially sushi, which has been a popular staple in many American diets for quite some time.

Are you interested in finding a Japanese restaurant in your area? Simply browse Japanese restaurant near me on the map below and find a list of Japanese restaurants in a close proximity to your current location. Need a bit more information on Japanese cuisine? Read on for facts, trivia, and a bit of history on this popular food culture.

Japanese Restaurant Near Me – Find it on the Map

Japanese Restaurant Near Me – Japanese Restaurant Trivia

True or false: Japanese food is as much about the presentation as the food itself.

True! Any lover of Japanese cuisine can tell you that there is a large degree of focus on the preparation and presentation of the food. In fact, some believe there is more focus on on this aspect of the cuisine than there is on the actual food being served. In Japanese culture, a great deal of thought goes into every single food item. While we in America only think of there being four seasons, Japanese chefs consider dozens of seasons in order to carefully select ingredients that mesh well with the flavors that are present in that specific time frame. For example, in the spring, flavors often center on very bitter components, which is typical of the spring season which begins in March. It is this emphasis on only using fresh and seasonal ingredients that adds a large degree of complexity and flavor to every Japanese dish. Not only do Japanese chefs emphasize ingredients, they put a great degree of emphasis on plating. Food is plated to be artistic and almost spiritual in design. There must always be a certain degree of flow in the presentation and plating of the food.

japanese restaurant near me

An artfully designed plate of sushi at a Japanese restaurant.

Is dish choice an important aspect of Japanese culture?

If you’re searching Japanese restaurant near me, you’ll find out rather quickly that dish choice (as in serving dish) is an important aspect of Japanese culture. While those in the US and even in certain parts of the UK tend to put an emphasis on matching dishware and the cohesive nature of serving dishes, Japanese restaurant tend to use dishes that involve a variety of colorful patterns, shapes, and bold hues. For those in Japanese culture, dish choice is very specific to the current season. Fine dining establishments will often use almost fragile looking antique ceramics along with lacquerware. When your server brings you a course they will also often tell you a story about the life of of your serving dish. Some patrons have had their dishes served up in bowls that are 200 years old or more. Dish selections are often made to reflect the season or the weather at the time. In spring, dishes with flowers or vibrant green leaves are often utilized to reflect the nature of the season. In summer, expect more vibrant colors and more flora.

Japanese Restaurant Near Me – Japanese Restaurant Facts

The Oldest Sushi in Japan

One can’t talk about Japanese restaurants without mentioning sushi. Sushi is by far the most common Japanese dish served up in the United States. Odds are if you’re searching Japanese restaurant near me, you’ll find more than your fair share of sushi joints in your neighborhood. In Japan itself, sushi is still a staple. The oldest form of sushi in Japan comes from Lake Biwa in the Southern region of the country. In this area, they follow an old school, pre-refrigeration technique for preparing sushi. Fish fillets, are packed in vinegar rice and are then left to age for up to three years. The results of this three year process is a fermented delicacy known as funazushi which tastes very similar to a pungent cheese. While this process has yet to catch on in the US, traditional sushi fans and purists enjoy this long and delicate process as well as the unique taste it lends to sushi dishes.

Bluefin Tuna Wasn’t Always Desirable

If you visit a Japanese sushi restaurant or search Japanese restaurant near me, odds are your choice will serve up some kind of bluefin tuna. In the modern day, bluefin tuna is hands down one of the most expensive sushi delicacies. In 2013, a 500 pound bluefin sold for a whopping $1.8 million in Tokyo’s renowned Tsukiji fish market. Though it has found stunning popularity in the modern age, fisherman used to avoid bluefin because it was a strong swimmer. Due to its strength the bluefin would routinely tear through a fishing net and escape, leaving the fishermen frustrated and at constant odds with the fish. This all changed in the 1950’s when a stronger nylon net was introduced that made the ability to catch a bluefin more practical and less of a headache. While this may have been good news for sushi lovers, , it also lead to overfishing which has since depleted the bluefin population in certain regions of Japan.

Japanese Knives

If you’re lucky enough to find a Japanese restaurant that prepares the food in front of you while searching Japanese restaurant near me, you’ll inevitably notice the knives utilized by Japanese chefs. Unlike the knives used to cut food in the west, most Japanese knives are sharpened on just one side. In the US, knives are typically sharpened on both sides. The reason? Japanese knives cut on the pull stroke rather than the push stroke. This allows chefs to keep their elbows close to their side for a more precise cut. When filleting delicate objects such as fish, this can be of the utmost importance, as it helps retain quality and makes for a more even cut.

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