Food in Japan: Our snack

I really enjoyed our snacks/lunch/pack lunch. Initially, I was wondering what I was going to eat, as far as I remembered, I used to or Japanese liked to include ramen noodles, pastas, chicken dishes, pork dishes and fish/sea foods in their diet. 

Breakfast, I had fermented soya beans (nattou 納豆) with tamari, miso soup made with kombu dashi (kombu seaweed stock), and yummy sticky rice. Only one morning, I had Marcus's smoothie. I wanted to eat as much as I could to stock whatever the nutrients in the fermented beans in my body...... But truth was; I simply love the food. I grew up with it, and to me, taste awesome. The best in the world! ☺☺☺ My friend Kazuya from Kyoto, does not like it, he never did in the past and he never will. Funny thing is; west side of  Japan people don't really eat much, more like east side of  Japan people eat lots. They make it there! All of my cousins and family love it. I offered it to Marcus, but the smell put him off, also it's really slimy. It doesn't look nice. I can understand why they refuse to eat it.

Well, if I want to eat this here in Bury St Edmunds where I live, I either order on line or I need to go to the Korean oriental store Cambridge. So, I don't eat often, I actually thinking of getting a natto making kit from Japan. Soya beans have more nutrients when fermented. So, include miso, tempeh (yum yum), tamari (gluten-free), shoyu and any fermented soya products (natural ones) in your diet!

Benefit: Improve digestibility, someone with difficulty digesting protein, this helps. Soy fermentation converts minerals such as calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, selenium, copper, & zinc into soluble forms and increase vitamin level. It also protects against cancer development, reduce cholesterol and progression of atherosclerosis. It enhances healthy intestinal flora and correct digestive tract imbalances.

Anyway, they were some of our snacks and Japan's drinks vending machines. They are everywhere. 

cold and hot drinks, lots of choice!

Bananas, sharon fruits and semi-dried sharon fruits we bought in Ueno market

We absolutely love sweet and caramely these sharon fruits. We ate lots and lots, everyday, breakfast, lunch and dinner! My granny used to dry them when I was a child, I wanted Marcus to try them. They weren't as good as my granny ones, still, they were delish! Fresh ones were exquisite!  
 

our typical snack. Tea, rice balls, fruits, and gammodoki (on the right)

 Snack in Yokohama China town for me & my friend Kaz

Veggie crisps

Veggie crisp: carrots, kabocha squash, eddo potato, onions, potato and burdock root

Fish mongers

These fishmongers are now rare to find. I found this shop near Shinjuku-gyoen, in the middle of office buildings, restaurants and shops. I bet it'd been there for years. Sad to see those small independent shops disappearing. I think it's the same story as everywhere. All big franchise/ chain shops taking over, crushing small businesses. All towns and cities look pretty much the same, same shops, same restaurants, cafes etc... boring!

I got hooked on rice balls, I now sometimes cook sticky rice, make rice balls and salad for my lunch for work sometimes. Make green rice, mixing green tea powder to hot rice, wrap with plenty nori sheet. It's a bit like sandwiches. Fill with whatever you like, oh, I like that idea. I think I eat really well....... Yeah, why not? ☺☺☺