What began as a simple plan to embrace the Japanese philosophy of ikigai - eating until 80 per cent full - quickly transformed into a culinary expedition through Niigata prefecture that challenged all dietary restraint. Instead of moderate meals, this journey became a celebration of excess, where 180 per cent full became the new normal.
The Ikigai Plan Meets Niigata Reality
The mountainous Niigata region in northern Honshu takes immense pride in its local produce and culinary traditions. When visitors arrive, locals insist on sharing their regional specialties, making any attempt at moderation virtually impossible. The author's initial resolve to practice mindful eating dissolved upon encountering the region's generous hospitality and extraordinary food offerings.
The adventure began gently enough with lunch at Farm Front Noen Seki, an award-winning contemporary restaurant overlooking Seki Farm's rice paddies. Here, the meal featured onigiri - salted rice balls - served on dried bamboo leaves with tangy pickles. Seki Farm's rice, regarded as Japan's finest, provided the perfect foundation with its short-grained, sweet and slightly sticky texture ideal for wrapping in dried seaweed.
Sushi Extravaganza and Unusual Delicacies
Dinner at Ryu Sushi delivered the first major blow to the ikigai eating plan. Seated around the sushi chef, guests witnessed a soft performance of culinary artistry that began with a challenging introduction: cod fish testes presented in a milky white, yoghurt-like consistency that proved difficult to manage with chopsticks.
This unusual starter paved the way for sixteen subsequent courses featuring various cuts of tuna, mackerel, squid and eel. Each delicacy contributed to an increasingly substantial meal that left participants thoroughly satisfied and any thoughts of moderation far behind.
Hands-On Cooking and Flavour Discoveries
The culinary immersion extended beyond eating to hands-on preparation of traditional dishes. Participants learned to make sasa dango, traditional dessert dumplings wrapped in bamboo leaves and steamed. The process of preparing dough, filling and mastering the wrapping technique brought childlike joy to the group, reflecting how local children in Niigata enjoy both making and eating this favourite treat.
Following the cooking session, a team of local mothers prepared a feast of Obanzai home cooking, featuring simple dishes of seasonal fish and vegetables. True to Obanzai principles of minimizing waste, even chrysanthemums still flowering after the first snow found their way into a delicate salad.
Not all flavours were delicate. A shop specializing in kanzuri, a local fermented chilli sauce, delivered an explosive taste experience. This unique condiment begins with locally grown chillies that are salted and left until heavy snow arrives. The chillies are then laid outdoors for several days, covered with snow to remove astringency, before being finely chopped and matured for up to eight years.
The culinary adventure reached its peak of adventurous eating at a tiny family-run udon restaurant where fried crickets made their appearance on the menu. This unexpected delicacy joined the growing list of Niigata's memorable flavour experiences that challenged conventional dining expectations.
Throughout the journey, small dishes accumulated into substantial feasts, each offering too intriguing to pass up. From the delicate to the daring, Niigata's food culture demonstrated why this region deserves its reputation as a destination for culinary explorers willing to push their gastronomic boundaries.
