What to eat in Japan

Simple. Tidy. Fresh. These are the three adjectives we would use to describe Japanese cuisine. While many countries in Asia use a plethora of spices in their food, the Japanese prefer less complicated flavors, allowing the main ingredients and a few seasonings (commonly soy sauce, vinegar, and ginger) to speak for themselves. Even in a relatively small country, Japan has distinct regional specialties, but no matter where you go, the food presentation is part of the experience. Side dishes are served in separate little bowls, and entrees and soups look as if they have been arranged by a designer or artist.

Some of the typical dishes you may already know from their adoption in Western restaurants: tempura, sushi, soba (buckwheat) and udon noodles, and miso soup. But there is much more to taste (and look at), and it varies by season. In spring, you’ll often see bamboo shoots used quite frequently. Chestnuts are harvested in the fall, so they are a…