In this article, you will be able to read about some of the weirdest foods from Japan. Even the Japanese call these dishes “getemono”, which translates into “weird things”. Japanese foods are normally exquisite, however, the following five dishes are most likely some of the most disturbing foods you will ever come in contact with.
HARUMON
The word “harumon” has a very broad meaning: it stands for everything from intestines to organs. Harumon stands for every possible small organ of an animal, even the most mysterious and surprising ones. When you serve this weird Japanese dish, you cannot tell for sure what it is that you are eating. If you opt for thin harumon, you will most likely be consuming cow intestine filled with sauce. It has a chewy texture but it is described as very tasty. Thick harumon, however is totally different. It is described as a big ball of fat which is actually hard to chew and swallow.
NANKOTSU
This weird Japanese food is actually fried chicken cartilage. It has a crunchy texture and it tastes very much like the regular fried chicken, which in Japan goes by the name of “karaage”. Most people who had tried nankotsu said they expected it to taste like chicken wings, but instead, the dish was too hard to chew and it had too much bone in it.
TORORO
Tororo is made from scrapped kombu. The kombu is a seaweed which is placed in vinegar before being prepared. Tororo can be consumed as a soup or sprinkled on other foods. Tororo might be a weird looking Japanese dish, however it happens to be highly nutritious. It is packed with calcium, fibers, iron and minerals. It also has high concentrations of iodine, so you should not eat much if you have problems with your thyroid gland.
NATTO
Natto is thought of as a Japanese comfort food. The first weird thing you notice about natto is its smell. Natto is a dish made from fermented soy beans, so people have described the smell as being similar to “pungent cheese”. Natto can be combined with sushi, toast, miso soup, salads or tamagoyaki. While some people find natto weird and disgusting, other believe it to be quite a delicacy.
BASASHI
Basashi is probably one of the most disturbing Japanese dishes. It might seem even more so for us, because it is made from an animal most of us hold very dear: horse. Basashi is actually raw horse meat. It is usually served cut up in thin slices and placed on a plate, soaking in blood. If you’re strong enough, you might be able to try out this weird Japanese dish. However, if you refuse to do so, no one will blame you.
People who have visited Japan came back and praised their foods. The dishes enlisted in this article represent only a small part of the foods which you can try out in Japan. Even the Japanese find these dishes weird, so do not worry. If you visit Japan, there are plenty other dishes you can experiment with. Just make sure you get informed first, about whatever it is you are going to eat.