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When you ask someone if they want to eat Japanese food the first thing that comes to mind is sushi, sake, tempura and rice. Little do people know that in Japan, there are more food options than the four mentioned. We have broken down some famous food areas that will for sure wet your appetite; Hokkaido, Niigata, Osaka introduce some of the unique foods to the region.
 Hokkaido
Hokkaido is famous for its natural resources such as national parks, hot springs, farms, and beautiful flowers. Surrounded by the sea, seafood in Hokkaido is abundant and fresh – the sea urchins and crabs are especially famous. Besides a huge selection of seafood, dairy products produced by local farms are also a local specialty. The weather in Hokkaido is also perfect for producing grapes, which and very suitable for wine making. Some dishes to try in Hokkaido while you are there:
 Ramen – you can try the Sapporo Ramen - it is the first ramen in Japan that is made from miso soup base.
Genghis Khan Barbecue – lamb barbecue with vegetables, which also goes great with beer.
Seafood – Besides Sushi or sashimi, you can try Ruibe (an Ainu specialty which thinly sliced raw frozen salmon is eaten like sashimi) or Ika Somen (squid is sliced into thin noodles and dip into a sauce, just like eating noodles).
Chocolate – Royce Chocolate, especially the Nama Chocolate made from fresh cream produced in Hokkaido. Shiroikoibito is also a famous brand with white chocolate encapsulated in thin cookies.
Some cities to visit to sample some of Hokkaido's great food:
 Hakodate – Make sure you try some Shio-ramen with a slice of fresh squid, as squid is the symbol of Hakodate as well as kaisen-don (a bowl of rice topped with fresh seafood such as; crab salmon roe, and sea urchin.
Furano – come and enjoy some great wine and dairy products (cheese and ice cream).
Otaru – is known for it's large variety of fresh, high quality seafood. Make sure you visit Sushiya Street to sample some of Otaru's mouth-watering sushi.
Kushiro – home to Japan's largest fishing fleet so make sure you go one of the many seafood restaurants and sushi bars.
Niigata
Niigata, located in the center of the Japanese mainland and along the coast of the Japan Sea, is famous for its hot springs and skiing activities. It is believed that seafood obtained from the Japan Sea is the most delicious, and Niigata clearly enjoys the geographic privilege which seafood is a local specialty. Niigata also produces fine rice, which is perfect for sake making.
Seafood – Choose from sushi, sashimi, and even dried seafood – dried seafood tastes the best with hot white rice.
Osaka
When people go to Osaka they usually don't go there for sightseeing but mostly for the food! Many tourists both Japanese and foreign alike, can't express enough how good the food is in the Kansai area. If visiting Osaka, you should visit Dotonbori, where you can find many shops selling some of these delicious foods. Here is a list of some of the foods you must try when you go to Osaka;
Takoyaki – Personally one of my favorite foods in Japan. Takoyaki originated from Osaka so some of the best Takoyaki is found in Osaka. Takoyaki is a mixture of wheat-flour, tempura scraps, pickled ginger, and green onion mixed together to form a batter with a chunk of octopus that is added to the middle. After being cooked, takoyaki is usually topped with okonomiyaki sauce, green seaweed (aonori), mayonnaise, and katsuobushi (fish shavings).
 Okonomiyaki – There are two kinds of Okonomiyaki in Japan. One being Hiroshima Okonomiyaki and the other is Kansai style Okonomiyaki. So what is Okonomiyaki? It is a Japanese-style pancake cooked on a hot plate. Made with pieces of meat (usually pork), seafood and chopped cabbage, after grilling, a brown sauce (Okonomiyaki sauce) is spread on top of the pancake with dried bonito shavings and green seaweed is sprinkled on top of the sauce. Some people also add mayonnaise to the toppings. Please feel free to experiment with other ingredients to put in your Okonomiyaki because there is no wrong way to have it. Okonomiyaki is eaten all over Japan, but is particularly popular and delicious in the Osaka area.
Kushikatsu – is a deep-friend kabob of vegetables and pork. Some places in Osaka will let you cook your kushikatsu, making it half the fun. |
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Period: June 1st to August 31st 2008 (Except days July 20th and August 1, 2008)
Located in Chiba (about 1 hour away from Tokyo by train), Narita International Airport is one of the busiest international airports around the world. Many airlines with flights to Japan stop here, and passengers can continue the domestic lag of their trip by traveling to 
Kansai International Airport is located on an artificial island in the middle of Osaka Bay. Like Narita International Airport, it is also a major transportation hub of the western Japan. 
Centrair (abbr.: Central Japan International Airport) is the newest international airport in Japan. Located on a manmade island of the central Japan area near Nagoya, this airport serves both international and domestic flights, taking over the commercial flights of Nagoya Airport. Currently there are direct flights from San Francisco to NGO.
Travel time from San Francisco: 11 hours and 40 minutes.
