Summer in Japan is very hot and heavy for those who work in Japan and have to experience high temperature every day in the morning, rushing to the train and sweating all the time outside. But how stay “genki” (active) every day and keep your body in health? There is a traditional Japanese secret that will help you back your energy during these hart times.
“Doyo-no-ushi-no-hi” is a calendar day of the Chinese zodiac, jyuni-shi, connected with the sign of the zodiac “Bull”. The most famous in Japan, the Midsummer Day of the Ox, Doyo-no-ushi-no-hi, usually occurs around late July (the hottest time of the year), and this year’s day is July 24.
The main dish of this time is kabayaki – eel with sweet teriyaki sauce baked or fried on charcoal fire. It is one of the most popular eel dishes in Japan. Kabayaki tastes well with plain white rice. Most all of Japanese prefer to eat plain rice with several pieces of baked eel on top.
Eel is called “unagi” in Japanese language. Japanese eat eel to maintain energy and stamina and to relieve suffering from the summer heat. They say these foods alimenting a lot of fat, that helps maintain strength in this humid season.
Cooking eel for foreigners who live and work in Japan may seem very difficult. Usually they have go to restaurants to eat an eel, or buy that in supermarkets or sushi restaurants. Food options which have eel as ingredient are expensive. But it worth to spend some money on healthy unagi.
If you have never tried unagi, you should put it on the top of your “must try” list. It is absolutely delicious and healthy.
Eat unagi and save more energy to work in Japan with no stress during hot, but wonderful Japanese summer.