Eatrip

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1

People live.

In an age overflowing with information

and infinite choices,

we must find and choose our paths.

There's no right answer.

There are as many joys as there are

tragedies and uncertainties.

To simply know 'how to live"

in this age is a challenge.

The basic human activities involve

waking up, working.

Eating and sleeping.

Amongst them, "eating'

is probably the activity that

makes us feel most 'alive'.

We embark on a journey

to explore the meaning

of a 'simple life' through

the universal act of eating.

Your most memorable meal?

Your most memorable meal?

Well...

Your most memorable meal?

A chicken dish I ate in

my father's hometown.

My grandpa lives out in the country

so when I go visit

I'm treated like a guest and

presented with a feast.

They once killed one of their own chickens

and laid it out on the dinner table.

It was pretty impressive.

When I was young, my grandpa

made me kill a chicken, saying

'If you can't kill it, don't eat it'.

This all ties into my

most memorable meal.

Do you still like chicken?

I love it.

Tsukiji Fish Market, Tokyo. 4:30 a.m.

Fifth generation "Edomae' wholesaler

Fifth generation 'Edomae' wholesaler

Eating means knowing your ingredients.

Eating means knowing

your ingredients.

Japan is an island nation.

In Tokyo, Tsukiji is the best market

of all fish markets in Japan.

We asked Mr. Takahashi, a fifth

generation fish wholesaler about

environmental changes over the past

few decades and his attraction to fish.

The volume of fish brought to market

has changed tremendously.

Some fishing spots

have been totally depleted.

There are some new spots

that replaced them but

even more spots have been depleted.

The volume of fish is dwindling,

especially around Tokyo.

Good shellfish has become more scarce

over the past 30 years.

The changing environment

is a huge factor in this decline.

We used to call the span between

Haneda and Funabashi 'Edomae'.

This was 50 or 60 years ago.

But now, even the outskirts of Tokyo Bay

is considered 'Edomae'.

There are subtle differences in smell.

You can taste it, smell it.

The flavor is different.

Abalone is seasonal, yet

they're eaten all year round.

Abalone is best between

May and September.

Back then, people respected that.

We ate them only when they tasted best.

We used to be discerning.

That was admirable.

Nowadays, they're eaten all year round,

even when they don't taste good.

I wonder why they even want to eat them.

- Any horse mackerels?

- We had some yesterday.

No horse mackerels.

Tuna is king in Tsukiii, the biggest

and priciest fish in the market.

The high demand for tuna in Japan

is jeopardizing its ecosystem.

The prized natural tuna

may soon be lost forever.

Tuna wholesaler

They're not as fatty in the spring.

Tuna wholesaler.

They only eat lean food,

so they have a lighter flavor.

But we come to expect this

in the spring.

When the cherry blossoms bloom,

we all know tuna tastes light.

Conversely, in winter

when they eat fattier food,

and the Tsugaru straits grow colder,

the tuna gets fatty.

Japan has distinct seasonal flavors.

Edomae sushi uses only

the best fish in season.

Abalone in the summer,

new bonito in the spring,

mature bonito in the tall.

Then there's the white fish.

And shellfish. Same for tuna.

Edomae is all about

serving what's in season.

That's how it's always been.

I sold over 90% of my inventory.

I'm looking forward to tomorrow.

I'm going early to find something

special to offer my customers.

That's it. I'm going home to sleep.

I've been working for

14 hours straight. It's tough.

Your most memorable meal?

Well, I'm from Kyushu.

Well, I'm from Kyushu.

My morn was a housewife

so we ate at home every day.

My dad loved silver-skinned fish,

so we ate herrings, sardines, mackerels,

horse mackerels...

and scabbard fish grilled with salt.

That was the daily fare for us.

Dried Bonito

The Japanese character for 'eat"

means "good for people'.

An essential element of

Japanese cooking is stock.

Dried bonito plays a vital role.

Dried bonito wholesaler in Tsukiji

Dried bonito wholesaler in Tsukiji

Which one is best on cold tofu?

Dried bonito wholesaler in Tsukiji

Dried bonito wholesaler in Tsukiji

Probably this one.

My father opened this

dried bonito shop here.

I think he was one of the first to

shave dried bonito for customers.

He started the tradition.

You could call him the

founder of shaved bonito.

When I was raising babies,

you know those pacifiers?

I asked one of our bonito shavers

to carve off a piece that would

fit in a baby's mouth.

We put a hole through it and

hung it around the baby's neck.

The baby would suck on it

like a pacifier.

He loved it.

Even a breast fed baby

knows what tastes good.

A true Japanese baby.

Young people nowadays

eat so much fast food,

I wish they could be exposed to

more traditional Japanese foods

like dried bonito, seaweed

and flavors like that.

Even if you don't like to cook,

if you use good stock

and make a clear soup,

or even miso soup,

even simple foods can be delicious.

Because it's real soup.

- Soup.

- Yes, soup.

Some of us value the origins

of the food we eat

and lead a simple way of life.

One such person moved to Okinawa

in pursuit of serenity

and a life free of civilization.

Naoko Morioka aims to be

a truly self-sufficient housewife.

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