Home
Log in / Sign Up
    Private Messages   Advanced Search   Rules   New User Guide   FAQ   Advertise   Contact Us  
Forum -> Household Management -> Kosher Kitchen
Food in Japan



Post new topic   Reply to topic View latest: 24h 48h 72h

orah318




 
 
    
 

Post Tue, Aug 05 2014, 9:57 pm
Hi! My husband and I are taking a three week trip to Japan and I am having trouble figuring out what food and cooking supplies to bring. We would like to eat as authentic as possible but at the same time we need to be full (we are both BTs with a long history of love for authentic Japanese food and we may suffer) and have enough backup just in case we can't cook, we have a long flight with a 24hr layover in Moscow so I don't know if we can bring frozen meat and dairy. Anyone have advice on what basics to bring for cooking and food? Has anyone been to japan and have travel tips? Also is it true that grains and natural tea are kosher anywhere or does rice need a heksher? Thank You!
Back to top

Learning




 
 
    
 

Post Tue, Aug 05 2014, 10:42 pm
I think anything that is not cooked like rice doesn't need a hechsher. There is Chabad in Japan contact them for help.
Back to top

yaelinIN




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Aug 06 2014, 9:19 am
I've lived in Tokyo three times (a year each time) and will be back for a summer trip next year; my husband usually goes 3-5 times a year.

There are two Chabads in Tokyo (Rabbi Edery and Rabbi Sudakevitch) and a JCC with Orthodox shul in Kobe and a kosher felafel restaurant in Tokyo (open for lunch). All can make kosher meals for you; at least one (the Ederys) can make sushi made by a Japanese sushi chef with advance request.

Eating "authentically" will be difficult aside from the sushi you can order. They all make Israeli/Western style food since that is their "customer base". You cannot (legally) bring in meat but you can bring in dairy. Where do you plan on cooking -- most hotels/inns don't have cooking areas and would be aghast at breaking any rules about cooking on site. The JCC in Tokyo is NOT under Orthodox hashgacha. You should talk to any of the rabbis to make educated decisions on what you can buy in Japanese stores (not much). If you want to PM me for further suggestions, please contact me.
Back to top

Mrs Bissli




 
 
    
 

Post Fri, Aug 08 2014, 7:52 am
Another ex-Tokyo resident here. YaelinIN put all the key information. Edery's can deliver chilled meals to pretty much all hotels in Tokyo area. (Japan has a very advanced and reliable parcel delivery systems).

Believe it or not, you actually find more hechshered Japanese and Oriental foods available outside of Japan than in Japan.

Do NOT attempt bringing meat products. The Japanese Customs are very meticulous in opening everyone's suitcase. I knew someone who had a whole suitcase full of frozen meat confiscated. Edery's bring shochet from abroad and they usually keep frozen kosher meat/chicken so ask for availability in advance. They may also get CY locally. To the best of my knowledge there is no kosher hard cheese available. Maybe imported Philadelphia cream cheese (local licensed products are not kosher) but with 'k'.

There are several supermarkets (National Azabu in Hiroo, Meiji-ya) that caters mainly for foreign residents that have good selection of imported products. BUT they are rather expensive. If your luggage allowance permits, I would normally bring things like cereal, tinned tuna, frozen pitta. You should be able to find pasta with hechsher, and of course you can procure rice locally (not to mention fruits, fish and vegetables).

As for cooking utencils, when we do self-catered visit to Japan, we bring just 1 set of a frying pan, pot, spatula, ladle , a can opener that kind of things.

I hope you are going to avoid the August heat and humidity--one thing I really don't enjoy.
Back to top

yaelinIN




 
 
    
 

Post Fri, Aug 08 2014, 10:13 am
Thanks MrsBissli for your compliments and additions. The Ederys are not doing any CY fresh milk runs anymore since 3.11 (the big earthquake/tsunami/nuclear disaster).

Philly Cream Cheese from Australia (no hecksher is on the product itself) was in some fancy grocery stores, but there is also Horizon Organic (and OU kosher) cream cheese in Nat'l Azabu. The other grocery that will carry kosher products is Nissin Gold Rush in Azabu-juban and Hanamasa (for pasta, Italian tomato products, dried beans, fruit/veggies/fish)all over the city. I think there were also Horizon mini packs of organic milk in Nat'l Azabu and Nissin's. Many of the Italian pastas are under hecksher but not on the packages, some do with an OU. You have to be aware that there are products that look like their American counterparts that are not under supervision as they are made in Japan.

Oh! There is a Menchies in Shinjuku area. I talked to the manager earlier this year and he said that the fro-yo is from the US (it is a liquid milk based mix shipped from the US) and some of the toppings were from the US (and kosher) as well. The Baskin-Robbins ice cream is now made in Japan so not kosher.

Since you (I assume) cannot speak/read Japanese, it is hard to tell you to look for products made in Australia/US (like M&Ms). I don't read/speak much Japanese and I have to rely on my husband or Japanese friends to help me in those situations.
Back to top

Mrs Bissli




 
 
    
 

Post Fri, Aug 08 2014, 10:31 am
Mrs Bissli wrote:
I hope you are going to avoid the August heat and humidity--one thing I really don't enjoy.


I forgot to mention that the government mandated A/C thermostat to be set at 28C (87C) AT LOWEST temperature!
Back to top

yaelinIN




 
 
    
 

Post Fri, Aug 08 2014, 10:35 am
Mrs Bissli wrote:
I forgot to mention that the government mandated A/C thermostat to be set at 28C (87C) AT LOWEST temperature!


I love Tokyo in the summer - so hot and humid. Worst time is monsoon season. I hate that time of year!
Back to top
Page 1 of 1 Recent Topics




Post new topic   Reply to topic    Forum -> Household Management -> Kosher Kitchen

Related Topics Replies Last Post
Do babies keep spitting up after starting food?
by amother
2 Today at 12:02 am View last post
Kosher food Towson, Maryland
by amother
9 Mon, Mar 25 2024, 1:01 pm View last post
Any fleishig fast food place open today?
by amother
11 Sun, Mar 24 2024, 7:53 pm View last post
Leibers snack food contact info?
by amother
1 Sun, Mar 24 2024, 2:26 am View last post
Food coloring
by amother
1 Thu, Mar 21 2024, 2:04 am View last post