(introduced from China) or intricately prepared as
sushi. It should be noted that sushi is usually cold
cooked rice dressed with vinegar and shaped into
bite-sized pieces and topped with raw or cooked
fish, or formed into a roll with fish, egg or vegetables
and wrapped in seaweed.
Foods from the sea are another important
aspect of Japanese cuisine. The Pacific Ocean and
Sea of Japan surround the islands, offering up a
variety of exotic marine life, such as salmon, spiny
fish, bonito (related to tuna), eel, octopus, monkfish,
abalone, scallops, oysters, shrimp, seaweed and sea
urchin roe. Seafood is eaten raw (sashimi) as well
as dried, boiled, grilled, deep-fried and steamed.
Fruits such as mandarins and tangerines, which
are indigenous to Japan, and the freshest of vegetables
are presented as close to their natural state as possible.
Not to be missed is tempura, derived from a
16th-century Portuguese delicacy. The freshest seafood
and vegetables are coated with tempura batter and
deep-fried to perfection. Tempura is, of course,
always artfully presented.
The demand for fresh local items as well as
international foods has led the Japanese Costco
warehouses to provide products for a variety of
food palates. (See www.costco.com’s warehouse
locator for information and location of all Japan
warehouses.) Topping the warehouse food list are
U.S. beef chuck flap steak, koshihikari rice, sushi
family 48-piece combo, dinner rolls and mineral
water. Miso (fermented soybean paste), soy sauce,
sauces and marinades, and dry products such as
mushrooms, seaweed and tofu are also popular.
Members in Tokyo and other urban centers tend
to have tastes that are more international, whereas
those who live in the south or in rural areas of Japan
are focused more on regional food. However, no matter
where the member shops, health and food safety is
an issue that Costco takes seriously. Given a national
move toward healthier eating, many of Costco’s
Japanese suppliers now provide their names and
photographs on labels. AE
