Be wowed at the wide array of activities this year’s Oishii Japan
Singaporeans love their food and Japanese cuisine — be it chirashi don (mixed sashimi on rice) or yakiniku (grilled beef) — is often at the top of the list.
Last year’s event saw over 10,000 visitors from 24 countries
What’s in store?
After a successful 2012 debut, Oishii Japan, which has since returned to our shores yearly, promises to showcase an even wider range of Japan’s best natural produce this year.
Held on from today (Oct 22) to Saturday, from 11am to 4.30pm, the showcase will also feature a variety of Japanese food and snacks, but will most importantly to pay homage to one of Japan’s national spirits – shochu.
Unsure of how to make the best use of your time at this event? Here’s our handy guide to the must-sees, must-eats and must-dos at Oishii Japan 2015.
Watch a tuna-cutting demonstration
The Southern Bluefin Tuna Sashimi will keep you coming back for more
Watch as a trained Japanese chef deftly cuts up a whole tuna, flown in specially from the Ehime prefecture.
Though we did not witness the demonstration at Oishii Japan’s media preview at Japanese-French Fusion restaurant Lewin Terrace, we managed to try suzuki (seabass) sashimi prepared from a live fish by the restaurant’s head chef, Igarashi Takahito. The white, translucent sashimi won us over with its firm, snappy bite and sweet, clean flavour.
Visitors will also get to sample a range of seasonal fresh fish directly imported from Japan. Those interested in tasting the freshly-sliced tuna can head down to booth G23 (Iyosui).
Sample various types of shochu
Many may have heard of the Japanese rice wine sake. But sake’s counterpart, shochu, despite being Japan’s national spirit, is lesser known outside the country.
So what exactly is shochu?
Typically made from ingredients like sweet potato, rice and wheat, the distilled alcohol is considered a traditional hard liquor. It is also more potent — shochu has an alcohol content of 25 to 35 per cent, compared to sake’s 15 to 20 per cent.
Among the 36 shochu varieties that will be showcased at the fair, I tried the Shifuku no Tousui, a Kagoshima shochu made from barley and barley koji. The drink, served on the rocks, had a mellow and smooth taste, but was a tad strong for a teetotaler like me.
Another highlight was the cocktail demonstration by the restaurant’s bartender.
With the sweet potato and rice koji shochu, Satsuma Okojyo, as its main ingredient, the cocktail, ‘Sakura Green’, was made by shaking the Japanese liquor with green tea and sakura syrup, before being garnished with grated yuzu zest.
The specially curated cocktail was delightfully sweet and palatable, which left me thirsty for more.
Munch and crunch
Snack lovers will be in for a treat at the fair, with the plethora of snacks on offer.
Look out for the Imoshoku Sweet Potato snack, which had a hint of honey drizzled over slices of sweet potato — perfect for those with a sweet tooth.
I also enjoyed ‘Puchi Kabukiage’, Japanese rice crackers flavoured with shichimi (mixture of red pepper and other spices). Its crunch and blend of spices was highly addictive.
Those looking for a teatime snack can try the Moomin Valley Biscuit in Milk Flavour. The light and crispy biscuits, shaped after popular Moomin Valley characters, will go well with a warm cup of earl grey tea.
The event will be open to trade visitors today (Oct 22) and tomorrow. However, members of the public may visit the fair on Oct 24 from 11am to 4.30pm. Tickets are sold, online or at the door, at $4 each.
Oishii Japan 2015
Oct 22 to 24, 11am to 4.30pm
Suntec Singapore Convention & Exhibition Centre Halls 405-406
1 Raffles Boulevard, Suntec City
Singapore 039593, Tel: +65 6393 0232
For more information, visit www.oishii-world.com/en
by Jaime Chua
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