Job Discussion Forums

[jrwhisky]

Hi, I recently scored a job ESL job in Hiroshima and I'm looking for some good tips on eating healthy while I'm working in Japan.

Currently I eat a lot of organic food and try to, at the very least, avoid MSG. Which I'm aware is quite common in Japan. I know my usual fridge items may not be available such as. Typically I eat a lot of bananas and other fruits, lettuce, game meat, peanut butter and Ezekial bread or some type of flourless bread with sprouted grains.

I'm wondering what's out there in Japan that would make healthy substitutes?

And good beer, does japan have any? I've had Asahi and their other popular domestics, but I'm looking for some real craft brews any recommendations would be much appreciated.

[ssjup81]

Wow Ezekial bread. My family eats that back home. I haven't had it in forever! Anyway I couldn't imagine finding that here but the fruits and veggies will probably be no problem. As far as I know they don't use pesticides when growing fruits and produce. Personally I feel that the foods here are a bit healthier because of the lack of preservatives, minus ready-made meals or quick-fix meals, but that's the same most places I'm sure.

As for MSG, you probably won't have a prob if you prepare your own meals and can see what's going into your foods.

As for beers, I don't know. What beers do you drink at home? You might can find them here. If forced to drink a beer, as I'm not big on beer, I'd go with Heineken or Yueling (sp?). I never looked for the latter but come across the former all the time.

[rxk22]

Food is less processed in Japan, for sure. Also, people tend to eat tomatoes, cucumbers, and eggplants with most meals.

Like all industrialized nations, they use copious amounts of pesticides, and fertilizers.

Ad for beer, Japan is like the early 90's America. Mostly the big guys with few small sized brewers. They are getting there, but there still isn't much of a selection at most stores.

[DLIguy]

[jrwhisky]

I guess I'll have to start learning how to prepare eggplant. Thank you for the responses. I recently read an article about a smaller city in Japan is trying to start a organic farming movement. So far organic produce only represents 2% of agriculture in the country.

As for beer I could go without it. I know the basic imports that seem to appear around Asia. I was curious if any craft beers had started popping up I go for darker beers such as porters, bocks, or amber ales. I could get by with sake and sochu.

[PhoenixSpirit]

I can only comment on the area of Japan I lived in, Kanagawa (Near Tokyo) but finding craft beer was a little tricky at first but after awhile I found it remarkably easy.

It sounds stupid but Google really is your best friend here. I usually went to some bar where I knew they sold some Ale, not copious amounts but enough to have a decent range and after striking up conversation with the bar staff/other customers, they'd recommend me another bar or better yet actual shops which specialised in craft beer. It was just knowing where to look, and I came across quite a few little bars that sold some Ale I had never seen before.

It's no-where as large though as the European and American market, but there's less demand for it. If you know where to look though or get speaking to the right people, you'll find it.
Yokohama does a beer festival every year too, and I wouldn't be surprised if Tokyo did.

[Pitarou]

Fresh fruit and vegetables are pricey in Japan. However, the Japanese consumer is fussy, so a lot goes to waste. You can get very cheap, or even free vegetables direct from the farmer.

Organic? I would class that as a luxury item.

Decent beer is also very expensive. If you want "natural" drinks, I suggest shouchuu (the stronger form of sake) with mixers.

I'm intolerant of MSG, and I have very little trouble with it in Japan. The foods that make me ill tend to be things like American brands of ice-cream.

[mitsui]

I prefer craft beer. Just see what is available in Hiroshima.
If there is Yamaya, go there.
There are smaller brewers in Okayama and Fukuoka.

I was in Osaka recently. I went to Yamaya and found Fukuoka beer for 525 yen. That is a lot, so I didn`t buy it.

My wife likes to go to JA for their produce but I do not know if it is organic or not.

I found a small organic store in Yokohama, but cheap it isn`t.

[ssjup81]

Ironically, I notice that foods that made me feel sick back home, don't make me feel sick here. For example, back home fastfoods like McDonald's and Pizza Hut, Dominoes, etc., didn't agree with me. It's rare that I have these things here, but I tried it here and I didn't feel sick after I ate. Milk too, for that matter. Milk back home (other than organic) would hurt my stomach, but the milk here doesn't.

[Jalapeter]

You do get a few health food stores here and there but in all honesty I found supermarkets had really food stuff. My town had separate greengrocers, fishmongers and butchers and all their stuff was top quality (I'm back in the UK now and can really see the difference!)

As for beer - Suntory Premium Malts is my recommendation. It's like a German Pilsner beer, maybe a little like Bitburger if you've tried that. You occasionally find craft beers in supermarkets, more often than not in 'import foods' stores, but are quite expensive. Ales are very hard to find - you can pick them up in Yamaya off licenses though.

One word of advice - avoid 'happoshu' beer. It's basically fizzy piss that costs a lot less than the real stuff! Lol!

[Pitarou]

[jrwhisky]

I've been in Japan about a week now, like a few of you said, the food here dairy and other processed foods don't bother my stomach as much here as it does back in the U.S..

On a note for beer, yeah I think suntory is the better of the three big names: Kirin, Asahi, and Suntory. However, there is going to be a beer festival this Sunday in Hiroshima so that's lucky!

I want to try this Hoppoushu-- it sounds interesting.

[rxk22]

[mitsui]

Happoshu is just if you want to save money.
I do think it has fewer calories.

[rxk22]