You know how in America some serious steak restaurants have honkin’ big showcases of marbled beef displayed near the front door? Well, this is the equivalent come-hither to dine at a joint where himono is the specialty of the house!
Himono is basically fish jerky, but it’s different from beef jerky because it features the added chopsticks-defying plus of BONES. Whole fish are gutted and flattened to air dry for a few days until they have become super concentrated essence of fish meat. Then the himono is grilled – either with salt or with a brush of salty-sweet sauce – and accompanied by vast calming amounts of beer, because otherwise you might go postal on the delicious yet infuriating fish bits you’re trying to dig out from between the many, many, many, many, many, many, many, many, many, many, many, many, many, many, many, many, many, many, many, many, many, many, many, many, many, many, many, many, many, many, many, many, many, many, many, bones.
Not that I’m bitter.
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Would you like to be whisked away to Japan, wherever you are?
“The Samurai’s Octopus…is a truly remarkable book, one that surprised and charmed me at every turn of the page. You’re in for a treat.”
—James Ziskin, Anthony, Barry, and Macavity Award-winning author of the Ellie Stone mysteries
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Jonelle Patrick writes novels set in Japan, produces the monthly e-magazine Japanagram, and blogs at Only In Japan and The Tokyo Guide I Wish I’d Had
Only In Japan 