I’ll Take A Pound Of The Cricket Snacks, Please

Posted by Jonelle Patrick on April 25, 2013 in Awesome Stuff To Do, WTF Japan? | 5 Comments

Mmm-mmm, on market day in Koshinzuka, they still sell inago tsukudani, scoops of Jiminy Cricket’s relatives all toasted up nice and crispy in a salty-sweet marinade. And what do they taste like, you may ask? Okay, I admit I chickened out of this one. But if they’re anything like shrimp tsukudani or tuna tsukudani or seaweed tsukudani, they taste like…tsukudani. A combo of soy sauce and sweet rice wine. Only maybe a little, uh, crunchier.

If you can get past the idea of bugs in your mouth, I bet they’re actually quite tasty. It’s snacks like these that made it possible to put a little extra protein in people’s diets during lean times, so the fact that people still buy them when there’s a McDonald’s right around the corner tells you they’re probably not bad at all.

Here they are, up close and personal, in case the idea didn’t squick you out enough!

If you’d like to visit the market on Koshinzuka Street the next time you’re in Tokyo, a map is on my website, The Tokyo Guide I Wish I’d Had. The street market is held on the 4th, 14th and 24th of each month.

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