Korea

Korean cuisine, known as hansik, reflects the belief that food and medicine share the same roots. Meals balance rice and soup with side dishes that bring out the natural flavors of their ingredients, often with relatively little fat. Rice may be mixed with other grains. Soup is so central that a spoon is always set alongside the chopsticks, and soybean sprout soup is a breakfast favorite. Dried yellow croaker is often served as a main dish, much as grilled salmon is at a Japanese breakfast. A wide variety of side dishes made from dried or fermented ingredients, including kimchi, fills the breakfast table. The principle of five flavors and five colors brings variety to both taste and appearance. We also offered a selection of Korean drinks and desserts.

South Korea, Japan's closest neighbor, has inspired a third wave of Korean cultural enthusiasm in Japan through beauty, fashion and television dramas. Its traditions remain strong, even as smartphones and social media are woven into daily life. Koreans value the old while embracing the new, a combination reflected in their food culture too.

With thanks to

Korea Tourism Organization