TIMES DIARY

JAPANESE people love their food.

And you will be amazed when you visit the big cities to see the number of restaurants scattered around the place.

We are staying in a hotel on Dutonbori Rd and even on the small roads around the city you will find a couple of restaurants.

On Wednesday I was invited by a friend to accompany him for dinner at a restaurant.

It was small wooden building with a traditional Japanese settings inside.

As we sat down our first dish was four different types of vegetables soaked in vinegar. A good way to start our meal.

Then came the fish, raw with a special sauce which after dipping the fish into it, it just melts away in your mouth.

Never tasted raw fish better than this and the Japanese are the best in preparing a raw fish meal.

Next was a combination of octopus, prawns that also came with special sauce which makes eating seafood, which we also eat in Fiji, more tastier.

Than came the fried fish. Two different kinds of fish, both deep fried which you just put in your mouth and munch away.

Next in line was the barbecued beef served with vegetables.

They say Japan produces one of the best steak in the world and I was fortunate to have experienced this for myself.

The steak was very well cooked and cut into small pieces which goes down well with a combination of vegetables.

Then came the final dish, sashimi and green noodles which is also eaten with a special sauce.

Boy by the time we cleaned the plates after the last dish I was ready to visit dreamland.

And especially after we had downed three bottles of Sake, a Japanese alcoholic beverage made by fermenting rice.

And now looking forward to the next invitation.