Rice, Noodle, Fish: Deep Travels Through Japan's Food Culture by Matt Goulding

Rice, Fish, Noodle is the Japanese food travel book that I have been searching for. I also suspect it could be the food travel book the world has been waiting for. 

So many books of this genre scrape the surface. They revisit the same old things. They offer up yet another tired old description of the long traditions and wacky (to Westerners) food of Japan. Sushi. Ramen. Kaiseki. 

Rice, Noodle, Fish blew me away because it goes so much deeper - and it's fitting that is in the subtitle.

First - there is so much more respect for the place. I think it comes from the book team living and breathing food culture. Don't worry - it's not pretentious. 

Second - the seven city tour of Japan exposes so many wonderful regional approaches, so many wonderful stories, and so many places you will want to visit. So much of the cuisine — and the people who make it - comes alive in this book.

This is truly the best place to start to dive into the food culture of Japan. It will have you looking for more. Just don’t start on an empty stomach!