“They look similar, but taste completely different.” What are the popular Japanese gourmet foods that have Italians captivated? | Hint-Pot

Even if you've eaten something similar before, it takes courage to try a food you've never seen before in a different country. However, a couple who came to Japan from Italy for the first time were impressed by the gourmet food they encountered on their first visit that resembled the local cuisine of their home country. What exactly did he eat?

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I went to Japan to meet my daughter and was surprised by the high population density!

Domenico and Nicoletta came to Japan from Italy for the first time. He plans to stay in Tokyo, Kyoto, and Nara for two weeks. There was a big reason why I came to Japan for the first time.

“I came to Japan to meet my daughter, who has lived in Japan for five years.She became interested in Japanese anime after falling in love with Pokémon when she was young, and is currently working as an animator in Japan. She's active. She's a very strong woman.”

Nicoletta says she is proud of her daughter who made her dream come true. While talking about Japan with her daughter, she told me that she was actually surprised when she came to Japan.

“Japan is a different world for us who live in a small town in Europe. Everywhere we go, the cities are so beautiful. But I was surprised to see that there were more people than I expected.”

Italy, where Domenico and Nicoletta live, has a land area that is almost the same as Japan, but a population that is about half that of Japan. Italy is said to have the highest population in Europe, but the two were surprised by Japan's high population density.

Favorite Japanese gourmet food similar to Italian pasta dishes

Their journey has only just begun, but they have already discovered some delicious Japanese food. Although there is a similar dish in Italy, he says that when he tried it, it tasted completely different.

“The gyoza was especially delicious! The ramen was delicious, but I prefer gyoza. In Italy, there is a dish similar to gyoza called ravioli. They look similar, but the taste is completely different. It was interesting to think that there was something similar.”

Ravioli is one of Italy's traditional dishes. It is commonly eaten by wrapping meat, vegetables, cheese, etc. in flat pasta dough, boiling it, and then pouring a tomato or cream-based sauce over it. The shape varies depending on the region, but it is said that it is similar to gyoza, as it is a dish made of dough made from flour and stuffed with red bean paste.

However, ravioli and gyoza are similar but different. They seemed to be completely captivated by the taste of Japanese gyoza, which is flavored with garlic and ginger. I hope you enjoy a lot of delicious Japanese gourmet food wherever you go.

(Hint-Pot Editorial Department)