Tofu is one of my favorite foods and I have mentioned a few times before. When I was a little kid, a tofu car would come around our street and make this sound.(sounds like saying tofu?!) When people heard the sound, they brought bowls or pots and went to out to get it. Tofu shops sell Tofu and Tofu related food such as: ATSUAGE=deep-fried tofu, GANMODOKI=??, ABURAGAGE=deep-fried been curd , OKARA=bean curd refuse. There are two types of Tofu, a smooth soft type ;;KINU=silk and rough hard type; ;Momen=cotton. It depends on how to puree. At Izakaya you may find Zaru Dofu, which was pureed by bamboo basket. Since it is a rough puree, you can enjoy taste of beans. Now we buy packed tofu at supermerket. But in local areas, I think some tofu shops will still sell tofu by street car.
Taste of Tofu is relataed to soy beans and water. Good and delicious water makes good TOFU. Near Tokyo, Oyama in Kanagawa pref area is famouse for their Tofu and Tofu dishes. In Tokyo you can try TOFU special Izakaya too. I have never tired Shigezo, Sorano Niwa , Tsuki no shizuku. However, I hear they are reasonable chain shops and they look nice.
By they way, since TOFU is such a traditional Japanese food, our image of a TOFU shop is still like this but Sanwa Touyu Inc made unique HP (Home Page) and Tofu. Click the fourth panel in left side. You can see their Tofu line up. They have tofu named "Blown by the wind, Tofu guy Johnny", "Handsome TOFU", "Soy milk Rock'n Roll" etc. They made cheesy 70's Japanese cinema mood. Each products has a copy "What a guy you are.. I will shout Johnnyyyyy"( I know, I know this does not make any sense". Then they open a shop "OTOKOMAE TOFUTEN = good looking guy Tofu shop" in Takashimaya in Futako Tmagawa. Nikotama ( nickname of Futako Tamagawa) is known wll as high sense town. But of course they don't change their way. I love their Funky web. he he he Then How is tofu? Everybody say it is delicious. Hmm I should try it as soon as possible.
Hello, Your site is great. Regards, Valintino Guxxi
Posted by: | Monday, August 20, 2007 at 12:52 AM
I love the "Otokomae Tofuten" link, thanks so much!
Posted by: ahmad | Tuesday, August 09, 2005 at 05:47 PM
Hi There
Tofu is one of my favorite food. I like to use sesame dressing to eat.
Posted by: Mari | Monday, August 08, 2005 at 07:46 AM
"Opposition to GMOs Starting to Take Root in Japan"
http://www.corpwatch.org/article.php?id=577
I noticed the label on Japanese tofu says something like 遺伝子組み換え... "Not using genetically modified soybeans". It is such a important food to me, because I don't eat meat. Let's keep it natural...
Posted by: Martin | Saturday, August 06, 2005 at 06:27 PM
The sound of that tofu van is strangely melancholy in a way. It almost makes me want to cry!
Posted by: Sarmoung | Wednesday, August 03, 2005 at 03:44 PM
I love tofu, but it is hard to get fresh tofu in Chicago. In Denver, there was Denver Tofu Company, which made fresh tofu locally. Maybe I need to go to Chinatown to buy freshly made tofu? Anyway, I usually buy House brand Tofu here and it is OK, but not like tofu in Japan, especially in Kyoto.
I don't know of any tofu izakaya in Tokyo, but there is one in Kyoto that was by my school 京都国際アカデミー, called Kyo-tofu Fujino. Everything was made from tofu, okara, or something else made of something used in making tofu. It was very delicious. Of course, there were other places you could get fresh, handmade tofu in Kyoto, but I don't know it well. Kyoto's tofu just seemed more delicious than tofu anywhere else.
My favorite to eat out is agedashi tofu, since I cannot cook it successfully. I like to make tofu dengaku at home.
Posted by: クレア (Claire) | Tuesday, August 02, 2005 at 11:30 AM
Nice site you have here.
My current Girlfreind and, hopefully, future wife is from your land. I wish to relocate to your land and teach English. Your site is a great resource for me.
I will try and help you with the proof reading from time to time but I am also very busy with 5 web sites.
I just wanted to say that your site is very nice. Keep putting posts up.
Posted by: Lumpy | Tuesday, August 02, 2005 at 10:24 AM
Wow, there are (or were) tofu cars in Japan? That's cool!
Posted by: Jennifer | Tuesday, August 02, 2005 at 09:04 AM
I think Shunju is also good for tofu. There are three of them in Tokyo: Hiroo/Nishi Azabu, Roppongi and Akasaka (Sanno Park Tower). Their dinner courses are very good, especially the one where they make the tofu at your table. If you have not been there, you should go. The one in Hiroo seems to be the nicest one.
Posted by: Kirk | Monday, August 01, 2005 at 11:55 PM