As it happens, the home of momiji tempura–Minō Park (also written Minoo or Minoh Park) lies just north of Osaka, about 30 minutes from the hotel I’d booked near Osaka Esaka Station. Better still, Minō Park is also known for its lovely autumn foliage, and home to one of the top-ten waterfalls in Japan (the eponymous Minō Falls).
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Hunting the Holy Grail of Japanese Snack Foods
Last Sunday was my turn at Murder is Everywhere, so I took the blog in search of one of Japan’s most elusive seasonal treats. Click over and see where the journey took me, and what it was I set out to find…
Read moreIn Search of: Momiji Tempura (Fried Maple Leaves)
Momijigari, or “viewing autumn leaves,” is a traditional Japanese pastime during the autumn months, when many Japanese trees (including maples, ginko, and other deciduous species) transform from lush, green summer tones: Japanese cuisine is seasonal by nature, and autumn favorites like roasted sweet potatoes (yaki-imo) and chestnuts begin to appear as the season turns. Regional specialties appear in autumn, too, including one I’m hoping to try when I head to Japan later this month: tempura maple leaves (momiji no tempura), a specialty served at Minō Park in Northern Osaka. The maple leaves are pickled in salt for a year, and then fried in a sweetened sesame batter, producing
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