SAVOR JAPAN

Tender hamaguri clams redolent of wide-ranging coastal waters spawn from May to October, and are most delectable from February to April. As customary treats for Hinamatsuri (Doll Festival celebrating girls' growth every March 3), they give celebrants fine reasons to feel lucky. Served in soup at wedding parties, hamaguri are eternal symbols of fufu wago (marital harmony) for couples that hope to be as naturally compatible as the pair of shells that contain their distinctive delicacy.

Whoever invented the Chinese character for both 'spring' and 'chrysanthemum' likely considered those subjects inseparable after experiencing the delightful smell and taste of fresh shungiku chrysanthemum greens blooming as the weather warmed. Now, various kinds of shungiku grow from November to March in Japan, lending fresh crunch and astringent taste to sukiyaki, fugu (blowfish) nabe and other hot pot dishes, stir fries, fresh salads and tempura.

What makes Hakkinton (or platinum) pork one of the finest breeds of pork? Pigs carefully bred and raised on sprawling farms in the natural environs of the Ouu mountain valley in the town of Hanamaki, Iwate Prefecture. A diet rich in minerals and spring water. Beautiful marbling for buttery soft, smooth texture. Delectably fragrant, mildly sweet flavor. No wonder seasoned gourmets around the world love it for tonkatsu deep-fried cutlets, shabu shabu hot pots, roast pork and other meaty dishes.
* A product of Takagen Seibaku Co., Ltd.

Comfortably savor seasonal cuisine and its perfect match, Japanese Sake (rice wine), around a low table with deep leg space (hori-kotatsu).

Fragrant early spring Japanese vegetables sprout vivid green and are rich in nutrition as well as tasty. Start with the distinctive aroma and texture of udo (aralia cordata). Move on to nanohana (field mustard), symbolic of spring's awakening. And don't forget sweet, tender spring cabbage...

In Japan, they say, "those who eat seasonally live well and long". Early spring catches include cod with pale-as-snow flesh and a delicate flavor in nabe (hot pot) dishes, Sayori (halfbeak) perfect for tempura (deep fried), and Hobo (sea robin) salted and grilled or sliced as sashimi.