​Food Japan 2017 - Showcase Of Seasonal Produce & Prefecture Specialties

​Food Japan is back for its sixth edition till 28 October 2017. This annual event provides a platform for F&B businesses in Japan and Southeast Asia to showcase ingredients, seasonal produce, prefecture specialties, and innovative food technologies that Japan has to offer. 200 exhibitors spanning 37 Japanese prefectures will be represented this year showcasing some 3,000 products, with 50% of the exhibitors new to Singapore to present unique items that have yet to be launched in Southeast Asia. Open to public at S$4 per person, visit the official website oishii-world.com/en/ for more information.​

For members of the public interested to visit the event, a word of advice - do visit early as soon as the exhibition opens as many products may be sold out before the event opens to the public. It will also be common to meet exhibitors like 21 Max New Solution (Booth C28) who will refuse public queries about their "new solutions".

Japanese Tea Ceremony

At Food Japan, Merlion Wayfarer had the opportunity to sample a Japanese tea ceremony from a Japanese tea master from Shizuoka. Located at Booth E02, friendly booth staff invited us into their booth.

Artistic placemats adorn each seat...

The tea master explains each step of the process for that top quality brew...

The finished cup of tea. About the "dust" on the surface of the tea?
Don't worry, she says, these are fine tea hairs. To show that the tea is from the first harvest.

Each teapot is good for 2-3 brews with an optimal temperature of 70-80 degrees Celsius.
How to gauge that temperature? "As long as you can hold it in your hands," she says.

Each cup is thoughtfully served with a green tea biscuit.
There is a "hole" in the biscuit and a caterpillar cartoon on the packaging.
"To show that our tea has no preservatives and pesticides," she explains.

Drink this up, she says. It is full of healthy nutrients that are "good for the skin".
She tells us that she is 60 years of age, and attributes her good complexion to the tea.

The "secret recipe" to a good brew...

Thank you for your excellent service and insightful sharing, Shizuoka...