After a long pandemic pause, interest is high as Japan and its capital city Tokyo welcome back tourists. With plenty of restarted lift from Air Canada, Canadians have a great opportunity to experience – and especially to taste – the pleasures of the land of the rising sun.
After four long years, Tokyo Tourism invited travel media to an event in Toronto focused on the city’s obsession with fine food and drink. The venue was the busy ki modern Japanese + bar restaurant in the city’s financial district, home to Canada’s largest Japanese sake program.
Tokyo Tourism's Shin Kawai addressed guests at ki modern japanese restaurant in Toronto. (Photo Credit: Bruce Parkinson)
Tokyo Tourism’s Shin Kawai hosted the gathering, positioning the busy city of 14 million as a destination where visitors can experience the vast depth and breadth of Japanese cuisine in one place.
He invited Adam Waxman, publisher of DINE Magazine and a committed Japanophile, to address the audience about the joys of Japanese cuisine in Tokyo.
“Everything you could want in Japan is there,” Waxman said. “Tokyo offers every cuisine from north to south, a full palate of culinary possibilities.”
Tokyoites are obsessed with food, a fact reinforced by its 200 Michelin-starred restaurants, more than any other city in the world.
DINE Magazine publisher Adam Waxman spoke of his passion for Japanese cuisine. (Photo Credit: Bruce Parkinson)
“The time, care, attention to detail and quality – at every level and budget – is amazing,” said Waxman. “It’s an experience unlike anywhere in the world.”
From “very satisfying sandwiches” served at 7-11 stores to a Michelin-starred restaurant focused solely on tempura, Tokyo offers food lovers an array of choices and price levels. Waxman talked about a restaurant that will serve a diverse, multi-course meal based on a single tuna fish, and alleyway pop-ups with just 5-10 seats that he called a “must-do experience.”
Speaking of ramen, the noodle-based soup with diverse toppings that has taken the culinary world by storm, Waxman said it would be easy to spend a week eating a different version each day. “Every region of Japan has their own special version. And Tokyo offers all of them.”
Sake, the Japanese rice wine that has also earned global favour, is another important element of Tokyo’s culinary scene. Guests at the Tokyo Tourism event were able to sample several varieties, guided by Michael Tremblay, the beverage director at ki. He holds the rare distinction as a ‘Sake Samurai,’ an honour bestowed upon people outside of Japan that champion the drink. Tremblay’s book ‘Japanese Craft Sake’ recently won a James Beard award.
Air Canada's Rocky Lo (left), with Akihito Yagi, Chairman, International Meibu-Kan Gojyu-Ryu Karate-do Association. (Photo Credit: Bruce Parkinson)
Also present at the event were representatives of Air Canada, which offers the lion’s share of seats between Canada and Japan. At peak periods, AC is offering a generous 1,100 seats each way, every day, between Canada and Japan, with up to two daily flights between Toronto and Tokyo, daily departures from Montreal and Vancouver, and flights between Vancouver and Osaka.
Rocky Lo, Senior Director, Asia Revenue Management & Sales at Air Canada, was on hand to promote the flights, and he pointed out that with more Japanese-inspired meal options aboard, the Japanese culinary journey can begin inflight.
Lo also promoted Aeroplan, which through a partnership with Bell, now enables members to message for free during flights. He also pointed out that Aeroplan members can earn points for purchasing sake at Ontario liquor stores, as well as at Starbucks locations. “The more you drink, the further you go,” joked Lo.
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