I am reminded of the “dough dumplings” I used to eat as a kid, a Jamaican delicacy topped with some West Indian curry.It was filling but at the right time, it hit the spot. These days, I am reluctant to eat any heavy starchy foods, although in Japan there are many and some very interesting and delicious.

Above is not a glamorous type of starch stick, made from water and flour it is still found in the grocery stores. Chikuwabu is commonly found in street vendors carts serving oden; a broth of dashi flavored and seasoned with a variety of boiling ingredients.

I think Japan is one of the fastest moving cities, moving away from its roots and traditions, slowly but surely. In ten or twenty years, no such foods will be present in the marketplace anymore – sayonara chikuwaba-wa.