Which Japanese foods can I get for my short-term stockpile?
“I know Cup-o-Noodle. Are there any other Japanese instant foods?”
“I love Japanese snacks. Can I get some Japanese snacks for emergency stockpile?”
“Should I sample Japanese emergency food before I buy a lot of it?”
In an emergency situation, whether at home or in an evacuation shelter, your ability to function in a normal way may be severely limited. Emergency supplies will help you a lot. Having at least some emergency food in your home stockpile is better than nothing. I have already introduced some Japanese emergency foods in a previous post (#49), and I will continue, in this post, to introduce more. But before you buy any unfamiliar Japanese food, I ask that you please try a sample, first. If you like it, you can get more!
★Furikake
Furikake is a Japanese topping, made from a variety of different ingredients, like dried bonito, sesame seeds, salt, dried egg, seaweed, etc. There are many different types of furikake available, each with its own ingredients and flavor. Furikake provides Japanese people with calcium, iron, potassium and other nutrients, for a quick, easy, and healthy energy boost. We usually sprinkle furikake over steamed rice, rice balls, salads, tofu, pasta, and so on. It is good to have some furikake packs for emergencies.
★Instant Curry Sauce
Instant curry is ready-made curry sauce, with vegetables, in a retort pouch. Just put the unopened pouch in hot water to warm the pre-cooked curry, and serve over steamed rice, udon noodles or with dipping bread. It gives us energy and helps us recover from fatigue. It’s delicious! Instant curry will help you in an emergency situation.
Curry is the unsung hero of meals (check out this page) and a national food in Japan (and this one).
★Sweet Snacks
Kanpan is a Japanese-style hardtack, which is a dense, cracker-like food. It has a slightly sweet, light sesame flavor, and it has calcium, to boot. It’s inexpensive and long-lasting. Kanpan comes with rock sugar, in the can. The rock sugar stimulates the secretion of saliva, which makes it easy to eat Kanpan without water.
Youkan is a Japanese jelly-dessert made of red bean paste, agar, and sugar. Youkan can be stored for long periods of time without being refrigerated (unopened). Youkan does not melt easily, unlike chocolates, so it can be carried conveniently as energy bars.
These are other Japanese Emergency snacks.
★Instant Coffee and Green Tea
Hand drip style coffee looks nice (and it’s tasty!), but it makes a lot of trash. Anyway, I did get some for my moment of bliss.
I also got coffee sticks because they generate less trash. Each person has their own preferences for coffee; please choose your own favorite style. I have this AGF Blendy stick.
I have green tea powder and green tea sticks. These are very easy to carry and very easy to use. I go on trips with these.
I hope you enjoyed this introduction to some Japanese foods, for your emergency stockpile. As I find other Japanese emergency foods, I will share them in future posts. You don’t need to limit your enjoyment of these Japanese foods to emergencies only. You can enjoy them anytime.
See you next time.
Remember, “Protecting your life by yourself“（自分の命は自分で守る). You need to survive first, and then you need your emergency supply. No matter how well you prepared your emergency supplies, if you die, then it will have been all for nothing. First and foremost, keep your health up all the time, and build your stamina so you can evacuate as quickly as possible, if you need to. Stay healthy.