Shio-yaki. Pure fish.

Fish and salt, on fire. The fisher’s meal. That could be essence of Japanese food.

Aji are small common local fish (Japanese Jack Mackerel, chinchard). You empty them, rinse, sprinkle a little natural sea salt. Then grill on a brasero, camp fire, in a fish oven, under the grill or broiler… That’s all. That’s de-li-cious.

You can see like a zip on these fish. That’s how you immediately distinguish them from sardines in the shop, as shape, color and size are similar otherwise.
It’s not as fat too.

A miso soup with daikon radish and spinach. Genmai brown rice, with ground sansho pepper.

Sashimi konnyaku, with sweet chili sauce and spinach.
Add natto and wasabi too. That makes a meal. It’s ready in 10 minutes (provided the rice was put to cook before).