Cider from water bugs - how Japan is moving towards insectivorousness (5 photos)

There is a cafe in Japan called Take-Noko, where all the dishes are insect-based, okay. You can order cricket curry, silkworm sashimi. But the new drink confuses even the most avid insect eaters.





Serving a dish at an insect restaurant. Well, uh... are there 7 calories? Or 5?

When people eat all sorts of bugs and caterpillars, it is called entomophagy. It began to be taken seriously around the world after the United Nations recognized insects as a sustainable source of protein for feeding the world's population. And all because it will probably increase to 9.7 billion people by 2050. And there will not be enough food for everyone, there are concerns.

Is it a matter of habit in Japan?



Japanese wasp cookies

Insects are considered a more economical food. Although some locals consider insects to be simply disgusting, Japan has a rich culinary history of eating insects.

Grasshoppers, silkworms and wasps have traditionally been eaten in landlocked regions where meat and fish are scarce.





Sashimi from all sorts of creatures, looks a bit like a horror movie

And this practice became widespread against the background of food shortages during and after World War II. I already wrote about cookies with whole wasps baked in them. I would be curious to try it, you can even order delivery, but everyone writes that the wasps are there just for beauty and do not give any taste.

But then Tagame Cider appeared. It is a drink made from the extract of giant water bugs and decorated with a dried version of the insect! For beauty, it is beautiful, right?



That same Tagami cider with a huge water bug, yummy!

The term "crickets" has also become popular in Japanese media recently after reports of powdered insects being used in school lunches and snacks. These are actually different insects, but the Japanese call them crickets generically.

Truly, if you want to change national habits, start with schoolchildren. In just eight years, the entire nation will be super-tolerant of any insect food.



I picked the most disgusting one in the picture, don't you agree?

Judging by the reviews, the Japanese say "interesting". Knowing the Japanese, who are overly afraid to express their opinion, it sounds like "this is disgusting, but I don't want to seem rude". Or maybe the Japanese have changed in recent years, and this is true?