Fish from the surrounding seas have always been a key element in Japanese cuisine. A thousand years ago, kamaboko was developed to preserve fish that easily goes off, making a paste then curing, steaming and cooking it. It became the custom to eat it in celebratory meals. Kamaboko has many regional variations, the most popular kind being sold mounted on a thin wooden board. The famous Toyama specialty, Saiku Kamaboko, creates sculptures representing traditionally lucky motifs like sea bream, cranes and turtles, and is used as the centerpiece at celebrations of important life events like weddings.

VIDEO BY MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF JAPAN