Seasonal and Regional Foods

The seasons in Japan last for about three months each, with each new season bringing different produce and a changing catch of fish from the surrounding seas. Geographically, Japan stretches through 16 degrees of latitude, starting in the north alongside Russia to South Korea and the Pacific Ocean at the other extreme, with local produce varying from region to region. Japan is also a country with huge mountain ranges running through the centre from north to south, covering some 75–80 per cent of the land. The produce, as a result, varies not only by season and region but also by altitude.