I live in the city of Cologne, Germany. About 50 kilometers north of us is the city of Duesseldorf. Although it isn't really very far away, to a Cologne resident, it is another world, filled with residents we regard as "snobby" and "arrogant." If you can imagine, they even have a different name for beer! Of course, Duesseldorfers think of us as "low class" and "rude," although I can't imagine why. All this rivalry goes back some centuries, I've heard, to the times when Romans inhabited Cologne, made it the great city that it is today, and initiated the jealous feelings Duesseldorf has for Cologne.
You wouldn't think that Germany could be home to great Japanese food, which is even better than what I've had in San Francisco. But it is. The reason is because Düsseldorf hosts Europe's third largest Japanese expatriate population. London is home to the most Japanese living outside of their home country, with Paris coming in a close second.
How did this happen? After World War II, the Japanese were interested in possibilities of working with German industrial companies. The location on the Rhine River was also ideal for transportation routes. Today, all sorts of Japanese industries have settled in Düsseldorf, including those in the Japanese banking, insurance, and shipping areas. Additionally, service companies have cropped up to serve those business people and their families. Therefore there are lots of really great Japanese restaurants and shops in an area known as Little Tokyo on the Rhine.
The Japanese area is packed into a densely crowded area around Immermann Street, home to several grocery stores, gift shops, bookstores, clothing stores, a Nikko Hotel and many restaurants. On any Saturday morning the streets are filled with Japanese families doing their weekly shopping.
I prefer one of the larger grocery stores because of their premium choice of Japanese delicacies. Unfortunately, since I am probably the only "Japanese" who can't read the labels, the storeowners haven't gotten around to changing the labels to English. And with food terms, my German is sometimes a bit lacking. So I try to identify the pictures on the labels and hope when I get home and open up the can or package, I am chewing on something I recognize. This has not always been the case.
As it turns out, there are several different types of nori for wrapping rice. Some have not been so tasty. But not to be daunted, I continue on a trial-and-error basis to try my luck. This particular store also has a very inviting selection of fresh slabs of sushi and pre-cooked teriyaki chicken. They even have fresh ika and tako, which are my favorites.
The only big problem for me is standing at the counter trying to order something. When it's my turn, I am asked something in Japanese, no doubt along the lines of "What can I help you with?" But being unsure, I first say in German that I am very sorry but I don't speak Japanese. This is always greeted with an astonished reaction, which must be akin to, "You sure look Japanese, are you mentally deficient or pretending not to understand us?" In any case, with lots of finger pointing, because most of the clerks don't speak German, I manage to get my order in.
After all that shopping, I am usually famished and run over to my favorite restaurant, Na Ni Wa. This is an "inexpensive" Japanese restaurant, specializing in noodles. By inexpensive, I mean a bowl of udon costs about 12 dollars. And tea isn't free. Still, In Germany that is cheap for a Japanese meal. This restaurant is so popular, that it is rare when a line hasn't formed outside the door. But the wait is worth it, and you know it's a great place by the many Japanese who are also waiting in line.
Oh, now I've rambled on so much about Little Tokyo, that I didn't have time to mention the EKO House of Japanese Culture, across the Rhine in the suburb of Niederkassel. It has a real Japanese Buddhist temple, a serene Japanese garden and an original teahouse. But on the other hand, I have to tempt you with something for a future article, so I'll stop here with the thought of steaming udon urging me to soon make another trip to Duesseldorf.
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