What could be fresher than sushi made from Japan’s catch of the day?
© Yada Wama/ Ninja Food Tours

Yuma Wada Turns Trivia into Virtual Travel to Tokyo

A funny thing happened on the way to Yuma Wada’s Japanese food tour and trivia night. You know how it is. One minute you’re folding the laundry or microwaving leftovers. Next minute you’re at a fish market in Tokyo.

Maybe I should explain.

Collectively speaking, it was an ordinary weeknight, work had stolen our weekend, the kids were restless, and supper smelled . . . uninspiring. We’d all been “at home” nearly 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, for eleven long months.

We —me and several others from ages 9 to 65—needed a change of scene. Appetizing experiences and cultural insight. Creativity in good company. Something fun. (Remember fun?) And so, from coast to coast, country to country, we converged on Tokyo. Virtually, of course.

A much-missed travel pleasure: exploring dream destinations on foot.
© Yuma Wada/ Ninja Food Tours

“Honey? Just popping out to Japan. Back in an hour.”

There to greet us was Yuma Wada. Tokyo restaurateur, licensed sake sommelier, and self-trained sushi chef, Yuma is the founder of Ninja Food Tours.

“I grew up in a family that runs a traditional Japanese sweets factory, so food is something I cannot run away from,” he says.

While Yuma’s own journey started in Japan, he arrived at his calling by way of a background in corporate finance and extensive travels across Europe and the United States. He found other countries’ versions of Japanese food interesting—in a good way.

“Nihonshu wa ryori wo erabanai.” Highly versatile, “sake never fights with food.”
© Yuma Wada/ Ninja Food Tours

Okay, there were occasional causes for bemusement. Like the “Japanese” restaurant in Wisconsin that served Korean and Thai food. Or the California bar that served “sake bombs,” shot glasses of sake tossed into beer, which was then knocked back for maximum ill effect. Not quite the Japanese custom of savoring a fine rice wine.

“When I saw that,” says Yuma diplomatically, “I was like, oh wow, this country is something different.”

Yet wherever he went (including Wisconsin), Yuma found that  people loved Japanese food and were somewhat familiar with its variety. Wouldn’t it be exciting to extend their range and provide the cultural context?

Oh, Tokyo!

Yuma returned home with a whole new purpose. He founded a tour company and brought other passionate foodies onboard. Together, they created a rich banquet of local experiences—guided walks, cooking classes, online food shows, blogs detailing hidden gems, and more.

Global locals: Yuma with fellow Ninjas Julia, Nathan, and Amanda.
Julia, un amante Giappone, (“fan of Japan”) grew up in Italy, Amanda in Quebec.
© Yuma Wada/ Ninja Food Tours

Three years later, Ninja Food Tours was garnering top-ten ratings in a city that welcomed 15 million visitors a year. Ninja Food Tours drew visitors from around the world to Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka. Yuma’s work was being featured on CNN and other major news channels. Meanwhile, Japan had spent more than $25 billion on preparations for the Olympics.

Then the world went into lock-down.

So . .  . No Tokyo?

Today, most of us can’t visit our local Japanese restaurants, let alone Japan. So Yuma has come up with a clever way to bring Japan to us—a simple but surprisingly rich hour of virtual travel. Presented as a trivia quiz, it’s also:

• a quest for culinary inspiration
• a family-friendly tour
• a delightful way to socialize
• a primer for in-person travel to Japan

Unlike a travel documentary, it offers plenty of interaction. Unlike a cooking class, there’s no prep needed.  You’ll come away with a feast of insights into Japanese food, even if you already know your ikura from your izakaya.

Meet the New Chef—You!

The premise of the quiz is half the fun: You’re welcomed as a newly hired chef in Tokyo. As part of your culinary training, you tag along with a master chef who presents you with challenges. Together, you explore Japan’s biggest fish market, the city’s kitchenware capital, and more.

Your master chef (portrayed by Ninja guide Kaz) shares cutting-edge culinary skills.
© Yuma Wada/ Ninja Food Tours

Now I can’t say too much, or I’d give away trivia-quiz answers. But what I can share is that the challenges are varied, creative, and instructive. The quiz is an icebreaker, fun to play with folks you know or folks you’ve just met. You can apply much of what you learn the next time you cook at home or order take-out.

One of my first stops in Tokyo will be Yuma’s restaurant, Sake Bar Doron.
© Yuma Wada/ Ninja Food Tours

Memories of Travels Past Future

Given my thwarted plans to visit Japan in 2020, I was surprised at what I gleaned from this Japanese food tour—virtual travel, for sure. In addition to expanding my culinary skills, I got my questions answered on everything from etiquette and edible gardening to locally-beloved, less touristed neighborhoods. Oh, I see: I now have good memories of a place I’ve not yet been. And the happy prospect of saying, “Kon’nichiwa, Yuma! It’s so nice to see you again.”

• Yuma Wada is beta-testing a new Japanese Food Trivia Night. Join FREE—until February 5. Register here.
  
• Join all live events—Japanese Food Trivia Night, here; Sake Class, here; Kitchenware Shopping in Kappabashi, here.
• Follow Ninja Food Tours on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
• Dining solo? Discover food-themed Japanese shows, here. (I love “Midnight Diner.”)

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