Tokyo Take Noko Cafe: Takumi Yamamoto, who is 26 years old and works in an office in Hyogo, had a weird dinner in Tokyo. He really liked eating cricket curry, silkworm sushi, and water bug cider at the Take-Noko café.
Yamamoto is part of a growing group of people around the world who eat bugs. Bugs are turning into a safe and healthy food option.
The Take-Noko café has terrariums with beetles, ants, and cockroaches, as well as paintings of insects. The menu that features insects is really fun.
People all around the world began eating bugs because the United Nations said that insects could provide enough protein to feed 9.7 billion people by 2050. The reason why more people are eating bugs is because the cattle industry is worried about the environment and wants to find cheaper and healthier options in case of bad weather or conflicts.
Throughout history, bugs have been consumed as food in Japan. In places where there wasn’t much meat and fish available, people ate grasshoppers, silkworms, and wasps. After World War II, there was an increase in food shortages.
As people figure out how to raise crickets and mealworms for eating, there might be more meals that include bugs.
Pasco, which is a bakery from Japan, creates cakes and snacks using cricket flour.
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Nichirei, a company that makes processed food, and Nippon Telegraph and Telephone, a big telecom company, have put money into insect companies. This shows that the market for insects is getting bigger.
Tagame Cider is a bubbly drink made with extract from large water insects and garnished with dried bugs. It’s really popular! There are bugs showing up in school lunches and snacks because they can be used in many different ways. The media has observed this pattern.
The bug menu at Take-Noko’s café has a variety of bugs to choose from, which attracts many customers. The café is usually busy on weekends. They create silkworm “sashimi” and cricket soup.
The CEO of Takeo Inc. and the person who created the café, Takeo Saito, thought that eating bugs would be fun.
The Take-Noko café teaches its brave customers about eating insects, while people all over the world are looking for ways to find sustainable food.
The Take-Noko Cafe is a place where you can go to enjoy some delicious food and drinks.
Our Reader’s Queries
How much does it cost to go to maid cafe in Japan?
Maid cafes differ from regular cafes in that they require an entry fee of around 500-700 yen per person, in addition to the cost of food or drinks. Customers can also take photos with the maid staff for a small extra fee.
What is the Japanese food for insects?
In modern-day Japan, insects are still consumed, although not as widely as before. For instance, in some areas outside of Tokyo, a delicacy known as inago no tsukudani consists of locusts cooked in soy sauce, sugar, or mirin. Give it a try before judging it!