Fukuya Mentaiko

What makes Fukuya Mentaiko worth planning around is less the menu than the timing — get that right and the rest follows.

Mentaiko — spicy marinated cod roe — was essentially invented in Fukuoka. The story begins in the late 1940s when Toshio Kawahara, a Korean-Japanese entrepreneur, adapted the Korean kimchi-seasoned pollack roe (myeongnan-jeot) into a milder, more complex Japanese version seasoned with sake, mirin, and dried chili.

Fukuya's mentaiko is bright coral-red, silky, and savory-sweet with a gentle heat that lingers. It is sold whole sac (tsubu mentaiko) or mixed (karashi mentaiko nori). The Tenjin flagship store has a tasting counter where you can try three or four varieties on plain rice — the best ¥200 you will spend in Japan. The product comes in temperature-controlled packaging designed for air travel.