> Found this in this morning's paper. I've never heard of it but it seems
> to be a big deal in Japan.

> http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/ap...ID=20103170311

Not particularily a 'big deal' there, just one of the many foods commonly
eaten. It's easy, fast to make a bento with it as one of the items added to
the box, and doesnt particularily suffer being sliced up the night before
then removed from the fridge and carried to work and eaten unrefridgerated
some 5 hours later.

It's really not that significantly different from our common 'chicken breast
loaf' you can get at the store in various pre-cooked forms. Tori means
chicken. 'Hamu' is 'engrish' for pork. The item doesnt 'taste' like pork,
but has a mouthfeel a bit like white-meat cooked pork or perhaps the 'ham'
section of a pork.

It wasnt as popular where I lived, but I saw it. There was one spot where I
saw it alot but I'm not sure which one. I am thinking one of these 3:
Kagoshima, Osaka, or Shimoda. Of the 3 if I had to make best 'guess' is was
Shimoda.

Grin, if any of you ever get to Shimoda, about 4 maybe 6 streets from the
pier area (streets run parallel mostly to it at that section then curve
around to the cultural center across a bridge) there is a wonderful little
hole in the wall 'Italian restraunt'. It had been there for 15 or more
years so probably still is. Lots of locals eating there. Do not go
expecting true 'Italian' because they have fusioned the recipes to match
Japanese tastes (suitable since otherwise they couldnt stay open there).
The food is wonderful and suprising at the same time in how they interpreted
it. If you go there just anticipating 'good eats' without insisting that it
taste like what you think that named dish should be, you'll find 4-5star
food at a very affordable (by Japan standards) price.

(Google Shimoda Japan or 'black ship festival'. With the exception of the
war years, we've annually shown up for ages there to support a local
celebration. Almost all the locals dress in period costume and all Navy
wear uniform the entire time. We play games with one another from checkers
to volleyball. Lots of fun by all and the local area gets a huge boost in
economy as a major tourist attraction at that time).