Tobiko Theater

The cold front breaks away from the southeastern corner of Siberia and heads east toward the Sea of Japan where it sponges up moisture. The front, heavier now, continues east towards the largest island in the Japanese chain, Honshu, until it’s progress is stalled by the Japanese Alps in the Nagano prefecture. The mixture of the air’s temperature and water in and around the front cause snow to fall and, with the eastern side of the Hakuba Valley slightly higher than the western, the front’s western progress is stalled while the snowing continues. We step off the bus in Hakbua into the snow and head toward the ski lodge.

On our last night there the three of us eat dinner at a sushi restaurant, which is known for its omakase menu, colloquially referred to as the chef’s choice.  The fuller Japanese expression, omakase shimasu, translates as I trust the chef, which Jackson and I do while sitting at the sushi bar.

We explain to him, however, that trusting the chef really means trusting him and no matter what he places in front of us, we have to eat it otherwise we risk offending the chef. Jackson, a student of Japanese, agrees, but we’re a bit skeptical. 

Jackson is doing a great job and only a few pieces remain when he grabs for the tobiko (the flying fish roe) which is wrapped seaweed. This was the piece, my least favorite, which worried me the most. He deftly picks it up with his chopsticks and pops the tobiko into his mouth and begins to chew. His face contorts, eyes water, and mouth  opens. My wife and I exchange a knowing, parental look - we know these signs - he’s going to throw up the tobiko all over the sushi bar, chef, and other diners. As he starts to gag, however, out of his mouth slithers a six-inch inch, rolled up, piece of seaweed. 

I exhale, relief washing over me — ”Oh, thank god, he’s choking”
______

Oshibori - An oshibori (おしぼり or お絞り) or hot towel in English is a wet hand towel offered to customers in places such as restaurants or bars, and used to clean one's hands before eating (Wikipedia)