You might have heard that Japanese food is all about delicate flavor; that seasoning tends to be muted to allow the flavors of the main ingredients to shine. Despite this, , the current food trend is all about rich, strong flavors. These days packages of , , (a beer-like beverage) and??are often emblazoned with the words ¡°noukou¡± (rich) or ¡°koi¡± (strong flavored).

A recent program on TV Asahi presented by Yohei Onishi demonstrated that in supermarkets there are now 38 products labelled noukou or koi. Out of these , by S&B Foods, has been a hit among consumers. There are two varieties of Koi Stew, one beef flavored and one b¨¦chamel cream. Dense, creamy sauces are the reason many Japanese shy away from French cuisine, citing the fact that they are just too rich and difficult to digest, so it¡¯s interesting that S&B¡¯s product has been so successful.

Richer flavors are found not only in processed foods. There¡¯s been a trend in restaurants in recent years for ramen broths to be thicker and richer. We asked Brian MacDuckston, author of the blog??for his thoughts on this trend: ¡°It¡¯s true, there has been a recent trend to make stronger flavors in ramen. In the past, the soup was simply a vessel to keep the noodles hot. Now, the noodles are a vessel to deliver the soup, often motor-oil-thick, to your mouth. Chefs have a?difficult?task, though, as the long boiling times required for thickness can easily result in a bitter broth.¡±

So why the change in attitudes? Economic analyst Kazuyuki Hirano states that in this bad economic climate when salaries are taking a hit, people want to indulge in small luxuries or small extravagances. In summary, the recession is pushing this boom for richer flavors. Consumers on the Asahi show commented, ¡°If it costs the same, I¡¯d prefer a rich taste¡± and ¡°I feel deep flavors are tastier.¡±

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Photo by ?via Flickr