Tofu may seem like an odd ingredient—a sort of bland, white custard. Yet it remains an essential element of Japanese cuisine.

Vegetarians know it well, for tofu is a significant source of protein and a recognized meat substitute. Prepared in particular ways, it can even take on the appearance of meat. Hard to believe when looking at this simultaneously firm and fragile block? I understand the skepticism.

While tofu blocks may look identical on the surface, several varieties exist. The most common are momen-dôfu and kinu-dôfu. The former, literally "cotton tofu," is relatively firm and resilient. The latter, "silk tofu," breaks easily (making it considerably more challenging to eat with chopsticks).

Tofu is undoubtedly an incredibly common ingredient found in countless Japanese dishes, ranging from miso soup to mâbô-dôfu (a blend of tofu and ground meat seasoned with spicy Chinese sauce—one of my personal favorites) to nabé and o-den. Tofu subtly makes its way into virtually every type of preparation. It's also eaten simply dusted with katsuobushi (鰹節, bonito flakes) and accompanied by a touch of shôga (生姜, ginger)… mmm!

While tofu forms part of the foundation of Japanese cuisine, it can also be elevated to fine dining. Such is the case at a restaurant I discovered, Ukaï Tôfu (うかいとうふ), whose menu consists almost exclusively of tofu or tofu-based dishes and their derivatives.

Here you might savor tofu bathed in "tofu water"—essentially a soy milk broth—as well as fried tofu, sesame tofu, and more. The surprising thing is that you never tire of it.

In closing, I hope to have convinced you that tofu is far from the bland mass some claim it to be. Rather, it exemplifies the very heart of Japanese cuisine: refinement in simplicity.