Japan and Iceland are both island nations surrounded by cold, rich seas, and both built their food traditions around preserving what the ocean gives. It should be no surprise, then, that savoury depth plays a big role on both menus. The word umami may be Japanese, but the flavour turns up in Reykjavík kitchens more often than most visitors expect.

The science that ties them together

Umami was named in 1908 by the Japanese chemist Kikunae Ikeda, who traced the savoury taste of kombu broth to glutamate. Later research added inosinate, found in dried bonito flakes, and guanylate, found in dried shiitake. The key insight is that drying, curing and fermenting all concentrate these compounds. That is exactly what traditional Icelandic food preservation does, even if nobody in a farmhouse a century ago would have used the word.

Icelandic foods with an umami punch

• Harðfiskur, wind-dried cod or haddock, often eaten with butter. Its intense savoury taste is close in spirit to katsuobushi.
• Hákarl, fermented and hung shark, famous for its strong smell and long finish.
• Kjötsúpa, a lamb soup slow-cooked with root vegetables, where the broth does the heavy lifting.
• Langoustine from the south-east coast, often served in rich, buttery soups.

A Japanese cook would recognise the logic immediately: start with something preserved or long-simmered, then let it carry the dish.

Eating out in Reykjavík like a local

Reykjavík’s food scene has grown well beyond the tourist staples, and several restaurants now pair Icelandic seafood with Japanese technique, from cured fish to dashi-style broths made with local kelp. Evenings in the city tend to run late, especially during football season, when pubs fill up with fans following the English and Icelandic leagues. For many locals, a match is part of the night out, and Icelandic-language guides to veðmálasíður are where some of them compare betting sites before kick-off. Betting is for adults only (18+), and it is best treated like the meal itself: something to enjoy in moderation, with a limit set in advance.

Bringing the idea home

You do not need a ticket to Reykjavík to cook in this spirit. Try poaching white fish in a simple kombu broth, finishing it with a spoon of browned butter, and serving it with boiled potatoes and dill. Or add a little white miso to a lamb and root vegetable stew; the miso boosts the savoury base without hiding the lamb. Even a plate of dried fish with good butter makes a fine snack alongside a cup of green tea, a pairing that sounds strange until you taste how well the two savoury notes meet. The lesson from both islands is the same. Patience, preservation and good broth build the deepest flavour, and that is what umami has always been about.