Laura Padgett, age 10, of Louisville, Ky., for her question:

WHAT IS SUKIYAKI?

Many travel'ers to Japan seem to face the food with a measure of trepidation, having heard much about the Japanese yen for raw fish, slices of octopus and pots of seaweed soup. But visitors to Japan  and to Japanese restaurants located in every part of the world  very quickly learn that there is a tremendous amount of wonderful food available, even for the most conservative of eaters.

The Japanese put a great deal of emphasis on the way the table is set and the appearance of the food. In the clear soup, for instance, the cook may place a sliver of carrot cut in the shape of a star. Meat and vegetables are placed artistically on plates with almost mathematical precision.

Food in Japan is regarded as an aesthetic experience, and the cook puts his know how and artistry to work on every meal.

Sukiyaki is the classic dish of Japan. It can be made with either chicken or beef, although beef is used most often. Included is a soy sauce base that is also made with broth, sugar, pepper and other spices.

For sukiyaki, oil is first heated in a skillet which is usually placed on the low dining table. Watching the preparation of this traditional dish makes a marvelous show. Beef cut crossgrain and paper thin is quickly browned in the skillet and then pushed to one side. Next is added the sauce along with a cup of sliced onions, a cup of slivered celery, a cup of tender bamboo shoots, a cup of fresh sliced mushrooms and a cup of sliced scallions.

The vegetables are quickly sauteed and then cooked another three minutes or so. It is then served with either udon (thin noodles) or vermicelli. And add some steamed rice, too. Oh, it's delicious! Please pass the chopsticks.

You can end your fine Japanese dinner with a bit of pickle, called konomono. The pickle, also called daikon, can be made from the giant white radish.

Try these additional Japanese treats: momozono kan, which is bean jelly, and tofu, which is a delicate curd made from soybeans.

Japanese green tea is the national beverage, and if you're lucky, perhaps someday you can see a symbolic tea ceremony, tscha no yu..

After you've tried sukiyaki, put tempura on your must eat list. Many Japanese restaurants have tempura counters where diners surround the chef who carefully cooks small amounts of fish and vegetables in boiling gingelly oil. When the diners have finished their whole string beans, or sweet potatoes or shrimp, the chef cooks up another small additional amount so that the food will always be hot.