For many North Americans in Japan, a case of gastronomic homesickness can easily be remedied at the nearest burger or pizza joint. But for someone craving the cuisine of the American South, the local Kentucky Fried Chicken will never, ever do.

Southern cooking is quite regional: expats from South Carolina crave its distinct "Lowcountry" fare; New Orleans natives long for Cajun and Creole flavors; and the components of what makes up a proper barbecue can cause feuds even among close friends. But the meal Colonel Sanders and his minions try to re-create is part of a large menu of dishes known to most Southerners as the food of picnics, family dinners, church gatherings and any other place people congregate to eat and socialize.

Perhaps no one can re-create your family recipes, but with a little legwork and a wad of cash, many forms of Southern cuisine and its close cousin, Soul Food, are attainable on this side of the Pacific.