Soybeans Are An Essential Part Of Japanese Food

November 15, 2024

Soybeans (daizu) and soy products have long been commonly used in Japanese food. Soybeans contain one of the highest protein contents among all edible plants. Wh …read more

Shumai

November 1, 2024

Shumai is recognized in Japan as dim sum in Chinese cuisine. Gyoza (fried dumplings), also a Chinese dim sum, is very popular in Japan, where yaki-gyoza is …read more

Parent & Child Rice Bowl Dish

September 27, 2024

The word “oyako, ” which means parent and child in Japanese, comes from the use of chicken and eggs in this recipe. “Don” means big bowl …read more

Chilled Coffee Milk Originated in Japan?

August 23, 2024

Coffee milk (kohi-gyunyu) is a mixture of milk with coffee and a considerable amount of sugar, and is usually served cold. Its color is milky brown and it is in …read more

Imagawa-Yaki

July 26, 2024

Imagawa-yaki is a Japanese confectionery made of flour, eggs, and sugar dissolved in water. The dough is poured into a metal circular mold about 7 cm in diameter …read more

Goya

June 28, 2024

Goya, or nigauri, is Japanese for bitter gourd. "Niga" means "bitter" and "uri" means "gourd.” So bitter gourd is a rare vegetable with a bitter taste and its …read more

Deep-Fried Ground Meat Cutlets

May 25, 2024

Menchikatsu are made by mixing 100% ground beef or ground beef and pork with chopped onions, kneading the mixture, forming it into hamburger patties or balls, …read more

Nabana

April 13, 2024

Nabana is a cruciferous vegetable, the same as turnip, cabbage, napa cabbage, broccoli and so on. Generally, the edible nabana are cut rape blossoms that have …read more

Adzuki Beans

March 30, 2024

Adzuki beans are an ancient food since they are mentioned in Japan's oldest book, Kojiki (compiled in 712). Nowadays, adzuki beans are widely used in many …read more

Katsudon

February 24, 2024

Katsudon is among the big bowl rice dishes. The bowl dishes have their roots in the fact that the main dish is placed on top of the rice and can be quickly eaten …read more

Daifuku Fruit

January 27, 2024

Daifuku fruit is Japanese sweets previously introduced with "Daifuku Mochi Varieties". Daifuku fruit is daifuku mochi with fruit inside, specifically fruit …read more

Kabocha Distributed In Japan

December 30, 2023

Most Japanese translate kabocha into English as pumpkin. However, the kabocha that is actually distributed in Japan is buttercup winter squash (kabocha squash), …read more

Ebi Senbei

November 25, 2023

Senbei (rice crackers) are snacks made from rice, deep-fried and seasoned with soy sauce or salt. Ebi senbei are snacks made from shrimp and starch or flour, …read more

Miru-Kurepu Keki

September 29, 2023

Miru-kurepu is a cake consisting of a crepe and a layer of whipped cream or custard cream. Depending on the product, fruits and other ingredients are placed in …read more

Shine Muscat Grapes

August 25, 2023

The Shine Muscat was created in Hiroshima, Japan in 1988 and registered as a variety in 2006. The history of the grape is short, but it is now the most …read more

Himono

July 28, 2023

Japanese people often eat fresh fish grilled, boiled, deep-fried, or as sashimi. They also often eat himono, which is dried fish such as horse mackerel, saury, …read more

Custard Cream Buns

June 30, 2023

Japan has its own bread called kashi-pan (sweet buns). An-pan (sweet red bean buns), jyamu-pan (jam buns), meron-pan (melon buns) and kurīmu-pan (Custard cream …read more

Sukeroku Sushi

May 26, 2023

Sukeroku sushi is a package of two types of sushi - rolled maki slices and inari sushi. (In Japanese sukeroku sushi, maki sushi and inari sushi are pronounced …read more

Japanese Spinach Dishes

April 28, 2023

Spinach sold in Japan is more commonly seen in supermarkets as cooked spinach than as raw salad spinach. Therefore, most spinach dishes in Japanese cuisine are …read more

Inarizushi Shapes

March 28, 2023

Nigirizushi (nigiri sushi), which often uses fish, is very famous, but inarizushi (inari sushi), which does not use fish, is also popular. Inarizushi is fried …read more

Deep–Fried Breaded Horse Mackerel

February 28, 2023

Japanese people often eat fish, and they often eat bluebacks such as mackerels, sardines, saury, and horse mackerels, which are called ao-zakana (blue-backed …read more

Satoimo

January 6, 2023

Satoimo originates from the taro plant in Southeast Asia and was introduced to Japan from China during the Jomon period (circa 1400 BCE - 10th century BCE), and …read more

Standard Japanese Sandwiches

December 5, 2022

Sandwiches in Japan use the bread most commonly eaten in Japan, which is characterized by its soft and fluffy texture. The loaf is often cut into 8 or 10 thin …read more

Satsuma-Age

November 7, 2022

Satsuma-age is made of fish paste (surimi) like kamaboko and kanikama (imitation crab), but while kamaboko and kanikama are steamed, satsuma-age is deep-fried. …read more

Gyudon

October 3, 2022

As everyone knows, hamburgers are perhaps the most popular of all fast foods in the world, but in Japan, gyudon (beef bowl) is also a famous fast food. Gyudon is …read more

Wasabi

September 5, 2022

Wasabi (Japanese horseradish) is a well-known condiment essential to Japanese cuisine and is used similarly to mustard. It is usually used for sushi, sashimi, …read more

Matcha-Flavored Ice Cream/Soft Serve Ice Cream

August 1, 2022

I think the most common flavors of ice cream or soft serve ice cream are vanilla or chocolaty flavors worldwide. In Japan, in addition to those flavors, matcha …read more

Hiyashi-Chuka/Hiyashi-Ramen

July 4, 2022

Ramen is a world-famous and typical Japanese noodle dish, and many people know what it is like. It is usually served hot, but there is also a chilled version …read more

Houjicha

June 28, 2022

Houjicha is brown and similar to black tea because it is made by roasting green tea leaves at high temperature, which makes the tea leaves brown. Houjicha is roa …read more

Deep-Fried Tofu Pouch

May 2, 2022

Abura-age is a food made by thinly slicing tofu and deep-frying the slices in oil. Most of the abura-age is square and some is triangular. It is said that …read more

Kinako

April 4, 2022

Kinako is made from roasted and milled soybeans. In the early Nara period (710-794), soybeans were already used to make flour, the origin of kinako, according to …read more

Katsu Curry

March 7, 2022

Katsu curry is curry and rice topped with cut pork cutlet (tonkatsu), and is quite a hearty Japanese meal. Tonkatsu is pork chops coated with bread crumbs which …read more

Anman

February 7, 2022

The origin of anman was in China during the Three Kingdoms Period in the 3rd century. In Japan, nikuman (steamed meat buns) was first sold in 1927 at a famous …read more

Negi

January 10, 2022

Negi (green onion) or naga-negi (long green onion) is a Japanese traditional vegetable often used in home cooking. It is said to have been introduced to Japan …read more

Chocolate Coated Japanese Snacks

December 6, 2021

Chocolate coated sweets are not to everyone's taste, but there are some people who like to eat sweet chocolate and salty snacks together. There is a famous …read more

Sesame Seed Dressing

November 1, 2021

The best-selling creamy dressing in Japan is mayonnaise, and the second most popular is roasted sesame seed dressing. The main ingredients are roasted sesame …read more

Omurice

October 6, 2021

Omurice is cooked by frying beaten eggs in a frying pan, then adding fried rice and wrapping it like an omelet. The fried rice used is usually chicken rice, made …read more

Japanese Pears

September 6, 2021

Japanese pears (nashi) start appearing in stores around July, and are at their peak around August and September, and can be seen until around November. …read more

Mugicha

August 2, 2021

In Japan, there is a tea called Mugicha (mugi means barley and cha means tea) that is often drunk in summer. Mugicha is not made from tea leaves, but from roaste …read more

Okonomiyaki

July 5, 2021

Okonomiyaki (Japanese-style pancakes) is considered a common food, and it can be eaten as a meal or as a snack. Okonomiyaki is usually made with water-soluble …read more

White Sesame Seed

June 21, 2021

In Japan, white, black, and golden sesame seeds are widely distributed. Among them, white sesame seeds are the most commonly used. Typical production methods are …read more

Fruit Sandwiches

June 7, 2021

Sandwiches are usually made with meat, ham, vegetables and so on, and are of course commonly eaten in Japan. But in Japan, there is something called a fruit sand …read more

Sesame Seeds

May 17, 2021

Sesame seeds are said to have originated in Africa thousands of years ago. In Japan, sesame seeds have been excavated from Jomon period (14,000 BC - 10th century …read more

Special Sweets for Children'S Day

April 19, 2021

In Japan, there is a custom called Tango-no-Sekku (Children's Day, now known as Kodomono no Hi) that has continued for more than 1,000 years, in which various …read more

Snow Peas

April 5, 2021

Snow peas, known as “kinusaya” or “sayaendo” in Japan, are in the same family as snap peas, but are a different variety. Both the pods …read more

Ebi-Furai

March 15, 2021

Ebi-furai (deep-fried breaded prawns) is a popular Japanese deep-fried dish, just like the tonkatsu (deep–fried breaded pork cutlets) I described before. …read more

Fu

March 1, 2021

Fu, which was introduced by a Zen priest who came from China around the 14th century during the Ming Dynusty, is a traditional processed food made from gluten. …read more

Sweetened Bean Paste

February 15, 2021

Many Japanese sweets use anko (sweetened bean paste), especially anko made from red beans, which is by far the most common. It seems that there are many Japanese …read more

Japanese-Style Potato Chips

February 1, 2021

Potato chips are one of the most popular snacks in the world, and of course they are very popular in Japan as well. Surprisingly, 15% of the potatoes harvested …read more

Kobe Beef

January 18, 2021

Kobe beef is the most famous Japanese beef in the world, sweet and tender, very tasty and quite expensive! It is mainly eaten as steak, sukiyaki, shabu-shabu, …read more

Kamaboko

January 4, 2021

Kamaboko is a semi-cylindrical piece of fish paste on a small board, steamed or baked, and is elastic in texture and does not smell like fish. The board absorbs …read more

Nagaimo

December 21, 2020

Nagaimo is long and slender, and is relatively easy to break by hand. It extends about 80 cm./30 in. deep into the ground, and is harvested from late October to …read more

Uiro

November 30, 2020

Uiro is a rectangular Japanese confection, to be cut up and eaten, made by steaming rice or wheat flour with white or brown sugar. The most common uiro are white …read more

Sushi Delivery

November 9, 2020

There are many pizza delivery chains in Japan, but pizza delivery is probably more common in the West. In Japan, delivery of sushi has long been a common …read more

Shredded Cabbage

October 26, 2020

In Japan, lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes and cabbage are the most common vegetables eaten in salads. There are two types of Japanese cabbages (spring and winter) …read more

Shrimp Tempura

October 12, 2020

Tempura, as described elsewhere, is a typical Japanese dish that has existed since the 17th century. Tempura is cooked by dipping seafood and vegetables in …read more

Golden Peach

September 28, 2020

Japanese peaches are juicy and sweet and are best eaten raw. Most of the peaches are the white peaches described elsewhere. This explanation is about the golden …read more

Cream Puff

September 7, 2020

Cream puff is not a Japanese sweet. However, as a standard western-style confectionery, it is very popular in Japan. Instead of the name "cream puff," which is n …read more

Okra

August 24, 2020

Okra is called okura in Japanese, and most Japanese think that okra is a Japanese vegetable eaten mainly in Japan. However, when I researched okra, apparently it …read more

Retort Pouch Curry

August 3, 2020

Curry and rice, previously described as "Japanese Curry and Rice," is a national dish in Japan. It is usually cooked at home from scratch. However, there is …read more

Colored Manju

July 20, 2020

Last time, I described manju which is composed of bun and anko (sweetened bean paste), and where the typical bun color is white. There are also colored buns, or …read more

Manju

July 6, 2020

Manju is a very popular steamed traditional Japanese bun filled with anko (sweetened red bean paste). Because it is so sweet, it is often eaten with some drink, …read more

Korokke

June 15, 2020

Korokke, from the French word croquette, is a very popular delicious deep-fried food in Japan. It is a cylindrical- or oval-shaped patty made from mixing mashed …read more

Sencha

May 11, 2020

Sencha is Japanese green tea, and is characterized by steaming the tea leaves, unlike other green teas. The first Japanese tea picking takes place in early May. …read more

Karinto

April 6, 2020

Karinto is a traditional Japanese snack similar to arare (rice crackers), another traditional Japanese snack. Both karinto and arare have a hard texture. Arare …read more

Napolitan Spaghetti

March 23, 2020

Napolitan spaghetti is cooked by frying bacon (ham or sausage), onions, and green peppers in oil in a frying pan, adding boiled spaghetti and ketchup, and then …read more

Miso Soup Bowl

March 9, 2020

In Japanese cuisine, rice and miso soup are like bread and soup in Western cuisine. There are special vessels for rice and miso soup. Rice bowl (chawan) is …read more

Konnyaku

February 25, 2020

Konnyaku (konjak or devil’s tongue) made from konjak yam is a Japanese traditional foodstuff which has been eaten in Japan since the 8th century. The colors are …read more

Japanese Vinegar

February 10, 2020

Vinegar is called "su" in Japanese. In the West, wine vinegar and balsamic vinegar are mainly used. In Japan, on the other hand, rice vinegar, black vinegar, and …read more

Noodles Sandwiched in the Hot Dog Bun

January 27, 2020

It is well known that the Japanese eat rice as a staple food and Westerners eat bread as a staple food. However, Japanese also eat bread and have developed same …read more

Chirashizushi

January 13, 2020

Chirashizushi (ingredients sprinkled over sushi rice), inarizushi (deep-fried tofu pouches sushi) and makizushi (rolled sushi) are often made at home. Nigirizushi …read more

Cream Stew

December 16, 2019

Beef stew and cream stew are the two main types of stews made in Japan. Both stews are always eaten as a main dish. Beef stew is cooked with beef and vegetables …read more

Kanikama

December 2, 2019

Kanikama is called imitation crab or surimi in English. Kanikama, which stands for kanikamaboko (boiled fish paste of crab), was invented in 1972 by a fish …read more

Senbei

November 18, 2019

In addition to "Rice Crackers (Arare or Okaki)" previeously described, there is another type of rice cracker called senbei. They are round in shape and are …read more

Taiyaki

November 4, 2019

Taiyaki is a Japanese popular sweet, and it seems to have existed since the beginning of the 20th century. The most usual filling is anko (mashed sweetened red …read more

Seasoned Rice for Autumn

October 21, 2019

Seasoned rice (takikomi-gohan) containing various ingredients and which has been cooked with soup stock and soy sauce or salt instead of water can be eaten as …read more

Instant Miso Soup

October 7, 2019

Miso soup is the most representative soup of Japanese cuisine, and many Japanese cook and eat miso soup every day. The regular method of cooking miso soup is to …read more

Japanese Eggplant Dishes

September 16, 2019

Eggplant is a popular ingredient often used in Japanese cooking. Unlike American eggplants, Japanese eggplants are much smaller, from about 12 to 15 cm long. The …read more

Rice Crackers

September 2, 2019

Rice crackers (arare or okaki) made from glutinous rice are traditional Japanese snacks. They usually have a soy sauce or salty taste, and need be bitten firmly. …read more

White Peach

August 19, 2019

Fresh peaches sold in Japanese supermarkets are almost always white, and yellow peaches are only found in cans. The white peach is the most famous breed …read more

Mizu Yokan

August 5, 2019

Yokan, which is made with red beans, sugar, agar and water, is a Japanese traditional sweet. "Mizu" means water, and mizu yokan is made from the same foodstuffs …read more

Somen

July 15, 2019

Somen, an extremely thin white noodle, is a typical Japanese summer dish. It is usually eaten at home and at speciality somen restaurants. It was first made in …read more

Green Shiso Leaf

July 1, 2019

Green shiso leaf is a typical summer flavor vegetable of Japan. Actually, it is harvested all year round in plastic greenhouses. Aichi Prefecture, located in the …read more

Kanten

June 17, 2019

Kanten was invented by the Japanese people around 1650. Kanten is made mainly from red algae of seaweeds such as gelidiaceae (tengusa) and gracilaria (ogonori), …read more

Anpan

June 3, 2019

There is a Japanese pastry called anpan, which is a bun containing mashed sweetened red bean paste with black sesame seeds sprinkled over it. It is a traditional …read more

Steamed Rice with Red Beans

May 13, 2019

Steamed rice with red beans (sekihan) is preferred as a special food for happy events such as birthdays, weddings, festivals and so on in Japan. …read more

Sliced Cheese

April 15, 2019

Originally there was no culture of eating cheese until about 50 years ago in Japan. In recent years, although the consumption of cheese is much less than in the …read more

Seasoned Rice for Spring

April 1, 2019

Steamed rice is a staple food for Japanese people, but we do not eat rice by itself. We usually eat rice with side dishes and miso soup because rice itself has …read more

Wakame

March 18, 2019

Japanese often eat seaweed such as wakame, nori, konbu (kelp) and hijiki. They are well known as health foods, wakame and nori being the most popular among them. …read more

Daifuku Mochi Varieties

March 4, 2019

Daifuku mochi is a traditional popular confection in Japan. It is usually called daifuku. It is round with an outer layer usually made from glutinous rice flour, …read more

Citrus Fruits for Japanese Cooking

February 18, 2019

As far as citrus fruits used for cooking throughout the world, lemon and lime are very famous. However, in Japan, there are other citrus fruits used such as yuzu …read more

Rolled Sushi

February 4, 2019

Although nigirizushi (hand-pressed sushi) is famous throughout the world, there are actually several other types of sushi - inarizushi, chirashizushi and …read more

Napa Cabbage

January 21, 2019

Have you ever eaten napa (Chinese) cabbage (hakusai)? It is very common and is often harvested in winter. It originated in China, but now is grown in other area …read more

Sukiyaki

January 7, 2019

Many people may know sukiyaki, which is the representative nabe (Japanese one-pot) dish of Japan. It is generally eaten at the New Year and at other special …read more

Japanese Christmas Cakes

December 17, 2018

Last year, I introduced the topic of Japanese Christmas Cuisine and mentioned that the habit of eating Christmas cake has become a custom, due mainly to …read more

Sea Bream

December 3, 2018

Sea bream is a special fish for Japanese people. It is pale red rather than vivid red on the outside, but its meat is white. It is a very delicious luxury fish. …read more

Japanese Ganache

November 19, 2018

There is an original Japanese-style chocolate sweet called nama-chokoreto, which is a mixture of chocolate and fresh cream. It is popular mainly among Japanese …read more

Japanese Mushrooms

November 5, 2018

There are many kinds of Japanese mushrooms (kinoko) available in supermarkets in Japan. Shiitake, enoki, shimeji, maitake and eringi (king trumpet mushroom) are …read more

Fried Dumplings

October 15, 2018

Dumplings are a very famous Chinese dish. It is common in China to eat them boiled or steamed. Dumplings have spread throughout Japan, where fried dumplings are …read more

Pre-Packaged Rice

October 1, 2018

Many Japanese eat rice every day because it is a staple food for Japanese. We usually eat rice which has been cooked with a rice cooker at home. However, …read more

Japanese Hamburger Steak

September 17, 2018

There is a very popular national Japanese dish called hambagu (Japanese hamburger steak) which is a hamburger patty served without bun. It is served in …read more

Soy Sauce

September 3, 2018

Soy sauce is the representative seasoning of Japan. It is made from soybeans, wheat, salt and water. However, just boiling down or mixing the ingredients does no …read more

Omi Gyu

August 20, 2018

Matsusaka beef, Yonezawa beef, Omi beef and Kobe beef are regarded as the highest quality of Japan's luxury wagyu beef. I earlier introduced the …read more

Big Bowl Dish

August 6, 2018

A Japanese meal is often served as a main dish, side dishes, rice, and miso soup, each in a separate dish or small bowl. In a big bowl dish (donburi-mono) on the …read more

10th Anniversary!

July 16, 2018

Our website, J-Simple Recipes, has continued to offer Japanese recipes from July 14, 2008, and we just had our ten-year anniversary the other day. Thank you very …read more

Japanese Cucumber

July 2, 2018

Cucumbers can be found easily and at a cheap price in supermarkets in the summer season in Japan. However, they can also be seen year round because of vinyl …read more

Rice Flour Bread

June 18, 2018

Although rice is a staple food in Japan, many Japanese also eat bread. In fact, more Japanese may eat bread than rice for breakfast, which is one reason why …read more

Tori no Karaage

June 4, 2018

I understand that “Deep–Fried Chicken Nuggets” often means a dish which is deep-fried chicken which has a coating of mainly herbs, spices and …read more

Castella

May 21, 2018

Sweets called castella are very popular in Japan. The prototype is said to have been passed to Nagasaki Prefecture in Japan by a Portuguese missionary …read more

Koji

May 7, 2018

Miso, soy sauce, tsukemono (Japanese pickles), sake, mirin, ama-zake, bonito flakes, etc. are representative Japanese fermented foods. Koji is indispensable for …read more

Rice Bowl

April 23, 2018

Because rice is a staple food eaten almost everyday in Japan, rice bowls can be found in every Japanese house. The bowls are usually ceramic, about 15 cm. (6 in. …read more

Relationship Between Yogurt and Miso Soup

April 11, 2018

Do you know what is common to yogurt and miso soup? As you know, yogurt is a dairy product containing lactic acid bacteria. Miso soup usually is made from …read more

Spring Cabbage

March 26, 2018

Japanese cabbage is not hard even if eaten raw. This is especially so for cabbage harvested in early spring, which is called haru-kyabetsu (spring cabbage). …read more

Ramen Noodles with Soy Sauce Soup

March 12, 2018

Ramen which originated as a Chinese noodle dish, has evolved its own unique style in Japan, and has become increasingly recognized as a famous Japanese cuisine …read more

Yonezawa Gyu

February 19, 2018

Previously, I introduced the topic of Matsusaka gyu (Matsusaka beef), which is the most …read more

Sweet Fermented Drink Made from Rice

February 5, 2018

In Japan, there is a sweetened drink called ama-zake which is made from rice. Ama means sweet and zake means Japanese alcohol (sake). The drink has a very, very …read more

Rice Cakes (Mochi) as a Sweet

January 22, 2018

I previously introduced rice cake dishes which are commonly eaten in Japan. In fact, rice cakes are also often eaten as sweets. The most typical rice cake sweet …read more

Nanakusagayu

January 8, 2018

Shogatsu (from the 1st to the 3rd of January) is a Japanese event to celebrate the New Year. Because the food served during that time is very rich and gorgeous, …read more

Japanese Christmas Cuisine?

December 18, 2017

Until relatively recently, there was no custom of celebrating Christmas in Japan because there are not many Christian people in the country. Therefore, we do not …read more

The Most Common Apple Produced in The World is Fuji!

December 4, 2017

I thought that apples eaten in Japan would be similar to apples eaten in other countries, but I tried to find out if there were differences. Apples that are …read more

Japanese Salt

November 20, 2017

Salt is as essential as water in order to live. It is the most famous seasoning in the world. About ten years ago, one American explained that salt in Japan is …read more

Tonkatsu

November 6, 2017

Tonkatsu is a very famous Japanese food. It seems that it was first made by a restaurant in Tokyo during the Meiji period (1868-1912). "Ton" means pork and …read more

Renkon

October 30, 2017

Renkon is a vegetable and lotus flower stem which is harvested in the autumn. It seems that renkon is eaten in only Southeast and East Asia. Of course, Japan is …read more

Mont Blanc Cake

October 4, 2017

Mont Blanc cakes are usually found in Japanese cake shops. It seems that they were first made in Italy many centuries ago and developed later in France and …read more

Trying Octopus for The First Time? Takoyaki Might Be Best.

September 18, 2017

I think that there are probably not many countries where octopus is eaten. In some cases, it may be prohibited by religion. Although many people have never eaten …read more

Typical Home Cooking Taste in Japan

September 4, 2017

When I see and hear a lot of information about typical Japanese home cooking, it seems that it focuses on miso soup, curry rice and simmered dishes. It is said …read more

Thickness of Sliced Beef

August 21, 2017

Shabu-shabu and sukiyaki are not only representative Japanese one-pot dishes, but also representative of Japanese beef dishes. The beef used in the dishes is …read more

About Japanese Chopsticks

August 7, 2017

People in East Asia have a culture of using chopsticks (hashi) when eating. Many Japanese chopsticks are traditionally made of wood. Because the tree culture is …read more

Watermelon

July 19, 2017

Watermelon is a very popular fruit eaten in the summer in Japan. Unlike in most of the world, its shape is spherical and it is not only red but also yellow. In a …read more

Cold Japanese Noodles

July 3, 2017

Japanese noodles culture is thriving in Japan. Although Koreans are famous for eating cold noodles, it’s not popular in many other Asian countries. Typical nood …read more

Water

June 26, 2017

Unlike in many parts of the world, Japanese water is safe and can be used for drinking and cooking without using a water purifier. Because the level of water …read more

Natto

June 12, 2017

Natto (fermented beans) is a very famous Japanese fermented food. Soybeans are fermented with bacillus natto, and it is a healthy food which includes rich dietar …read more

Tambo

May 29, 2017

Rice (kome) is the staple food of Japan. Taue (rice plant) is usually planted all over Japan from May to mid-June in tambo (rice fields), although this varies …read more

Sakuranbo

May 15, 2017

Sakuranbo (Japanese cherries) can be found in the shops in Japan from June to July. Characteristics of the cherries are their vivid vermillion color and elegant …read more

Matsusaka Gyu

April 17, 2017

I introduced the topic of wagyu (Japanese beef) before. Japanese beef cattle are raised in many cities in Japan, but the most famous place for Matsusaka beef is …read more

Bamboo Shoots

April 3, 2017

Bamboo shoots are used in Japanese and Chinese dishes. Raw bamboo shoots are distributed on the market from spring to summer. I heard that in most countries …read more

Tempura

March 20, 2017

Sushi, sukiyaki and tempura are famous Japanese foods. Perhaps many people must be familiar with them. This time, the topic is tempura. I think that there are …read more

Feeling Spring through Japanese Sweets

March 6, 2017

Uguisu-mochi and sakura-mochi are sold in the early spring. Uguisu-mochi is a Japanese sweet which has anko (mashed sweetened red bean paste) wrapped inside …read more

Yakisoba

February 27, 2017

Yakisoba (fried noodles) is a very popular home cooked dish in Japan. Generally, yakisoba means frying steamed noodles, sliced pork and cabbage …read more

Buri

February 6, 2017

Buri (yellowtail) is a nutrient-rich fish which includes DHA, EPA, good quality protein, Vitamin D, Vitamin B1, Vitamin B2, and so on. Japan was first to succeed …read more

Nabe

January 25, 2017

There are more opportunities to eat nabe (Japanese one-pot dish) during the winter season in Japan. Nabe is popular as sukiyaki, shabu-shabu, yose-nabe …read more

Mochi

January 5, 2017

Mochi is a traditional food made from steamed rice. It is sticky and has a plain taste. Fresh mochi can be eaten without heating but because it becomes hard as …read more

Where Do You Buy Sushi?

December 19, 2016

Many Japanese usually eat sushi at speciality sushi restaurants or more recently at conveyor belt sushi restaurants (kaiten-zushi), because even for Japanese, it …read more

Daikon

December 5, 2016

Daikon (Japanese radish) is a vegetable often used in Japanese cooking. Daikon can be found at every grocery store and supermarket all year round, but especially …read more

Niinamesai

November 23, 2016

November 23rd is Kinroukansha no hi (Labor Thanksgiving Day) which is a national holiday in Japan. Actually, the day originated as Niinamesai …read more

Nigiri-Zushi

October 31, 2016

Sushi is one of the most representative of Japanese foods. Nigiri-zushi (referred to as nigiri sushi in Eglish) is perhaps the best known among the various types …read more

Chestnut Cuisine

October 12, 2016

Raw chestnuts can be cooked either peeled or unpeeled and are usually sold only in autumn in Japan. Chestnuts soaked in syrup are sold the whole year as sweets. …read more

Negima Yakitori

September 24, 2016

Yakitori is the most famous fingerfood in Japan. In a previous explanation about yakitori, I described that one of the most popular yakitori is called tori, …read more

Kaki-Gōri

August 29, 2016

Many people order kaki-gōri (shaved ice) in the summer in Japan. Strawberry, lemon or melon taste syrup or sweetened condensed milk are popular toppings. Also very …read more

Unajyu

July 27, 2016

One day in July is called “doyo no ushi-no-h” in Japan. From the Edo era there has been the custom of eating eel on this day at the height of summer …read more

Matcha Cornet

June 8, 2016

Matcha Cornet is a cone-shaped bread filled with matcha custard cream. It is made by wrapping bread dough around hollow cone-shaped molds, which are then baked. …read more

Wagyu

June 1, 2016

Have you ever heard of wagyu? Wagyu is a generic term for several breeds of beef that have been bred in Japan. The most typical breed is called kuroge-wasyu and …read more

Japanese Bread

May 18, 2016

Many Japanese eat bread every day and Japanese bread called shyokupan is the most popular at home in Japan. It is almost always white. A loaf of shyokupan can …read more

Traditional Sweet of Okinawa

May 11, 2016

Chinsuko is one of the traditional sweets of Okinawa which has been made for over 500 years from the Ryukyu Dynasty era. Flour, sugar and lard are the main raw …read more

Rice Balls

May 7, 2016

Do you know onigiri – Japanese rice balls? They are a very popular traditional food in Japan. They come in several shapes – triangular, round and cylindrical. …read more

Kani-Meshi Ekiben

April 24, 2016

Do you like crab? This popular product, Kani-Meshi Ekiben, is a crab-seasoned rice box lunch sold at many train stations in the Hokuriku area of the northern …read more

Sweet Potato Danish

April 17, 2016

In this bread, mashed sweet potatoes are put into the danish dough and baked. Sweet potato has just the right sweetness and the combination with danish is very …read more

Umami

April 4, 2016

Do you know UMAMI? It is a savory taste and it is indispensable in Japanese food. Dashi (soup stock) making from bonito flakes is the most popular in UMAMI. …read more

Ohanami-Bento

March 30, 2016

Do you like a party? Ohanami-bento is a box lunch which is eaten while viewing the cherry blossoms. There are many varieties, but they are all colorful, like …read more

Tsukushi

March 21, 2016

Tsukushi is a wild vegetable. Because it grows in mid-March, Japanese feel the coming of spring when they see tsukushi. However, it is rarely found in grocery …read more

Japanese Instant Noodles

March 7, 2016

A Japanese manufacturer invented instant noodle goods (ramen) in the early 1962s. They are very handy because they can be cooked and eaten immediately. Since …read more

Japanese Mayonnaise

February 22, 2016

In a previous explanation about Japanese raw eggs, I pointed out that only eggs for eating raw are sold in Japan. Therefore, Japanese eggs are very fresh. …read more

Toyama Dried Persimmons

February 15, 2016

Do you like dried persimmons? They are very good for your health because they contain a lot of carbohydrate and dietary fiber. Also, the drying process …read more

Mikan

February 8, 2016

Although mikan (mandarin oranges) are produced all year in plastic greenhouses in many areas of Japan, they are available during off-season only in more …read more

Namagashi for Winter

January 18, 2016

Namagashi (fresh sweets) are representive sweets of Japan. They are often served with matcha in the tea ceremony. Namagashi can be purchased at sweets shops …read more

New Year Japanese Food

January 4, 2016

Japanese eat special food during the first three days of the New Year. The food is called traditional osechi and ozoni. Osechi is colorful food which portrays …read more

Mochina

January 1, 2016

What is your favorite vegetable? There is a traditional vegetable called mochina which is produced only in Aichi and Gifu prefectures. It is an ingredient of …read more

Japanese Strawberries

December 21, 2015

Strawberries are normally sold from winter to late spring in Japan. Most of the sales occur in the Christmas season because Japanese eat Christmas cake …read more

Japanese Curry and Rice

December 9, 2015

It is a well-known fact that curry originated in India. It is spicy and soup-like. However, Japanese curry differs very much from Indian curry because it …read more

Satsumaimo

November 16, 2015

Satsumaimo (Japanese sweet potatoes) are harvested in autumn in Japan. I have rarely eaten sweet potatoes except those from Japan, but I hear that Japanese sweet …read more

Tofu Varieties

November 3, 2015

Tofu is made by boiled soybeans and then squeezing soymilk from them and then adding nigari (magnesium chloride used as a coagulant) to make it hard. Tofu has …read more

Sanma

October 19, 2015

The catch of Sanma (Pacific saury) increases in the autumn. The body length of this slender fish is about 30 cm. (12 in.) to 40 cm. (16 in.). Each home in …read more

Fushimi Inari-Zushi

October 13, 2015

Have you ever heard of inari-zushi? Inari-zushi is usually cylindrical, but this Fushimi inari-zushi is triangular and it means fox's ear. Fushimi Ward in Kyoto …read more

Yakitori

October 5, 2015

I guess you have probably eaten or heard about Yakitori - grilled chicken pieces on a bamboo stick. Yakitori is a very popular food in Japan. The pieces used are …read more

Shin Soba

September 28, 2015

Soba (buckwheat noodles) is made from buckwheat flour and represents any thin Japanese noodle. Specifically, buckwheat noodles made from a new crop of buckwheat …read more

Raw Egg

September 21, 2015

Japanese people have the habit of eating raw egg. It is said that the habit is only Japanese. That fact was a surprise to me. Actually, in Japanese grocery store …read more

Ankoro Mochi

September 9, 2015

In this sweet, Japanese mugwort is kneaded into the rice cake and wrapped with mashed sweetened red bean paste. The combination of the salty Japanese mugwort …read more

Delaware Grapes

August 31, 2015

In summer, seedless grapes can be seen at many grocery stores in Japan. A vinifera grape called Delaware is very famous. Just out of curiosity, why is the grape …read more

Beniimo Pie (Purple Yam Pie)

August 17, 2015

Beniimo, purple yam in English, is grown in Okinawa and Kyushu prefectures. This product is mashed purple yam which is placed on pie dough and baked. The buttery …read more

Edamame

August 12, 2015

The best time to eat edamame (green soybeans) is August in Japan. Boiled edamame is a standard side dish served with alcohol, especially beer. Although edamame is sold …read more