Whenever I find myself in Kyoto, I always jump on the Nara Line and head to Uji for some of Uji’s famous green tea. But green tea is not the only thing that Uji is known for. It is also the home of World Heritage sites and has a connection with the Tale of...Read More
The plum season and the rainy season come at the same time in Japan. So, the rainy season is also called “plum rain.” In Japanese, “plum rain” translates to “tsuyu 梅雨”. The “tsuyu” rainy season normally begins in mid June and ends in mid July. Since the plums are normally ready for picking in early...Read More
In Hiroshima, it is called “okonomiyaki”. But everywhere else in Japan it is called “Hiroshimayaki” to differentiate it from the Osaka-style okonomiyaki. While there are similarities between the two, there are also differences. For those who do not know what okonomiyaki is, it can best be described as a savory pancake. Other than the basic ingredients...Read More
Whether you call the foods eaten everyday soul food, comfort food or “Mom’s Home Cooking”, Omu Rice (オムライス-omuraisu in Japanese) is certainly one of the most popular foods of that category in Japan. There is not one area where it is popular. Instead it is popular everywhere in Japan. It is common at “shukudo” (low...Read More
The Kii-Katsuura port boasts the largest tuna catch in Japan. There are several reasons for this. The port is close to the Kuroshio ocean current. Because the port is deep and can easily accommodate the larger boats needed for tuna fishing, Kii-Katsuura is only one of two ports in Japan that receive tuna all-year. And...Read More
Sanuki udon is a specialty of Takamatsu city and Kagawa Prefecture on the northern shore of the island of Shikoku. It is so popular all over Japan, that Kagawa prefecture is also called “Udon Prefecture”. This area of Japan was known as Sanuki during the Edo Period (1603 to 1868), hence the name. Sanuki Udon...Read More
Kushikatsu, also known as kushiage, are deep-fried skewers of meat, fish and vegetables. In Japanese “kushi” means skewer, and “katsu” refers to a deep fried meat cutlet. Kushikatsu is popular all over Japan. But it originated in the Shinsekai district of Osaka in 1929. A restaurant there started serving the skewers of fried food, which...Read More
Snow Crab – A Taste of the Sea of Japan For more than a thousand years, pilgrimages have been important in the Japanese culture. In today’s modern Japan, a “snow crab pilgrimage” occurs during the winter months. The goal of these pilgrims is the Sea of Japan coast on the northern side of Japan. The...Read More
Miso Katsu – A Taste of Nagoya The people of Nagoya make one of their local specialties (Miso Katsu) by starting with a typical tonkatsu dish (a deep fried pork cutlet normally served with shredded cabbage). They pour a thick, miso-based sauce on top instead of the traditional soy sauce-based tonkatsu sauce. To make the miso...Read More
Japan is well known for its unique and delicious food, however many people don’t know just how unique some meals can be. Fugu, or blowfish, is one of these delicacies. There are over 100 species of poisonous fugu world-wide, and many are sold in Japanese restaurants as a luxury dish. The poison (tetrodotoxin) is contained...Read More
