Summer in Japan gets scorching and steamy. Mid-summer Temperatures often reach 95 F or higher depending on the region. Along with beer, watermelon and soomen (cold udon noodle), kakigoori (shaved ice...
Japan, aka the nation of noodles, offers more than just ramen. In The Land of the Rising Sun you can taste virtually any type of noodle – hot or cold, white or grey, flour or rice, and with or without broth.
Foods like omurice, ton katsu and naporitan spaghetti are items you’ve likely seen on a menu if you’ve ever visited a casual dining restaurant in Japan.
If you think tempura is just another fried food – think again. This quintessential Japanese cuisine dates back to the Edo Period (1603-1867) and is perhaps second only to sushi as Japan’s culinary contribution to the world.
When people talk about Japanese food, ramen is usually at the top of the conversation. Tempura, sushi, sukiyaki are well-loved Japanese dishes, but for me, nothing beats a steaming bowl of ramen.
If you are new to Japan, you might not be aware that culinary wonderlands are spread under the majestic façades of department stores.
Simply go to the entrance of most any local department store and take the escalator or elevator down to discover an incredible foodie heaven.
Putting food on a plate in restaurants in Japan is a highly codified process, an interplay of several cultural factors and accepted plating principles.
Often overlooked, Japanese vegetables are every bit as important to Japanese food culture as seafood and meat. Japan uses an abundance of root vegetables, leafy greens, and many others in its cuisine.
Traditionally all the dishes that make up the osechi panoply are precooked and put into special four-tiered lacquerware boxes called jubako by New Year’s Eve. New Year’s festivities run from January 1 to 3.
The famous Land of the Rising Sun is known for so many things, it’s hard to even mention them all: culture, history, pop culture, manga, anime, cosplay, sights, architecture...the list could go on and on.
