Naoyuki Yanagihara– Author –
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Parboiling Daikon Radish【大根の下茹で】
If you want your daikon to taste truly delicious, there’s a simple traditional trick worth trying: parboiling it in rice-rinsing water. Daikon, a long white Japanese radish, contains more enzymes than many other vegetables, which means t... -
“Chawanmushi”: The Secret to Japan’s Silky Savory Egg Custard
Chawanmushi is a delicate steamed egg custard. Despite the name “custard,” chawanmushi isn’t sweet. Think of it as a silky, savory egg dish flavored with dashi, salt, and light soy sauce. Its silky texture gently melts in your mouth, whi... -
February – “Hamaguri (Clams)”
Clams are one of the most familiar and representative bivalves in Japanese cuisine. It is said that the word ”hamaguri” comes from “hama” (beach) and “kuri” (chestnut), as their shape and color resemble chestnuts. They thrive in shallow,... -
Discovering the World of Miso
If you think miso is just “that paste for miso soup,” you’re not alone. But once you start learning about it, miso opens up a surprisingly deep and fascinating world. In this article, we’ll explore how diverse miso really is, why it... -
January – “Fukinoto”
Fukinoto is one of the very first wild vegetables that tells us spring has arrived in Japan. When the ground is still cold, sometimes even covered with snow, these small buds push their way up and quietly signal a change in the season. J... -
A New Way of Food Education—Teaching Children about Food with a Computational Mindset
What would Washoku, Japanese cuisine, look like in the future? Even though we simply say “Japanese food,” the way it’s made and enjoyed has changed big time over the years! The flavors and styles we see today are not only different from ... -
October — “Chestnuts”
I still remember going chestnut picking when I was a kid. They were probably wild mountain chestnuts—small ones wrapped in spiky burrs that hurt when you touched them. I used to nudge the burrs open with my shoe and pick the nuts out car... -
No Gyunabe, Not Cool: The Surprising Origins of Sukiyaki
When you think of beef, what Japanese washoku dish comes to mind? Many of you might say “sukiyaki.” Interestingly, sukiyaki is not a traditional Japanese dish – it came about during the Meiji period. Back then, it was called "gyunabe" or... -
September – “Matsutake Mushrooms”
Matsutake mushrooms are one of the true tastes for the upcoming season in Japan, much-loved for their unique fragrance. For many Japanese, it’s a wonderful aroma, but because smell preferences can be a cultural thing, I’ve heard some peo... -
A Story of “Somen” in Shodoshima
As a child, I spent every summer vacation visiting different places across Japan with my family. My parents took us along on trips to discover new ingredients. One of these trips landed me in Shodoshima, the smallest island in the countr...
