Washoku Stories– category –

On ”Marine Day,” Japan's national holiday celebrating the ocean, I'd like to share a story about one of the country's most remarkable coastal traditions. Although Chiba Prefecture lies just east of Tokyo, it is surrounded by the sea...

Around the time when hydrangeas are beautifully covered with the gentle rain of Japan's rainy season, nature is quietly preparing one of the year's best seafood treats. The rainy season is essential for growing crops, but it also has a r...

In Japan, many everyday bowls—like rice bowls and soup bowls—have a slightly raised ring on the bottom. If you’re used to Western tableware, you might not have noticed this detail before, since many dishes outside Japan don’t have this f...

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...

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...

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 ...

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...

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...

Did you know there's a fish unique to Japan? It's called "ayu," or sweetfish. Japanese love Ayu because it's a national fish, endemic to Japan. It can be found in parts of China and Taiwan, but Japan boasts the largest population of Ayu....

Have you ever wondered how you can polish your Japanese cooking skills? Or maybe you've wished you could at least slice sashimi a little more neatly? If so, I really recommend giving a Japanese knife (called ”wabocho”) a try—it can sharp...