”Anbai” is about the balance of flavor or seasoning. It describes the appropriate degree of flavor or seasoning in food.
Back in the day, dishes were not pre-seasoned, so people would add their own flavor at the table. That’s where they started to call it “anbai,” the custom of using salt and acidity.
The Head of Kinsaryu
CEO and Executive Chef of Yanagihara Cooking School
Ph.D. in Fermentation Science and Technology
I was born in Tokyo into a family specializing in the Kinsaryu culinary discipline. Kinsaryu has been passed on from generation to generation since the Edo period (1800’s) and is a cuisine that specializes in the cooking technique of Edo (former Tokyo).
I’ve been teaching and researching ‘washoku’ (Japanese cuisine) and ‘kaiseki’ (traditional cuisines served at tea ceremony) at Yanagihara Cooking School in Akasaka, Tokyo, for over 20 years now.
I also oversee cooking for TV shows, like NHK's ‘taiga’ (or period) dramas and others, to help them present culinary details accurately. In 2015, I was honored to be named a Cultural Exchange Ambassador by the Agency for Cultural Affairs of Japan, and in 2018, I became an ambassador for promoting Japanese food for the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. It’s been a joy spreading the word about what washoku has to offer around the world!
My specialty is Edo-period food culture and Japanese cuisine/culture, plus food education for children. I enjoy writing cookbooks and giving speeches on washoku.
