shun– tag –

Sardines are one of the most widely caught fish in the world and have been enjoyed in Japan for centuries. They're affordable, nutritious, and full of flavor, making them a favorite ingredient in home cooking. The three main types of sar...

Broad beans (fava beans in the United States), known as soramame in Japanese, are one of Japan's most beloved seasonal vegetables, signaling the arrival of spring and early summer. Interestingly, soramame can be written wi...

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...

Green beans (”ingen”) are said to have been brought to Japan from China during the Edo period by Ingen Zenji, the Buddhist monk who introduced the culture of ”sencha” tea to Japan. In fact, the vegetable itself is believed to h...

Sakura shrimp are a spring delicacy in Japan, known for their beautiful pink color and rich, aromatic flavor. They are quite rare outside Japan, which makes them a special seasonal ingredient even within Japan. What makes them even more ...

Seri, or Japanese water dropwort, is one of Japan’s traditional “Seven Spring Herbs.” Known for its refreshing herbal aroma and pleasantly crisp texture, it has long been enjoyed as a seasonal vegetable from the cold days of winter into ...

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,...

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...

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...

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...