Tag: food culture

  • Food and Culture in Hiroshima

    Food and Culture in Hiroshima

    I love food, and I love travel. If I can combine the two, you can consider me satisfied! In this article I explore the iconic dish of Hiroshima, which is Hiroshima Okonomiyaki, a type of savory pancake with different fillings, including noodles. In my quest for food I also visited the staple sightseeing spots of…

  • Getting More Out of Fukuoka’s Food Culture

    Getting More Out of Fukuoka’s Food Culture

    In this two-day trip to Fukuoka, I headed a bit further out than usual! Although there are some great food and cultural experiences in the city centre, heading a bit further out means you can explore a different side of Fukuoka culture. Have a look at my trip exploring the food, tea, and sake culture…

  • Visiting the Endless Bakeries of Tsukuba

    Visiting the Endless Bakeries of Tsukuba

    45 minutes from Akihabara Station is Tsukuba, the self-proclaimed Science City in Ibaraki with its iconic twin-peak mountain. The area is a great place to go hiking, visit its many gardens, or visit the Ring Ring Road, a cycling path from Lake Kasumigaura to Mount Tsukuba. Among all these outdoorsy activities and its scientific reputation,…

  • bills Omotesando: The Tokyo Hotspot for All Diets

    bills Omotesando: The Tokyo Hotspot for All Diets

    Finding decent restaurants in Tokyo that cater to vegan, vegetarian, or gluten-free diets can be difficult. There are usually some options, but how many times can you eat a “salad” (read: plain cabbage) before getting bored? Here to solve that problem is bills.https://livejapan.com/en/in-tokyo/in-pref-tokyo/in-harajuku/article-a0005546/

  • Japan’s dueling ‘katsu’ curry creators are just happy to see the dish thrive

    Japan’s dueling ‘katsu’ curry creators are just happy to see the dish thrive

    If you know anything about Japanese food, you’re probably familiar with katsu curry. The dish has been particularly popular in the UK in recent years! I visited one of the three places that claims the title as its originator, and compared it with a newer shop in the area in my latest piece for The…

  • Masako Minaguchi: ‘Gelato is full of possibilities’

    Masako Minaguchi: ‘Gelato is full of possibilities’

    After working at a construction company that dealt with long-term projects, Masako Minaguchi, 55, realized she wanted to focus on the joy of the here and now. Last June, she opened Gelato MinNa, a gelato shop near Mejiro Station that serves seasonally changing flavors alongside creative alcoholic concoctions. Read my Japan Times interview with the…

  • Suigian: Where Traditional Japanese Dance and Music Meet Elegant Cocktails

    Suigian: Where Traditional Japanese Dance and Music Meet Elegant Cocktails

    I was recently invited to spend an evening at Suigian, an elegant bar and restaurant in Nihonbashi. What stands out about this establishment is that they have a large stage in the centre of the room, where Noh and other traditional performances take place. If you’re interested in an elegant evening mixed with traditional Japanese…

  • How Tokyo’s ‘deconstructed ramen’ became a national favorite

    How Tokyo’s ‘deconstructed ramen’ became a national favorite

    Just like ramen, tsukemen broth and flavorings can vary greatly from place to place, but what they tend to have in common are cold noodles served with a hot broth and a variety of toppings. It’s a bit like a deconstructed ramen. And I had no idea, until I delved deeper, that tsukemen was invented…

  • 7 Best Places To Dine in Tokyo for 5000 Yen

    7 Best Places To Dine in Tokyo for 5000 Yen

    Tokyo is a great place to get a filling meal for ¥1,000 or less. But if you stretch your purse strings to ¥5,000, you’ll open up a whole new world of flavour! Here are some great restaurants in Tokyo where you can get something special for ¥5,000 or less. Read my article with Tokyo Cheapo…

  • How ‘winged’ gyōza took flight from a Tokyo suburb

    How ‘winged’ gyōza took flight from a Tokyo suburb

    I had mistakenly assumed that hanetsuki gyoza (winged dumplings) were an old traditional dish, but I was surprised to find that they were created only a few decades ago. What’s more, the original creator himself is still alive and cooking. See my article about hanetsuki gyoza and a cheesy evolution with The Japan Times here:…