Morning set of toast, egg and coffee on a cafe counter, Gifu

Eat what is in season, where it grows

Seasonal food from the Japanese countryside — the prefectures, the small places, and the people who cook there.

Free ordering cards

Morning set — Gifu. January 2025.

Every place visited in person. Every photograph ours. Prices in yen.

In season now — Autumn

  • Easy Roasted Kabocha Squash Recipe

    Easy Roasted Kabocha Squash Recipe

    This Japanese roasted kabocha squash is one of our favorite winter squash recipes. It’s creamy, sweet and slightly savory, honestly the perfect match for a wide variety of occasions! In…

Four seasons, four sites

Japanese food changes four times a year, and so does this site.

Spring

Summer

Autumn

Winter

Regional gems

Prefectures open as we visit them.

The printed ordering cards fanned on a wooden table: Hello, What do you recommend, Is it local, Dietary, Practicalities, Thank you, and the folding allergy card

Ordering cards for the countryside

Six printable bilingual cards for eating where nobody speaks English — what to say, how to ask what is in season, and an allergy card the kitchen can read. Free.

My Japanese is poor. With my wife beside me, I’m fine. Without her, I’m pointing at menus. So I made these to help me — and she checked every line, so I don’t embarrass myself. — Dave

One email with the download. We’ll write when there’s something worth reading — a season turning, a place worth the detour. Unsubscribe any time.

Who is behind this

Dave and family raising a toast over sukiyaki at the family home in Japan
Family dinner — Gifu, Japan.

A family with one foot in Australia and one in Japan. We go, we eat, we ask permission, we write it down. We tell you the date we went and the price we actually paid, in yen. More about us.

Scroll to Top

Privacy Policy