In late June, I travelled Japan for days. Although the official rainy season wasn’t over, the weather was already summer! When I arrived in Gifu, my hometown, I was instantly hit by the heat. It was over 35°C every single day—even before the official rainy season ended! Staying indoors felt like being in an oven,
A Sweet Summer Surprise: Discovering Japan’s Evolving Kakigori (Shaved Ice) Read More »
Iwate’s Maesawa Beef: A Historical Legacy Looking for a truly unforgettable Japanese BBQ experience?Let’s take a trip to Iwate, in Japan’s beautiful Tohoku region—home to Maesawa Beef, one of the country’s most prized wagyu varieties. With its incredible marbling, rich umami, and melt-in-your-mouth texture, Maesawa Beef turns a simple BBQ into something extraordinary. In this
Experience Japan’s Legendary Maesawa Beef with This Authentic Summer BBQ Guide Read More »
Ayu, or sweetfish, is more than just a delicacy—it’s a symbol of summer in Gifu Prefecture, especially in my hometown of Ibigawa. As a child, I remember my father announcing, “I’m going to catch some Ayu!” before disappearing into the night. A few hours later, he would return with a bundle of freshly caught fish.
Discover the Joy of Grilled Ayu: An Iconic Gifu Summer Dish Read More »
Discover the Sweet Side of Edamame: Zunda Mochi Parfait Recipe A Taste of Miyagi: From Tradition to Trend Zunda is a sweet, vibrant green paste made from mashed edamame (young soybeans), traditionally enjoyed in Miyagi Prefecture, especially in the city of Sendai. It has been a beloved regional treat for centuries, often served over rice
Sweet Edamame Magic: How to Make a Japanese Zunda Parfait Read More »
Sea lettuce is a delicate, very mild tasting sea vegetable that’s perfect for the sea veg curious, and the squeamish. It’s not the least bit slimy (as sometimes pictured in the minds of the seaweed skeptics) and really needs no preparation, like soaking. Its paper-like, sweet disposition doesn’t compete with whatever you choose to eat
Japanese Tomato Tartare Recipe Read More »
The sweet Mizu Yokan is a Japanese jellied dessert made of bean paste, agar, and sugar. There are several flavors of Yokan in Japan. For example, Red bean, white kidney bean, chestnuts, persimmons, sweet potato, and so on. Yokan in Japanese or yang’geng in Chinese is a pastry based on azuki bean paste and gelling agent
Mizu Yokan: Azuki Red Bean Jelly Recipe Read More »
Tamago–dofu is a Japanese savory egg custard that usually served cold as an appetizer. The texture is cold, smooth, soft and light, so it’s good for the summer dish. Making and tasting Tamagodofu is similar to chawanmushi, When we eat the chawanmushi, we can enjoy combination with various ingredients. On the other hand, there are very few
Smooth Tamago-Tofu: Cold Savory Egg Custard Recipe Read More »
Hiyashi-Chuka are cold Ramen noodles that are popular for summer lunch. Many Ramen restaurants sell Hiyashi-Chuka (cold ramen noodles) on the menu during summer only. Hiyashi-Chuka is usually served with several vegetables and meat, so it’s a good balanced meal for health. And colorful toppings and cold noodles really refresh you in the hot summer. Hiyashi-Chuka is
[Recipe] Sesame-Flavored Hiyashi Chuka: Cold Ramen Read More »
photo by ewan-m Nasu Dengaku is a very easy Japanese recipe that you are going to love because this sauce can be used on other grilled vegetables as well as tofu. So get your oven on broil and let’s get cooking! You will need: 1 eggplant (italian), or 2 asian eggplants 1/2 cup, miso paste
Nasu Dengaku (grilled eggplant with sweet miso sauce) Recipe Read More »
Kyoho is an end-of-summer fruit in Japan . There are aromatic flavor and juicy sweetness in it.
