Yes it’s about that time people! Time to go to your local Tokiwa department store or Lawson and browse the shelves for what a majority of the population will be eating for Shougatsu (New Years). The highly coveted Osechi meal box appears but once a season. Now to the untrained gaijin eye you may wonder why this special new years boxed meal is so expensive… The reason is it’s not a bento but Osechi or prepared traditional dishes of the New Year.

Osechi traditionally is a large array of New years dishes cooked and prepared before the actual Shougatsu or first of January. A tomodachi told me that osechi basically started out as cultural festival cuisine but over the years has evolved into a way to ensure mom doesn’t have to cook for a couple of days. Thank the gods, mom... Read More

My friend Izumi and I went to a small restaurant in nearby Akasaka to eat poisonous blowfish. Since this may very well be my last blog post before death sets in, I will take a moment to say that I love you all!

Blowfish or “fugu” has been a taste treat in Japan since the medieval period. The best time to eat the dish is in the winter, when the fugu get fat in order to survive the icy waters. The dish is famous due to the poisonous toxins found in certain parts of the meat. If not prepared correctly, the fish meat can retain enough poison to cause death if ingested. Every year a handful of people die from fugu poisoning. Since 1958, fugu chefs have been required by the Japanese Ministry of Health to be officially licensed to serve the meat (this license should be visi... Read More

In a lightning paced city such as Tokyo, impatience is a virtue. Here we are known to cram ourselves back first into jam packed trains to save two minutes. We shove convenience store bought sandwiches down our gullets while chugging canned coffee from vending machines.

Still, I’ve discovered that there are some things that are worth the wait. Last Sunday, I lined up for close to an hour at Kichijouji’s Satou Meat Shop, for their famous fried-on-the-spot menchi katsu. The shop is located almost right in the center of the Shotengai there; about a five minute walk from the North Exit of Kichijouji Station. Menchi katsu is essentially fried breaded minced meat. Menchi is a derivative of ‘mince’ and katsu ‘cutlet’. What makes Satou's such a coveted d... Read More

Calling all gaijin! This is a pizza emergency!

I am thoroughly fed up (certainly no pun intended) with the pizza in this country. If it’s not the sub par cheese, it’s the bizarre toppings. If it’s not the bizarre toppings, it’s the soupy sauce. If it’s not the soupy sauce, it’s the disgusting dough. Even if all the ingredients manage to taste bearable, the pizza is undercooked and floppy in the middle.

Each Italian restaurant left me with homesick disappointment. I haven’t tried any of the major chains like Pizza La, but I can’t afford them. Who wants to pay ?3,500 for a pizza that might not pass a test of authenticity? My abdominal cravings grew to a thunderous kaminari, the likes of which Gunma Prefecture had not seen. Then, a vete... Read More

I didn't know what to expect from the JPop cafe when we were taking the elevator up to the seventh floor. Earlier in the week I had put most of all my energy into selling it to J-Bu. "This place is unbelievable, it will be the most amazing experience of our combined experiences here in Japan, trust me you wont be disappointed", I told her my hands shaking with excitement.

After being there for about an hour waiting for something exciting to happen a song called Chocolate Disco came on the giant JPop screen at the other end of the room, I suddenly realized all the hype all the excitement and all the anticipation was for absolutely nothing. The best part of the night was in fact the song. The beat was cute, the girls were cute and the video was also well, cute. But we ... Read More

When I was in my country, my husband and I had our dinner at a Japanese restaurant for the first time. The foods served were delectable except the ‘wasabi’ which was too hot and ‘miso shiru’ or miso soup. When I drunk it, I felt I would throw up because of the strange taste. Since I was used to drinking sweet fruit juice after meals, I didn’t like the bitter ‘ocha’ or green tea which is usually served after meals by Japanese. However, now that I live in Japan I don’t have any choice but to accept the taste of it.

As the months passed by, I got used to the taste of miso shiru and ocha, and most especially I learned the technique to eat the hot ‘wasabi’ without tears in my eyes. The technique is when you put the food with wasabi in your mouth, position ... Read More

I have been to several themed restaurants in Japan. Some were good and some more a comedy act, but my latest dining experience is bizarre and unique at the same time. I am in Tokyo to see my friend and go to Ginza to a sword shop, having been to the sword store called Token Shibata this afternoon I am heading to Akasaka where my friend lives. He took me out for dinner and has promised I will be so happy and surprised at where we are going for dinner.

I knew walking up to the front of this restaurant that something was not normal, and on entering suspect door in a wall, there is a ninja in front of me. ‘Is this an armed robbery,’ I am wondering, ‘or someone forgot to get changed before they left the dojo for dinner?’ We are now inside Ninja Akasaka ... Read More

Last night for dinner I attempted my hand at making a local specialty from Okinawa for our side dish ? the purple sweet potato introduced to Japan from China in the early 1600s. Some of you may have seen these potatoes in local grocery stores. In the rare form their exterior resembles a sweet potato from North America, but the inside ranges from a purple to a deep purplish-blue.

While I had previously read that this vegetable is known for being quite nutritious (contains the antioxidant polyphenol along with vitamin C) while also sweet, I was still not certain of the best method cook or season this native potato.

Therefore I did what any other person may have done ? I checked out various recipes online and began my own endeavor to make it ... Read More

Japan has some of the best cuisine in the world, and no matter where you go it’s always served fast, clean, and fresh. That’s why it breaks my heart when I see tourists going to Yoshinoya or worse, McDonald's, over and over again because they're too afraid to go into a restaurant and try something new!

You're in another country, people, live a little!

Finding a restaurant is usually not hard, many of them have plastic food displays out front. You can pick what looks good and then just drag the waitress outside and point. They're used to it, don't worry. If you're in a touristy place, they may even speak some English or have an English menu.

If you're feeling adventurous, you could go into a smaller noodle or tonkatsu shop. They are rec... Read More

So the Tsuyu (early summer plum rain) season is upon you all! Yikes! That hot balmy humidity that just wilts your willpower to move and forces you indoors to seek any form of air conditioning… If you have any strength left after battling the heavy humidity why not try some refreshing and traditional summer foods that are supposed to invigorate you in this harsh wetness. This is the best time for us Gaijins to be adventurous especially when it comes to Japanese cuisine because no human is exempt from the elements!

When it comes to beating the heat there is nothing more refreshing than cold noodles and the like. However for the more adventurous, the Tsuyu season cuisine extends to much more exotic types of foods. Many of these foods can be classifie... Read More

Sushi is considered a distinct food in Japan. This food has been a great business in the entire country, sold in several kinds of outlets like sushi houses, sushi trains, authentic Japanese restaurants and even in the department stores and convenient stores. It is usually made with vinegared rice with toppings on it, usually uncooked seafood. It tastes good with wasabi and sushi soy sauce. Regular housewives prepare this food too.

Sushi comes in several varities like “maki” (roles), usually roled with nori, sushi bowl, nigiri (sushi dumplings). We'll tackle more about nigiri-sushi is the most common type sold anywhere in Japan. It comes in several flavors, ebi (shrimp), tako(octopus), white squid, sea urchin, maguro (tuna), salmon, tamago... Read More

It seems as if every person in Tokyo (and their camera) were present at the Sanja Matsuri (‘Matsuri’, is Japanese for festival) in Asakusa this past Sunday. This is one of the largest and rowdiest festivals in the country, and draws in yearly crowds of up to two million.

A powerful presence at a Japanese festival is without doubt, the food. One after the other, vendor booths line the festival streets sending out wafts of sizzling, smoky and sweet essences, tempting even the most stuffed-to-the-brim walker-bys. The selection is good, but limited to typical festival types. Like cotton candy at the fair and popcorn at the movies, there seems to be an inextricable connection between taste and atmosphere that carries through to Matsuris. Such event staples include go... Read More

If you're searching for a cool place to hang out in Roppongi aside from those dancing and drinking bars, I suggest you dine at Hard Rock Cafe. Here's the reason why:

a.) Great service - They don't only treat you like ordinary customers but treats you like a VIP! They have the most accomodating, outgoing, friendly bi-lingual staffs there. It's great to eat if you feel comfortable to the people serving you. You could see smiles saying "how are you? can i take your order?" by the time you came in.

b.) Versatile Atmosphere - this restaurant has a cozy but punky interiors. If you're an artistic person you would definitely admire the creative total look of the restaurant. A simple look around would definitely make you feel young again.

c.)... Read More

Have you ever heard of a “maid café”? I bet not. Only in Japan!

While maid cafés are everywhere in Japan, Akihabara in Tokyo is famous for them. Akihabara is the electronics capital of Tokyo and is a focal point for electronics and anime maniacs (also known as otaku). When you exit Akihabara station, you will meet many maids handing out flyers for their respective cafés. I highly recommend that you go to one, if only just the experience. It’s not everyone’s ‘cup of tea’, haha pardon the pun. However, it is a very unique café experience.

When you enter the café, a young woman will greet you “Okaerinasaimase, goshujin-sama” (Japanese for “welcome home, Master”). The waitresses will all be dressed in Lolita fashion... Read More

In my time in Japan I have sampled some bad versions of western food in restaurants and these include a kebab with cabbage and Thousand Island dressing, pizza with corn, broccoli and fish on it and a blood red so called well-done steak. I cook for a my in-laws three meals a day every day and my wife is used to it from living with me in Australia previously but the rest of the in-laws are dumbfounded. My Father in-law says it is like living if a five star hotel since I arrived, as he is happy with huge meals three times a day.

From my understanding women do the cooking at home in Japan and them men just sit down and eat whatever is presented. It is just the cross-cultural divide, as in Australia you don’t let the girls near the BBQ that is the men’s d... Read More