JAPAN HOME COOKING

Spring in Japan is the season of bamboo and bamboo recipes. I adore cooking with bamboo which is so versatile, high in fiber and low in calories.  Bamboo shoots are a very seasonal vegetable, available in all supermarkets and vegetable shops between March and May. You can also purchase vacuum …

One of our favorite Japanese cooking technique is Donabe cooking (clay pot cooking), and the most beautiful selection of donabes I know in Tokyo are available at the Igamono donabes store in Ebisu. We offer Japanese Nabe cooking classes at our studio in Minami Azabu Tokyo.  Next Donabe Class is …

Winter is the perfect time to try some delicious Japanese mushroom recipes. We are highlighting six Japanese mushrooms which are all delicious, easily available in Japanese supermarkets, very economical and versatile in their usage.  If you love mushrooms, the recipes below will be some great additions to your winter dishes. …

My kids love Mochi snacks on cold winter afternoons. They are a warm, filling and easy to make!  Mochi is gluten free.  Bags of hockey puck shape and sized pounded rice (もちmochi) are availabe in all Japanese supermarkets year-round, but promoted headily from October to February. Bags of Mochi are …

If you’ve wandered into a Japanese supermarket simply shopping for rice, you have probably been surprised and maybe overwhelmed by the variety. White rice, brown rice, non-wash rice the list goes on! Japanese rice is more than a source of carbohydrate, it is a part of Japan’s culture. According to …

Nabe, Japanese hot pot, is our favorite winter meal. It`s quick, nutritious, and it`ll warm you up fast. There are many different types of nabe; sukiyaki, shabu shabu, chanko nabe, kimchi nabe, etc. Our favorite is Japanese shabu shabu (しゃぶしゃぶ) which consists of raw assorted vegetables, tofu, thin slices of …

Ginkgo nuts (Ginnan – ぎんなん) are in season from October – December, so try these Japanese Gingko Nut Recipes. If you live in Japan, you have probably been noticing the stinky mushy fruits falling from local trees. To some people the odor is camembert cheese to others far worse odors. …

Japanese persimmon recipes to make today! Japanese persimmon (kaki, 柿) is an incredibly delicious, nutritious and economical fruit for your family.  You can find some great sweet persimmons at the Tokyo Farmers Market at the UN University on Saturday and Sunday in Omotesando.  Also remember to cook with other in-season fruits and veggies like Nashi …

Japanese Pumpkin Kabocha is one of the most seasonal, nutritious and economical foods you can buy from September to November in Japan. Great time of the year to make some Japanese Pumpkin Kabocha recipes. Japanese Pumpkin Kabocha (/kəˈboʊtʃə/; from Japanese カボチャ, 南瓜) is an Asian variety of winter squash of …

Japanese sweet potato recipes to make today! Japanese sweet potato (さつまいも satsumaimo) is an incredibly delicious, nutritious and economical food for your family. If you want a fun outing go dig your own potatoes at one of the Chiba and Saitama farms.  You can find some great sweet potatoes at …

Japanese sweet potato recipes to make today! Japanese sweet potato (さつまいも satsumaimo) is an incredibly delicious, nutritious and economical food for your family. If you want a fun outing go dig your own potatoes at one of the Chiba and Saitama farms.  You can find some great sweet potatoes at …

Nikujaga (肉じゃが) is one pot comfort food in Japan. Nikujaga means meat and potatoes.  If you grew up with a favorite family beef stew or mac & cheese, this would be the Japanese equivalent. Every family has their own recipe and slightly different flavour, but it is a simple recipe to …

In an effort to improve the nutritional diets of our families we looked more closely into Japanese packaged kids snacks. Below is calorie, tutorial and allergen comparison of  14 of the most common package snack foods sold in Japan. We all know fruits and veggies are the best but we …

Nashi Japanese Pears are one of my favorite fruits in Japan. Crisp and juicy they are in season from August to October in Japan. Although on the outside Nashi look like green apples, on the inside they are crisp juicy pears. Super high in fiber, low in calories (one large …

I love summer veggies! Beautiful tomatoes, corn, cucumbers, edamame and of course okra. Growing up in the North East of the U.S., I never ate okra. My first okra was in Japan over 20 years ogo, and I immediately fell in love. I can eat bowls of lightly boiled okra …

Here is the Best Living Japan Guide to Rice Cookers in Japan. Rice is the staple of the Japanese diet and there’s no shortage of rice cookers (炊飯器 | すいはんき | suihanki) on the market that aim to make modern-day cooking as efficient as possible. This guide will walk you through …

If you are interested in dropping a few pounds without a dramatic diet change, try cooking with konyaku. Konyaku is a zero calorie gelatinous food that is made from ground Konjac plant or devil tongue root. Shiratake is also made from konyaku but in noodle form. Although Konyaku may not …

Komatsuna, Japanese mustard spinach, is most delicious and economical in March and can be used in many delicious recipes. Although Komatsuna is called Japanese mustard spinach, I have not found it to taste much like mustard. Try it yourself! What is Komatsuna? – Komatsuna (コマツナ（小松菜)) or Brassica rapa is a …