If you try Googling “Fukushima” you’ll get pages and pages of links with words like, “tragedy” “disaster” and “fear” in the title. This is simply fact. On March 11, 2011, Fukushima prefecture was home to an earthquake, then tsunami so devastating that it caused a massive nuclear meltdown on the coast. Thousands of people were forced […]
Author Archives: Kayoko Akabori
February 26, 2015
Craft Beer Market in Tokyo
People in Japan are cuckoo for beer. It remains the most popular alcoholic beverage in Japan, accounting for two thirds of all alcohol consumed overall (says Wikipedia). When going out with friends or coworkers after work, it is an ongoing tradition for the table to order a round of draft beers for the first kanpai […]
February 23, 2015
Postcard from Japan: Kissaten Life
We are really enjoying the kissaten (cafe) lifestyle here in Japan and we have visited several in Tokyo and Fukushima during our travels. Unlike Starbucks or other branded coffee shops, kissaten are a place to unwind, have a smoke, sip a cup of joe and perhaps order a pressed sandwich. They are all unique and […]
February 16, 2015
Umami Mart Bottle Shop!
When people ask Yoko or myself if it was “always in the plan” to turn Umami Mart into a brick and mortar shop, the answer is always “no.” We do get this question quite often. But back in 2007 when we started our blog, I was living in Brooklyn and Yoko was in Tokyo, on […]
February 12, 2015
Throwback Thursday: Tap This Homebrewing Guide
Today I want to go back to 2009, when our resident beer specialist CJ wrote a six-part guide to home brewing, right here on Umami Mart. It is a very comprehensive read for anyone trying to start their own batch of beer at home. Seem intimidating? Sure it is! Making beer is a huge time […]
February 9, 2015
Abura-ya: Izakaya for the People
Let me start off by saying that I think Abura-ya is the most exciting dining experience in the Bay Area in the last few years. By “exciting” I mean: doing something spectacularly new and genre-bending — all deliciously, and not one bit bank-breaking. Abura-ya specializes in Japanese fried chicken, but it is so much more […]
January 29, 2015
Event Recap: Baird Tap Takeover
We had a fantastic event with our lovely neighbors, The Trappist, back in November — the brewmaster of Baird Beer was here visiting from Japan, so they took over the taps! They were so kind to invite us in on the fun to collaborate on the event, and so we brought in Casa de Kei […]
January 26, 2015
My Oakland Secrets
After living in Oakland for nearly five years, I am jumping ship and moving across the Bay. It’s crazy. I haven’t really come to grips with it yet, as I’ve been so busy packing/ moving out/ moving in/ unpacking/ selling furniture/ buying furniture/ trying to settle in; all while remembering to eat, stay hydrated and […]
January 19, 2015
Upcoming Event: 2nd Annual Japan Beer Fest
As Yoko and I are putting together our events calendar for the year, we are so excited to include our 2nd annual JAPAN BEER FEST during SF Beer Week. Once again, we’ll be collaborating with our awesome neighbors The Trappist, who will be providing over 15 beers on tap and bottled. If you remember the […]
January 15, 2015
Event Recap: MUJI x Umami Mart
When MUJI came to us last year to put on a collaborative event together, Yoko and I did not not hesitate to say YES. A leading retailer in Japan, MUJI has been around for decades, outfitting people’s homes, kitchens, wardrobes and backpacks full of understated, minimal, yet high-quality goods. We respect them greatly, and were […]