Author Archives: Yoko Kumano


May 10, 2009

Boobie Chocolate

by Yoko Kumano

I am hopping on the plane to San Francisco from Tokyo in a few hours, so I won’t be able to see the results for the Umami vote live – but it looks like boobies will beat out all categories. In honor of boobies, I am posting this photo of Oppai (Boobie) Choco I took […]

Fin Jizzy

by Yoko Kumano

Seeing as votes are largely being casted for “boobies” for the Umami Vote question “What would you like to see more of on UM?”, I tried searching for something boobie-related to blog about. But blogging about chicken boobies just seemed kind of boring. So forgive me for not being able to fulfill the demand for […]

May 4, 2009

Kewpie Tarako Pasta Sauce

by Yoko Kumano

One of the best ad campaigns I have seen in Japan is for Kewpie’s Tarako (Cod Roe) Pasta Sauce. These ads have been running for the past three years and have created a branding craze for Kewpie dolls dressed up as tarako. Check out these ads bordering on creepy and kawaii (cute).

May 3, 2009

Awamori with Shiso and Wasabi

by Yoko Kumano

Last night, I was at a local izakaya, Washio, with some friends. My friend Takachiho, fresh off of work, downed two bottles of beer, three sake servings and quickly moved onto his next drink all in the time span of about 80 minutes. “Master, please give me an awamori!” (Master is the word used in […]

April 28, 2009

Chocolate Curl Cereal Challenge

by Yoko Kumano

I am shocked that I haven’t posted anything on cereal on Umamimart yet. Ever since living in Tokyo, I have not been able to live out the fantasies that I have as a self-proclaimed cereal addict. As a kid, I would always request 4-packs of Honey Bunches of Oats when my mother made a Costco […]

April 10, 2009

Totally Tubular

by Yoko Kumano

The Swedish city of Malmö is just a stone´s throw away from Copenhagen. The theme of my three-week trip is “Countries I Have Never Been To.” So I was delighted by Anders´ suggestion to take a day-trip to Malmö where Copenhagenites take advantage of the cheaper prices offered in Sweden. The train ride across the […]

April 6, 2009

What Danish Babies Like to Eat

by Yoko Kumano

Ever find yourself tossing and turning at night wondering what Danish babies like to eat?… Well, me neither. Nevertheless, I had the priviledge to find out on Saturday when I attended Ernst’s third birthday party. This Danish baby threw his birthday party for brunch. Just like us, Danish babies invite their friends and family members […]

April 4, 2009

Danish Men’s Lunch at Husmann’s Vinstue

by Yoko Kumano

My first meal out in the city of Copenhagen was what my friend Anders dubbed as “a traditional Danish men´s lunch.” On a beautiful, sunny, crisp day, we set out on our bikes to enjoy what Husmann’s Vinstue had waiting for us. The interior of Husmann’s Vinstue was moody and dark with business men and […]

April 2, 2009

Beijing: The Faster the Better

by Yoko Kumano

All of my food experiences during my two-night stay in Beijing taught me one thing: the faster the food the better the experience. By the end of my stay, I would choose a place by spying on the doorway of a restaurant for a few minutes, making sure that people were constantly shuffling in and […]

Tokyo JUNKtion: American Sushi at Rainbow Roll Sushi

by Yoko Kumano

In an ultra-postmodern city such as Tokyo, where sign and meaning are often so far gone from each other, it seems fitting that a cuisine such as American Sushi finds its way “back.” Many visitors from America who come to Japan are often surprised to find out that the sushi rolls we see in the […]