March 1, 2013
*We asked our friend, Mr. Tomokazu Kai of Heuga Bar in Gifu City, “What types of towels and products do you use to clean your bar?” Mr. Kai, ever the thorough and serious bar professional, responded with this eloquent statement. Thanks Kai-san! Written by TOMOKAZU KAI Translated by YOKO KUMANO For cleaning the bar, I […]
January 31, 2013
Ramen has always been big in Japan, and since the mid-2000’s it has exponentially grown in popularity and trendiness, with younger entrepenuers trying their hand at making the nation’s most beloved B-kyu (B-Class) food. B-kyu foods are defined as “comfort foods” like curry, ramen, gyudon (beef bowl) and yakisoba. In contrast, A-kyu (A-Class) foods are […]
January 29, 2013
Yup, you read it right. This is a present from one of my Japanese friends who visited London last year: a seven day supplement for young and puru-puru (plump and quivering) skin. Although placenta in skincare has been around in Japan for years, it’s only recently that I’ve begun to see them appearing in the […]
January 25, 2013
*Nahoko Morimoto is a Tokyo-based photographer. Her work has been featured in Brutus and Vogue Japan.
January 24, 2013
I woke up on January 1, 2013 ready to shred on the tatami mats at my husband’s parent’s house in western Tokyo. After a great workout I took a walk and saw Mt. Fuji in clear view. It was a memorable Jan 1 already. At 12 o’clock, my in-laws and I all piled into a […]
January 3, 2013
Complimentary amazake (sweet hot sake) at Anko-dou, a manju/ gift shop in Gunma prefecture.
January 1, 2013
Happy New Year. 2013 has started with a perfect sunrise in Japan. Hopefully it signifies that the rest of the year to be bright and shiny. 2012 was filled with happenings: from Taylor Swift changing boyfriends 18 times, to Gangnam Style to Sandy craziness to starting my own business. Let’s hope 2013 will be a […]
November 2, 2012
Here’s a column idea that’s been brewing for a while: asking bartenders in Japan about their techniques, methods and current cocktail trends. Our first bartender is Mr. Tomokazu Kai, winner of Suntory’s 2011 Cocktail Award. Kai-san bartends at Heuga Bar in Gifu prefecture, and we had the pleasure of meeting him back in February for […]
October 4, 2012
I used to live in Azabujuban for four years during my 20s. Sadly I don’t get to go there that often anymore as I live farther away. I love Azabujuban so much because there are so many great restaurants and cool shops there – both old and new. I like to check out new places […]
August 16, 2012
On the very special occasion that a visitor from Japan would bring Toraya to our home in Cupertino, I would actually be excited about eating. I was a very picky, skinny child, but whenever my mom busted out the Toraya I would eat blocks of yokan (red bean dessert) and stack as much anko into my […]