by Aya OtaIn the East Village, a vibrant town of condensation of diverse ethnic groups and cultures, you first climb a set of stairs to an izakaya, ge...

by Keiko FukudaJapanese food fans in the South Bay area are talking a lot about having lunch at Wadatsumi lately. I visited Wadatsumi in May, shortly after the opening. About 20 of us, business colleagues, had lunch in the space for large groups. First, I was impressed by the rich variety in the men...

By Elli Sekine “Hitachino Nest Beer”, known by its red owl logo, is gaining popularity in the US. The number of fans of this premium craft beer is gro...

By Yuji MatsumotoRecently, I’m often asked from Americans, “Wine is often used for cooking, can you also use Japanese sake?” Japanese sake is great for cooking, because it contains many umami components for use in various ways.” Eliminating OdorSake is useful to eliminate odor from pork, lamb, etc.,...

By Kosuke KujiIn last issue's column, we mentioned: "On April 17th 2013, by a certification body called Chabad of Japan, Nanbu Bijin received a certification of “Kosher” to certify that their products are safe and trustworthy based on the dietary food standards of Judaism." We also explained what Ko...

By Aya OtaYakiniku Futago” of Osaka is a restaurant chain which has so far developed about 50 restaurants in the Tokyo metropolitan area and overseas. It was founded in 2010 in Tsuruhashi, Osaka which is a battleground for yakiniku businesses, by third-generation Korean twin brothers, Suncho and Sun...

By Keiko FukudaIt was about 6 years ago when I first noticed the store sign, “Koshiji” in the corner of a mall in Torrance in the outskirts of Los Ang...

By Eri Shimizu / Editing Elli SekineMr. Yoshimori Tomé, the owner of a long-lasting sushi restaurant called “Sushi Ran”, who established the base of t...

By Yuji MatsumotoIt’s simple to state that sake is a beverage of taste, selected and consumed according to individual preferences. However, “delicious” share the following common characteristics:• Sweetness• Acidity• Saltiness• Bitterness • Umami flavorsThe balance between these common elements is i...

By Kosuke KujiOn April 17th 2013, by a certification body called Chabad of Japan, Nanbu Bijin received a certification of “Kosher” to certify that their products are safe and trustworthy based on the dietary food standards of Judaism. Probably many of the Japanese that read this column may not be fa...