Getting To Know You – Nagoya Station Area of Meieki
Oct 29, 2019 By Bert Wishart
For years, though the city center in name, the area around Nagoya Station was considered to a poor relation to the shopping district of Sakae. However, over the past decade there has been dramatic investment in the Meieki (a Japanese abbreviation of 'Nagoya Station') area, and today it is an...[ Click to read more ]
Getting Fed and Afraid at Lock Up Theme Restaurant
By Bert Wishart
Halloween may have come and gone, but that does not mean that the frightening times have to be over. If you are already missing the combination of cosplay, terror (and perhaps a little tipsiness), why not make your way down to the prison-themed izakaya The Lock Up, just a few...[ Click to read more ]
Kansai’s Most Popular Winter Meals
Oct 18, 2019 By Justin Hanus
The Japanese have many hearty winter meals served at festivals and family gatherings during the colder months. Each region has its specialties and twists on popular classics with Kansai being no different. Here is a selection of popular meals for you to try over the coming months. Wakayama Ramen Ramen...[ Click to read more ]
Miso – Japan’s Condiment of Choice for 1000 Years
Oct 14, 2019 By Justin Hanus
There was a time when miso was only eaten by nobility and monks. It was strictly forbidden for commoners to even eat the fermented condiment. What a difference a thousand years or so makes - today it is the cornerstone of traditional Japanese meals. Miso was invented in China and...[ Click to read more ]
Sushi: a Short History and Where to Get It in Hiroshima
Sep 27, 2019 By Hugh Cann
The earliest form of sushi, known today as narezushi, most likely originates in the paddy fields along the Mekong River in Southeast Asia. The prototype narezushi is made by lacto-fermenting fish with salt and rice to control putrefaction. It then spread southward. In Japan, the dish's introduction overlaps with the...[ Click to read more ]
Japanese Sake: Sake Festival in Hiroshima
By Hugh Cann
To begin with, we all know the word sake (pronounced sa-keh not sa-ki). But in fact, that is the generic term in Japanese for alcohol. If you want to order it and not sound like a complete “blow-in” you would be better ordering it as Nihon-shu. Most Nihon-shu (from my...[ Click to read more ]
Tokyo Ramen Show 2019
Sep 23, 2019 By Admin
Ramen is classic Japanese food. If you ask a random person, foreign or Japanese, male or female, what their favorite food is you are highly likely to get "ramen" back as your answer. Ramen is a noodle soup of wheat noodles served in a meat-based broth. Standard flavors include: Shio or "salt" Tonkotsu or "pork bone"...[ Click to read more ]
Ganko Yatai: A Night Owl’s Go-To Food Court
Aug 26, 2019 By Hugh Cann
Ganko Yatai is basically six small izakayas (Japanese taverns) wedged into one large room make up this lively spot, where beer or sake are served up with the usual izakaya fare, including some local-style okonomiyaki. You quite likely already know the bustling Nagarekawa entertainment district and actually on a side...[ Click to read more ]
Yokogawa: Where Old and New Meet in Hiroshima
By Hugh Cann
Historically, Yokogawa is the old Shitamachi and before the second world war was Hiroshima's commercial business district. The post-war reconstruction shifted most commercial and retail activity to Naka -ku (ward) area of central Hiroshima. Today, some of the businesses in Yokogawa remain much as they were after the immediate reconstruction....[ Click to read more ]
Meguro Sanma Festival: Thanks for all the (free) fish!
Aug 20, 2019 By Jason Gatewood
It’s no secret that Japan is a seafood lover’s paradise. Everything that swims, crawls or otherwise calls any body of water home can be found on a dinner table here. Of course, the national dish, sushi, is served raw but grilling fish over coals is also part of traditional Japanese...[ Click to read more ]
