Japanese art like food is rather unique as it blends two fundamental elements of Japanese culture: philosophy and craftsmanship. On a level probably no other country had ever reached. In the past 30 years we have seen the emergence of a new generation of painters, sculptors, designers, architects, photographers etc…

Chef Kunio Tokuoka has been working in the kitchens of KITCHO, the legendary Japanese haute cuisine restaurant for close to 40 years and is now running the show. He follows in the hefty footsteps of his grandfather the founder of KITCHO Teiichi Yuki. Born in 1960, Kunio Tokuoka has brought…

Extraordinary evening few nights ago at Endo at the Rotunda, which happened to be the first and the last day of the opening due to the suddenly announced lockdown. Endo-san @kazutoshi.endo has been working on this brilliant menu as well as the new shari recipe the whole year. While the…

Wagyu sukiyaki rice by the chef-owner ofHannahDaisuke Shimoyama. The recipe is as follows… Fry onion with Wagyu fat, add 35 g of sugar, 500 ml sake, 15 ml mirin and Shiitake mushroom. Reduce until half and add 80 ml of dark soy sauce. Dip thinly sliced Wagyu pieces into thereduction.…

YUZU RAMEN with PORK CHASHU and NITAMAGO by Masaki Sugisaki, head chef at Dinings SW3may well be the best ramen I’ve had in London and one of the best outside Japan. When living in Tokyo, Masaki-san spent years researching how to make the perfect ramen — full of flavour, but…

James Beard Award winner, Nancy Singleton Hachisu is an expert of unique and authentic Japanese cuisine. Born and raised in California, she first went to Japan over 32-years ago where she now lives on a farm with her Japanese husband and their family. On a quest to advocate for Japan’s…

Author of Food, Sake, Tokyo, an exploration of Tokyo’s food scene, Yukari Sakamoto is on a mission to demystify Japanese cuisine. Trained at the French Culinary Institute and the American Sommelier Association, she also passed the rigorous exam to become a certified shochu adviser. She teaches classes on food, wine,…

Dining out in Tokyo doesn’t always adhere to Western expectations. The customer is not always right and sometimes not always welcome. There are secret spots from the old-world kissaten coffee shops where you can still find people smoking, to restaurants with no-signage that operate on the second floor of a…

By Pablo Alomar Salvioni More than a month has passed since SAKE DAY, a yearly celebration of sake that takes place on the first of October. This observance marks the beginning of the brewing year thanks to the newly harvested rice. Autumn is undoubtedly sake season. Fresh Fresh sake. In…

Here’s a list of my favourite books about Japan. They have influenced me and taught me a lot about Japanese culture: cooking, travel, design and art. Check them out. A great way to spend those cool Autumn evenings. Flavor and Seasonings: Dashi, Umami and Fermented Foods by The Japanese Culinary…