There is an irony about Japanese cuisine: it is ubiquitous but at the same it’s one of the least-understood of the world’s great gastronomic cultures. Sushi is easily available from Norwich to Novosibirsk, but finding real Japanese cuisine is very difficult. Culinary Journeys events in collaboration with All Nippon Airways…

Today’s “bento box” and nigiris by the one and only Fukushima-san at Cafe Japan in Golders Green. Quite to the north if you are in the Central London, but totally worth it. (Currently in my top 3 Japanese in London..)

All ingredients from Japan at Shoji at 69 Leonard street. Its chef Derek Wilcox was one of the first and few foreigners who have trained at Kikunoi kaiseki restaurant in Kyoto.

Some highlights from Kimoto in Tokyo that relocated from Kobe in 2018 and is one of top kaiseki restaurants in Japan. Chef Yasuya Kimoto used to train at Sakurada in Kyoto along with Tadayoshi Matsukawa (who runs introduction only Matsukawa, thus similarities in styles..).

Those who have ever tried to book Tokyo top sushi shops like Saito or Sugita, might know how difficult or even impossible to book them unless you are introduced by a regular. I asked Andrew Gyokudari, the man who has over 300 sushi meals per year to recommend top sushi…

By John Hirai a.k.a. Tokyo Rocks on Tabelog (instagram.com/tokyorocks69)All images©John Hirai As most of you might know, ramen is originally from China. The first ramen shop opened 1910 in Tokyo and spread around all over Japan after World War II. Almost every region or city has their own style of…

Derek Wilcox, chef of Shoji at 69 Leonard in NYC, is one of very few non-Japanese sushi masters in the world to have reached a comparable level to the best in Japan. Originally from upstate New York, Derek trained at Kikunoi in Kyoto for 7 years and at Sushi Aoki…

Some highlights from my lunch at Kiro sushi last week, easily one of the best “Edo-mae” style sushi restaurants in Europe at the moment. It is located in Logroño, La Rioja, the place you will probably not travel to eat sushi, yet it’s definitely worth a special trip. Most of…

Shuji Niitome, currently Japan’s number one tempura master in action. Until only recently, tempura master from Nagoya Shuji Niitome refused to be listed in any restaurant guides. As soon as he got onto tabelog.com, he soared to number one in Japan for tempura. Niitome-san is a true shokunin (and despite…

Imagine a simple technique, all in the twist of a wire. A technique with the potential to revolutionise fishing in the Western world. Dubbed Ikejime in Japanese, this method for slaughtering fish more ethically could also lead to a change in expectations of how fish meat should taste and age.…