Almost everyone has heard of Japanese sake before, but what about shochu? Shochu is another of Japan’s traditional alcoholic beverages that, much like sake, comes in a huge variety of flavors and types. Shochu production started about 500 years ago in southern Japan. An authentic Japanese spirit resulted from a combination of the basic sake […]
Category: JP
What is Japan’s ”KAWAII” Pop culture??
What is Japan’s “kawaii”? What is the history behind this subculture that has inherited fashion, toys, books, and food? Kawaii culture is recognized by the Japanese government as one of the country’s most important cultural exports. It spread all over the world through kawaii fashion, manga books, toys, food, and more. Kawaii food is a […]
Basics of Japanese Food Manners
The positioning of dishes at a Japanese table is based on a set of rules that have been handed down from generation to generation. The base of the serving menu is “ippiru sansai,” which consists of rice and soup (sometimes with pickles), a main dish, and two side dishes, which is the basic menu of […]
The Japanese Omotenashi Spirit
The Meaning of Omotenashi The meaning of Omotenashi, simply put, is “to treat others with respect and without asking for compensation. It may sound simple, but there is actually an interesting etymology hidden in the word Omotenashi. Etymology of Omotenashi What is the origin of the word Omotenashi? The word “Omotenashi” originally comes from […]
What is “umami” in Japanese food that attracts attention from all over the world?
“Umami” is indispensable for Japanese food. When you hear the word “Umami”, you think of the gentle taste of dashi, but the “umami” that is currently attracting worldwide attention is not just the flavor that indicates deliciousness. Originally, there were four basic sensory tastes. Sweetness, saltiness, acidity, and bitterness, and it has been said that […]
Reizake, Kanzake … The taste of sake that changes with temperature.
The taste of Japanese sake changes with temperature. Japanese sake is a beverage whose taste and aroma change depending on the temperature. Some sake are suitable for Kanzake (hot sake), and on the contrary, some sake is better served as Reizake (cold sake). Today, we will introduce the changes in flavor of sake depending on […]
Japanese people didn’t eat meat in the past? The history of Japanese food and roots of why it’s called healthy
Japanese food was registered as a UNESCO (United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization) Intangible Cultural Heritage in December of 2013. Under UNESCO, it was registered as the traditional dietary culture of the Japanese. Japanese food, making the most of the flavor of its ingredients and allowing diners to enjoy fresh, seasonal flavors, is garnering […]