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July 24, 2026
 

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Elizabeth Andoh
When European sailors first arrived on Japan¡¯s shores, some of their favorite meals seemed outlandish to the locals, but others became adapted delicacies.
LIFE / Food & Drink / Washoku Essentials
May 24, 2026
Barbaric tastes: The pickled Portuguese dish that won over Japan
A refreshingly piquant bite for increasingly warm days, this medley of Portuguese and Japanese flavors works as both an appetizer and main dish.
"Sekihan," a dish of sticky rice with adzuki beans, is popular during festive occasions because of its red hue, a color associated with good fortune in Japan.
LIFE / Food & Drink / Washoku Essentials
Mar 20, 2026
Eat a bowl of red rice for good luck
A dish of sticky grains with adzuki beans, ¡°sekihan¡± is traditionally served to celebrate auspicious beginnings in school and work.
Turning "konnyaku" into braids is an easy way to present the low-calorie ingredient in a fun shape.
LIFE / Food & Drink / Washoku Essentials
Jan 23, 2026
Twists and turns to spice up the mild ¡®konnyaku¡¯
A staple of Setsubun, the gelatinous food can be easily enlivened by shaping it into braids and sprinkling them with some fiery chili peppers.
Golden "age-fukuburo," a culinary take on Japan's new year "lucky bags," can be served on their own.
LIFE / Food & Drink / Washoku Essentials
Nov 15, 2025
Good fortune, wrapped in fried tofu
Inspired by Japan¡¯s lucky bags, these tofu pouches hold savory treasures that simmer into a small taste of good fortune.
Filled with red bean paste and covered in "kinako" soy flour, green "zunda" soybean mash and black sesame, "o-hagi" sticky rice balls offer a delicious interplay of sweet and savory flavors.
LIFE / Food & Drink / Washoku Essentials
Sep 19, 2025
Celebrating autumn with timeless sticky rice balls
Filled with red bean paste and sheathed in various coatings, the spherical sweets evoke the gentle mood of the season.
With a salsa-like topping, the "dashi yakko" is a Yamagata-style chilled tofu that makes a refreshing side dish for summer.
LIFE / Food & Drink / Washoku Essentials
Jul 18, 2025
Cool to be square: A block of tofu with veggies to chill your summer
Bank on the cold, silky bean curd to help you combat the season¡¯s soaring temperatures.
With the weather warming up, there's no better time to make a bowl of chilled "surinagashi-jiru" (pureed soup).
LIFE / Food & Drink / Washoku Essentials
May 18, 2025
Flaunt your seasonal greens with Japan¡¯s traditional pureed soup
Get the best flavor out of your peas and pods by simmering them in a dashi-based broth.
"Udo" (Japanese spikenard) is one of the many vegetables that reach their peak of flavor right as spring comes around.
LIFE / Food & Drink / Washoku Essentials
Mar 23, 2025
Now is the time to discover this Japanese mountain vegetable
At its most flavorful now, the oddly shaped Japanese spikenard adds a juicy and crisp element to salads.
Yellowtail caught during the coldest period of the year is delicious enough ¡ª but paired with a classic method of marinade and pan-searing, it's divine.
LIFE / Food & Drink / Washoku Essentials
Jan 29, 2025
For two weeks only, cold-water yellowtail can give you chills
According to Japan¡¯s hyperseasonal calendar, January brings with it the chance for yellowtail at the peak of flavor.
Japan's traditional New Year cuisine has a long history, though modern developments have led to slight changes in the way things work.
LIFE / Food & Drink
Dec 22, 2024
A brief history of ¡®osechi ry¨­ri,¡¯ Japan¡¯s edible tradition for the new year
In addition to wordplay, color and shape often determine the reason why certain foods are part of Japan¡¯s New Year holiday menu.
In Japan, these sweet morsels are a traditional New Year's treat, but they share a surprising overlap with American Thanksgiving flavors, too.
LIFE / Food & Drink / Washoku Essentials
Nov 10, 2024
The winter sweet that matches perfectly with autumn
If I¡¯m in America for Thanksgiving, I¡¯ll serve ¡°kuri kinton¡± (syrup-stewed chestnuts in sweet potato paste) as a festive accompaniment to the holiday turkey.
From mid-August through late September, eggplants reach their height of flavor in Japan.
LIFE / Food & Drink / Washoku Essentials
Sep 1, 2024
Japan¡¯s autumn eggplant: Too delicious for your daughter-in-law
In Japan, autumn eggplant has become a shorthand symbol for keeping the most pleasurable things in life to yourself.
Sardines may not be the traditional choice for Japan's special midsummer eel-eating day, but with a few special touches, the fish can be a satisfying and sustainable replacement.
LIFE / Food & Drink / Washoku Essentials
Jul 21, 2024
Going eel-less for Japan¡¯s midsummer tradition
Japanese eel is endangered, but sardines are an ethical ¡ª and delicious ¡ª substitute for this year¡¯s double Doyo no Ushi no Hi.
This is the dish that hooked me on the traditional Japanese ways of the "washoku" kitchen.
LIFE / Food & Drink / Washoku Essentials
May 26, 2024
Land and sea come together in traditional kitchen staple
For a dish of ingredients that display such culinary affinity, the Japanese have a go-to phrase: ¡°aish¨­ ga yoroshii¡± (good compatibility).
During cherry blossom season, lunchtime thoughts turn to outdoor picnicking, and savory sakura-flavored rice bundles are the perfect choice.
LIFE / Food & Drink / Washoku Essentials
Mar 23, 2024
Cherry blossoms are just as beautiful on a plate as a branch
With Tokyo¡¯s cherry blossom season imminent, the tree takes center stage in sweet and savory dishes alike.
'Oden' may not be an iconic dish outside Japan, but during winter, there's nothing Japanese diners love more.
LIFE / Food & Drink / Washoku Essentials
Jan 28, 2024
In a Japanese winter, homemade ¡®oden¡¯ warms the body and soul
In poll after poll, this warming assortment of slowly simmered foods is the top-ranking comfort food for blustery winter nights.
A squeeze of fresh "sudachi" citrus is the final element in this earthy, warming dish perfect for cooler temperatures.
LIFE / Food & Drink
Nov 19, 2023
Here¡¯s the tea on traditional dobin teapot-steamed mushrooms
Dobin mushi pairs well with meat, fish, tofu, omelets and other vegetables. You can also serve dobin mushi in lieu of soup at any meal.
Edamame are perhaps best known as a beer snack, but they can turn into a versatile topping for desserts and tofu alike.
LIFE / Food & Drink
Sep 17, 2023
Sweet or savory, edamame ¡®zunda¡¯ is a soybean revelation
Today, a whopping 66,000 tons of edamame are domestically grown and consumed annually.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / Washoku Essentials
Jul 16, 2023
I scream, you scream, we all scream ¡ª for amazake aisu
Today, amazake is commonly made by combining warm, cooked rice with k¨­ji, Japan¡¯s magical mold.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / Washoku Essentials
May 21, 2023
Any way you slice it, burdock root stir-fry hits the spot
Named after a folk hero, this dish frequently appears tucked into bento, as a side on family dinner tables and on the menu at pubs and other casual eateries.
Japan scientists identify clusters of protein believed to trigger Alzheimer¡¯s disease
A team of researchers said they found a ¡°seed¡± that accelerates the amyloid beta accumulation process in the brain, naming it ¡°Peak 1 amyloid beta,¡± as seen in a mouse's brain.
Indian brothers make manga debut in Japan
Two Indian brothers made their manga debut in Japan with "Kung Fu Kung Fool" ¡ª an action-comedy series that follows the adventures of a notorious thief and a young boy.
Low-income families in Japan cut food and air conditioning during summer break
Yumiko Watanabe, the chairperson of nonprofit Kidsdoor, explains the results of a survey in Tokyo's Chiyoda Ward on July 1.
Iran strikes on CIA facilities prompt questions about possible Russian role
Iranian drones are displayed in an undisclosed location in Iran, in this handout image obtained on Jan. 13, 2025.U.S. officials have acknowledged that Russia has ?provided targeting ?and other support for Iran in its drone strikes on U.S. targets in the Persian Gulf region.
Intervention is the word after yen moves beyond ?163 and sits there
The government could prop up the yen at any moment, though its signaling is hard to read.
Can Japanese comedy get laughs in English? Yoshimoto Kogyo lets the jokes rip
Wes-P has millions of followers and his viral clips made him recognizable out of Japan.
The 180-day locals: Life on Japan¡¯s digital nomad visa
Christopher Flinn works remotely from Tokyo earlier this month. Japan issued 646 digital nomad visas in 2025, but tourism officials are hoping to increase that figure in the coming years, with Japan's relatively cheap cost of living and the weak yen seen as potential draws for young professionals.
Japan reveals hint of new defense spending target in fiscal blueprint
The Self-Defense Forces' Type 16 mobile combat vehicle fires during a joint live-fire drill with U.S. Marines as part of the annual Resolute Dragon exercises in Yufu, Oita Prefecture, on June 28.
Summer has arrived in Japan and so have hot sleepless nights
Amid the heat and humidity in Japan, a good night¡¯s sleep is growing increasingly elusive without the heavy use of air conditioning.

Podcast

One of the many entrances to the Kabukicho neighborhood in Tokyo¡¯s Shinjuku Ward.
Kabukicho: Tokyo¡¯s ¡®stadium of desire¡¯

Longform

For many people, utility poles and power lines have become such a familiar part of Japan¡¯s landscape that they often go unnoticed.
Why Japan¡¯s utility poles won¡¯t be disappearing anytime soon
By Alex K.T. Martin

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