Food
Ramen chain has a VR game that lets you cook their noodles
Last month, we tried out popular ramen Ichiran’s home ramen kit, which let us feel like we were sitting down to eat in one of the Kyushu-based noodle houses. Now comes a new way to make your home seem like an Ichiran branch, but from the opposite perspective in the restaurant experience. VR… Read
Historic Kyoto teahouse’s green tea parfaits feature some matcha made in heaven taste combinations
Historic Japanese teahouse Itohkyuemon have truly perfected the art of portraying a season through a matcha parfait. The green tea purveyors deal in leaves procured from Kyoto’s matcha paradise, Uji, and their luxury tea has been used to create hydrangea creations for rainy season and momiji desserts for autumn. Their creations for the… Read
Microwavable okonomiyaki that you can eat with one hand
Okonomiyaki is just the best. The Japanese open-faced crepe/pancake/pizza gives you meat and vegetables, and a sauce both sweet and savory, making it one of the world’s great fortifying comfort foods. There is a drawback to okonomiyaki, though, in that it’s a pain to make, since it requires a bunch of different… Read
In-home chef services popular during pandemic
The coronavirus pandemic has triggered a major shift away from restaurant dining, leaving many chefs in Japan out of work and looking to devise ways to stay in business with their normal clientele reluctant to venture out. Adding to the already booming food delivery business, the hiring of chefs to… Read
Strawberry picking farm hopes to avoid corona food loss by selling local berry varieties online
The ongoing financial impact of the novel coronavirus is being felt in nearly all industries in Japan, and farming is no exception. Ando Farm 安藤農園 in Saitama Prefecture usually does a brisk business with its picking farm, where visitors can enjoy their perfectly ripe, ready-to-pick, and, of course, sweet and… Read
First Kitchen releases its biggest ever All-Star Burger topped with fried chicken
Japan has seen some very large burgers has seen some very large burgers recently, including McDonald's monstrous Giga Big Mac and Burger King's all-you-can-eat Super One Pound Beef Burger challenge. Now Japanese fast food chain First Kitchen (sometimes called "Fakkin" for short--yes, it's quite the nickname) is adding a massive burger of their… Read
Top recommendations for heat-and-eat curry in Japan
When you think of curry, the Indian subcontinent, where it originated, surely pops into your mind. However, did you know that curry is also one of the most popular foods in Japan? Millions of families in Japan cook curry for dinner, and it is a dish loved by all generations,… Read
Kokoro Care Packages showcase Kanagawa's diverse food and cultural influences
Kanagawa Prefecture, located just south of Tokyo, is Japan’s second most populous prefecture and is known for its beautiful nature and picturesque coastlines. Shonan, along Sagami Bay, is a top beach destination from Tokyo, with a laid-back atmosphere that attracts surfers and ocean lovers. The resort area of Hakone has… Read
Green tea strawberry dessert sandwiches: Today’s reason Japanese convenience stores are awesome
One of the things that makes Japanese convenience stores so awesome is the huge variety of tasty foods they stock. Whether you’re after onigiri rice balls, bento boxed lunches, pre-made pasta dishes, or all sorts of candies and chips, your local conbini (as convenience stores are called in Japanese) is standing by… Read
FamilyMart introduces sauced buns to turn their popular fried chicken into burgers
Every convenience store in Japan has its own brand of fried chicken it prides itself on, such as Lawson's Karaage-kun, fried chicken nuggets that have been certified as space food. For FamilyMart, the flagship fried poultry is Family Chicken or Fami-chiki, which has seen a wide variety of flavors released such… Read
