Illustrations by Kaki Okumura Keep it simple and focus on quality The menu is a wooden board hanging out in front of the restaurant, with just three options scrawled in black marker: a) Seared tuna donburi b) Minced toro with grated yam donburi c) Grilled salmon teishoku As I stood there thinking about what I […]
When It’s Too Hot to Think About Dinner
Illustrations by Kaki Okumura Consider a soba salad with cucumber, carrots, hijiki, and greens It’s getting very hot and sunny in Tokyo, and my walks outside are beginning to feel like afternoons by the poolside. On days like this, I feel a bit drowsy, and thinking about dinner becomes a chore that my brain isn’t […]
What is the Most Consumed Vegetable in Japan?
Photo: Digipub/Moment/Getty Images It’s not what you might have guessed My dad brought up the question at the dinner table: “What do you think is the most consumed vegetable in Japan?” My sister chimed in: “Onions? Or potatoes maybe?” “I think it could be cabbage. They use them in salads all the time.” “Do soybeans […]
Don’t Forget to Eat Your Sea Vegetables
Illustrations: Kaki Okumura A friendly introduction to adding Japanese sea vegetables into your diet I sometimes forget that not a lot of people were raised like me, eating sea vegetables. To some, the idea of using seaweed in food can seem intimidating, foreign, and frankly sometimes unappealing. I first made this realization when I was […]
The Psychology Behind Why Japanese People Are So Healthy
Visit a McDonald’s in Japan and you’ll understand why Whenever I talk to someone who has visited Japan, an ex-pat who has lived there or a tourist just passing by, they will more often than not mention something about the fast-food chains there. “If they tried to pull the same stunt in the United States, […]
Greg Proechel and How He Uses Japanese Principles of Mastery to Shape His Life’s Purpose
My interview with a former executive chef of a NYC restaurant Greg has a crazy big beard and a long, monochrome octopus tattoo running up the length of his arm, but underneath his guise of being a wild artist is an incredibly disciplined and meticulous man who is unafraid of hard and demanding work. Graduating […]
Hijiki Chilled Tofu: An easy Japanese vegetable side dish
A Refreshing Summer Vegetable Dish Something my grandmother loves to do is send lots of food. Her most recent gift was silky tofu, and much in line with her personality, she sent over a whole box with over 50 packs. Inspired by her gesture, I’ve been thinking of ways to enjoy tofu that is more […]
Eric Asimov and The Joy of Drinking Wine
What The NYT Wine Critic Has to Say About What Makes a Good Wine When I got on the phone with Eric, his demeanour was not at all what I was expecting from a wine critic. His tone was humble, and instantly made me feel welcome. Eric writes about wine, makes critical judgments about it, and […]
I Tried Making the Trending Pancake Cereal
It reminded me that sometimes happy is healthier It was a rare Mother’s Day for our family, because usually this time of year I wouldn’t be able to celebrate it with my parents. But because I was home this year, my little sister and I decided to do something a little special for my mom. […]
Who Do I Want To Be in Times of Crisis
The way communities have shown support for one another still never ceases to amaze me. I was on an early morning walk with my younger sister when we passed by one of our local stores, and they had this posted up on the window: It’s really a small gesture, but when you think about the […]
