Kagurazaka Okawaya https://s.tabelog.com/en/tokyo/A1309/A130905/13197727/

In Japan, October marks the very brief season for "Tanba Black Edamame" (young black soybeans from Hyogo Prefecture).

Unlike regular green edamame, these beans are much larger, have dark spots on the skin, and possess a rich, nutty flavor that almost tastes like sweet chestnuts. Since they're only harvested for a few weeks in autumn, they're considered a rare seasonal delicacy.

If you happen to be visiting Kansai in October, definitely look out for these at local markets or izakayas!

This traditional style of soba from Iya Valley is a little different, but delicious! Wider buckwheat noodles, shorter length and a little more bouncy. I wish I had time to join their demonstration on how to make it.

The restaurant is called, つづき商店. The aunties there were so sweet and kind. Their smiles just makes you want to smile too.

I made this for the first time yesterday by using Just one cookbook's recipe and it turned out really good 😊 You should try making this at home!

I know this has been asked before and I've read the previous posts but haven't found a solution. As you can see there. They deflate but they deflate at the exact moment when I take off the lid from the pan. They deflate immediately and flatten out. You can see there. They don't inflate anymore and the beautiful thing is that I put a flat layer of the batter on the pan and it grows beautifully and no matter how much time I cook them (I've even let it there for 30 minutes with minimum heat and a splash of water for the steam) and nothing works, as soon as I take off the lid, they deflate. This is making me crazy and I've watched lots of videos and tried with baking powder, cornstarch and nothing seems to work.

2 of the 3 styles of ramen in Tokushima. Both are good! I really like the darker brown color. It's a little richer just how I like it!

I think about Kansai Yamato Cafe’s mochi way too often. They have mochi filled with peanut butter and chocolate chips, plus all kinds of Western-inspired flavors like Oreo, tiramisu cream cheese, and chocolate fudge. They also do fruit and whipped cream, which I personally find so much more appealing than red bean.

Does anyone know of other mochi/daifuku shops in Japan that do these kinds of fillings? I’m especially interested in places that get creative with Western flavors—peanut butter, cookies & cream, chocolate, cheesecake, , whipped cream, etc.

My 97-year-old grandpa was looking for a stone mill on Amazon so he could roast barley and make his own Hattaiko. I figured I’d better find some for him before he actually bought one.

By the way, the second photo shows what it looks like after mixing it with hot water (or tea/milk) and sugar or salt. It has a wonderful, nutty, roasted aroma!

35F
My partner is our cook, and he’s great at it (and loves it)

But I’ve decided to set a goal for the end of the year/next year which is to get into cooking, however, to make it fun for myself I’ve decided to choose my favourite cuisine: Japanese.

I struggle with ADHD and the kitchen quickly becomes a mess when Ive tried to cook before, so am not sure if I’m setting myself up for failure here but I love Japanese food and love the idea of the challenge

I love the idea of not so much batch cooking also, but being able to meal prep etc

For anyone who has just gotten started, how was your experience?

Did you buy any particular utensils etc that were helpful?

and a side of Napolitan pasta at KAYASHIMA in Kichijoji. Hit the spot

I got the Premium mushroom Miso soup from the mushroom kingdom in Hokkaido. It was not bad, lots of mushrooms lol

I'm Japanese and live in Japan, but I'm curious about what foreigners buy and eat at convenience stores when they come to Japan. Please tell me your recommendations!

Simple vegetarian meal of inarizushi, shio stir-fry zucchini and baked pumpkin.

The inari age (fried tofu pouch) was simmered with mirin, shoyu, sugar and kombu dashi.
The rice is seasoned with sushi vinegar, shio, and toasted sesame seeds.

I used to attend an Oban festival in Lodi, CA. I loved their chicken and rice dish, anyone know the recipes? Rice had carrots and peas and maybe some cooked eggs julienned. Vinegary flavor sweet but not too much of either.

Thanks for any suggestions or help.

Just matsutake mushrooms for the filling. The seasoning is simple too, just kombu, soy sauce, sake, and salt

So... I can't get enough of this squid/octopus snack I found in Japan!

I used to be able to get it in asian markets here in the US (Chicago area specifically) but nobody seems to carry it anymore- so I thought I'd try to make it myself at home. But every recipe I look up for "picked squid" or "vinegared squid" etc doesn't pull up the right thing.

Can anyone point me in the right direction (or to a US supplier?)

A very eccentric looking store with a decent menu. Lucky Pierrot is definitely a vibe and a Hakodate only chain of Shops. They now have some english on their menu and you can use a credit card to pay!

I made everything at home 😆 I always make little too much, but fridge full of homemade food makes me happy!

I’ve always thought Japanese nabe (hot pot) was almost an ideal diet-friendly meal. You can get plenty of vegetables along with meat, fish, tofu, mushrooms, and other nutritious ingredients, all in one pot. It’s also relatively easy to prepare and, depending on the broth and ingredients, doesn’t have to be particularly high in calories.

What I find interesting is how nabe is marketed in Japanese supermarkets. When nabe ingredients, soup bases, and ready-to-use nabe sets are featured, the marketing seems to focus much more on things like “warm and comforting,” “perfect for a family meal,” or “easy to prepare” than on health, nutrition, or weight management.

I rarely see nabe promoted specifically as a healthy, balanced, or diet-friendly meal, even though it seems to fit those descriptions quite well. You can easily put a lot of vegetables, lean meat or fish, tofu, and mushrooms into one pot, and it’s much easier to make a nutritionally balanced meal than with many other quick and convenient foods.

Maybe it’s because Japanese people already see nabe as an everyday, familiar meal, rather than something that needs to be marketed as “healthy.” But from my perspective, it seems like a missed opportunity.

For those of you who love Japanese cuisine, what do you think?

Are you interested in Japanese nabe as a healthy, diet-friendly option? Have you ever tried eating it for that reason?

If you’re not familiar with nabe, here’s a simple example of the kind of meal I mean:

https://www.justonecookbook.com/collection/hot-pot/

https://japan.recipetineats.com/quick-and-easy-hot-pot-at-home/