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Sarah Crago
For Sarah Crago's latest contributions to The Japan Times, see below:
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / INVENTING THE TASTE OF JAPAN
Mar 17, 2017
The mysteries of 'konnyaku': Health food aid or choking hazard?
Anyone living in or even visiting Japan will likely have come across a certain ghastly, grey, gelatinous substance.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / INVENTING THE TASTE OF JAPAN
Feb 17, 2017
Crab sticks: imitating the genuine article since 1974
The California roll is responsible for popularizing the consumption of sushi in North America.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / INVENTING THE TASTE OF JAPAN
Jan 20, 2017
The discovery of umami: How MSG changed the culinary world
Japan is renowned for its exceptional food culture and Tokyo is the nation's culinary crown jewel. The capital has been awarded more Michelin stars that any other city in the world for 10 years. Traditional cuisine and fine dining have made Japan's food world famous, but there's a less expected element to Japan's culinary ascendancy: manufactured food.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink
Dec 2, 2016
Tokyo cafes turn to 'friendly, relaxed' Australia for ideas
What is it about Australian cafes that has Tokyo so excited? Is it the relaxed atmosphere, the service or the fresh flavors? Perhaps it's the high-quality produce and the commitment to crafting exceptional cups of coffee? Or maybe it's the attraction of Australia's laidback lifestyle? Whatever it is, cafes and restaurants across Tokyo seem to be invoking Down Under.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink
Oct 28, 2016
New and old ways to slurp up Japan's original fast food
Long before Western chain restaurants entered Japan, the nation was nourishing its population with food served fast. Soba noodles — cheap, nutritious, served quickly and slurped just as speedily (while standing) — are one of Japan's original fast foods and continue to rival burger joints.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink
Feb 26, 2016
Young guns take aim at declining sake sales
Sake in Japan is undergoing an image makeover. It's desperately trying to become one of the cool kids again. Currently the second-lowest consumed alcoholic beverage in the country — whiskey and brandy being the lowest — sake only has a 6.8 percent market share according to a National Tax Agency Report in 2013.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink
Feb 5, 2016
Craft beer gets confrontational at the 2016 Japan Brewers Cup
Sake and whiskey might be the international pinups of the Japanese alcohol world, but beer is the local favorite. It is by far the most consumed alcoholic beverage in the country, making up 31 percent of all alcohol consumed yearly in Japan, according to a 2013 report by the National Tax Agency.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink
Oct 23, 2015
Born in the USA, eaten in Okinawa
Known for its white sand beaches and tropical climate, Japan's southernmost prefecture, Okinawa, also possesses a confused culinary identity. It's a fusion of Western tastes and local ingredients that will have visitors questioning where they've landed.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink
Sep 11, 2015
Abundant autumn sanma are a symbol of sustainable fishing
Autumn's silvery little fish, the sanma, has arrived. To officially mark the beginning of the season, the annual Meguro Sanma Festival — which is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year — was held last weekend in Tokyo, where sanma were grilled and offered to a crowd of over 30,000.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink
Aug 28, 2015
Natural wine is a natural fit in Tokyo
The natural wine movement is spreading. Everywhere I look in Tokyo, neighborhood wine bars and small bistros are introducing all-natural wine lists. I'm starting to wonder, why does natural wine fit so organically into the city?

Longform

High-end tourism is becoming more about the kinds of experiences that Japan's lesser-known places can provide.
Can Japan lure the jet-set class off the beaten path?