Food & Drink | A TASTE OF HOME Apr 19, 2013

There's more to British food in Japan than fish and chips

by Rebecca Milner

Authentic British food is hard to come by in Japan, and the food at the theme-pub chains isn’t often great. However, there are a handful of expat-run places that get it right — and should hit the spot for homesick Brits. Having heard encouraging ...

Food & Drink Apr 12, 2013

New additions to the Kansai food map

by John Ashburne

Restaurants open and close all the time in Japan's ever-changing dining landscape. Here's a selection of a few noteworthy new places in Kyoto and Osaka.

Food & Drink | KANPAI CULTURE Apr 12, 2013

Cocktails with a fresh twist (literally)

by Melinda Joe

Dressed in a crisp white jacket, white shirt and black tie, bartender Gen Yamamoto looks as though he has just emerged from a casino in a James Bond film.

Food & Drink | TOKYO FOOD FILE Apr 5, 2013

Tastes of old Kyoto in Tokyo's bustling heart

by Robbie Swinnerton

A pair of ornamental cherry trees stand like attendants by a sturdy wooden gateway. A narrow flagstone path lined with bamboo and maples curves out of sight in the mid-distance.

Food & Drink | SWEET INSPIRATIONS Apr 5, 2013

Springtime sweets come into bloom

by Robbie Swinnerton

The petals may have dropped from the cherry trees, at least in the Tokyo area, but there are plenty of leaves to be seen — and not just on the trees. Look around any shop selling traditional wagashi sweets at this time of year ...

Food & Drink Mar 29, 2013

Dine with a backdrop of cherry blossom

by Robbie Swinnerton, Melinda Joe, John Ashburne, and Kris Kosaka

With an ephemeral canopy of pink sweeping Japan, the JT’s food writers know the perfect spots to dine with an eyeful of sakura (cherry blossom) — or just the right sake to sip as you picnic under the petals. Innsyoutei, Tokyo When it comes ...

Food & Drink | FOOD MATTERS Mar 29, 2013

Fearless foodies? Let them eat dirt

by Robbie Swinnerton

Soil, dirt, mud … Call it what you like, the not-so-secret special ingredient at some of Japan’s high-end restaurants has a distinctly earthy quality. And over the last couple of months, it’s been getting substantial media attention, both at home and abroad. For that, ...

Food & Drink | EVERYMAN EATS Mar 22, 2013

Running with the ramen hunters

by Steve Trautlein

Ramen is to Japanese food as school-girl uniforms are to porn — the animating fetish that sustains an entire industry. Helping to scratch the noodle itch is an army of bloggers whose dispatches are consumed with voyeuristic glee. The numbers are against them — ...

Food & Drink | JAPANESE KITCHEN Mar 22, 2013

Why not just add a dollop of mayonnaise?

by Makiko Itoh

Newcomers to Japan are often a little taken aback by the many decidedly non-Japanese condiments, such as ketchup and Worcestershire sauce, that are used in everyday cooking. And in particular mayonnaise: Usually reserved for sandwiches, salad dressing and dipping sauces for chilled seafood in ...

Food & Drink Mar 19, 2013

Top chefs explore international accents to sushi

by Melinda Joe

On March 6, in a banquet room of the Hotel The Manhattan in Chiba a group of television camera crews surrounded American chef Jeff Ramsey as he carefully spooned a layer of black rice onto a slice of omelet. “The chef is using something ...

Food & Drink | TOKYO FOOD FILE Mar 15, 2013

A wild idea: Pay like a pauper, eat like a lord

by Robbie Swinnerton

“It’s still gibier season,” proclaims the sign on the street corner outside Wana. And who could argue with that? There’s no reason why game meats and wildfowl should only be eaten in winter. If they’re readily available, why shouldn’t we enjoy them all year ...