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April 26, 2025
 

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Makiko Itoh

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Makiko Itoh
Makiko Itoh writes the Japanese Kitchen column, and is the author of the bestselling "The Just Bento Cookbook" and its sequel, "The Just Bento Cookbook 2." A Tokyo native, she runs two Japanese cooking blogs, JustHungry.com and JustBento.com.
Japan Times
Special Supplements / Hiroshima G7 Summit Special
May 19, 2023
From surf ’n’ turf to sweets, Hiroshima a foodie’s oyster
Situated on the western tip of Honshu between the Sea of Japan and the Seto Inland Sea, the climate of Hiroshima Prefecture is one of contrasts, with a northern side chilled by cold currents and a southern side that stays mild and warm. The mountainous areas see snow and the coastal areas can get plenty...
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / JAPANESE KITCHEN
May 3, 2023
Recipe: ‘Carp’ sushi bento
Perfect for Children's Day, this colorful meal is easier to put together than the final result might suggest.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / JAPANESE KITCHEN
Mar 12, 2023
Recipe: Botamochi sweets to welcome spring
Spring is just about to ... well ... spring, and these sweet adzuki treats are traditional equinox bites.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / JAPANESE KITCHEN
Feb 19, 2023
Recipe: Crab cream croquettes
Try your hand at making some deep-fried, deep sea delights.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / JAPANESE KITCHEN
Jan 8, 2023
Recipe: Sumo hot pot
It's said chicken makes for a perfect chanko nabe since the animal usually stands tall on its two feet.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / JAPANESE KITCHEN
Dec 11, 2022
Recipe: Kakiage soba
Casting about for the perfect Japanese meal to close out this year and ring in the next? Look no further.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / JAPANESE KITCHEN
Nov 6, 2022
Recipe: Simmered kabocha
In honor of all the jack-o-lanterns headed for the trash heap this week, turn some kabocha in to a subtly sweet treat.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / JAPANESE KITCHEN
Oct 9, 2022
Recipe: Kyoto-style rice bowl
Dating back to the 19th century, oyakodon rice bowls taste far better than their slightly macabre name might suggest.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / JAPANESE KITCHEN
Sep 11, 2022
Recipe: Garlic liver stir-fry
Don't let the name fool you: Offal cooked right is anything but.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / JAPANESE KITCHEN
Aug 14, 2022
Recipe: Chilled noodles with a healthy twist
Take your su014dmen on a Mediterranean journey.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / JAPANESE KITCHEN
Jul 24, 2022
Recipe: Sauteed and marinated chilled tofu
Can't decide between a cold dish or a hot one? Don't.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / JAPANESE KITCHEN
Jul 3, 2022
Recipe: Panfried ginger pork
Savory pork and fresh ginger as a way to beat the heat? According to Japanese culinary tradition, yes.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / JAPANESE KITCHEN
Jun 5, 2022
Recipe: Sweet bean treats, two ways
Getting the best quality, freshest beans available will make a difference in the final result.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / JAPANESE KITCHEN
May 15, 2022
Recipe: Japanese-style pasta with fresh asparagus
Take advantage of these seasonal treats with this wafu016b (Japanese-style) recipe that puts asparagus in the spotlight.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / JAPANESE KITCHEN
Apr 24, 2022
Recipe: Osaka-style okonomiyaki
The perfect, savory vessel for all your favorite foods.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / JAPANESE KITCHEN
Apr 11, 2022
Recipe: Teriyaki chicken and new-harvest onions
Add a dash of seasonal freshness to any dish with these limited-time bulbs.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / JAPANESE KITCHEN
Mar 26, 2022
Recipe: Tamagoyaki (rolled omelet in a frying pan)
This popular egg dish can make for a quick meal or it can be the secret ingredient in a stellar bento.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / JAPANESE KITCHEN
Mar 12, 2022
Recipe: Okinawan shredded carrot with egg and tuna
While every house in Okinawa may have a different version of 'ninjin shiri-shiri,' this one is an easy version that makes for a great side.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / JAPANESE KITCHEN
Feb 11, 2022
Recipe: Chicken and shrimp doria with mushrooms and broccoli
This comforting winter dish is relatively easy to make if you have some leftover rice.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / JAPANESE KITCHEN
Jan 22, 2022
Recipe: Kōya dōfu and bok choy stir-fry
If this simple stir-fry is good enough for a monk then it's good enough for your dinner table.
Naked man’s rampage in Saitama linked to one fatality and 10 injured
Police believe Daisuke Nishimura may have been involved in roughly 20 incidents in the 90 minutes leading up to his arrest, including a fatal hit-and-run and multiple assaults.
Japan set to fine cyclists on the spot for rule violations from 2026
Under new rules, those who use smartphones while riding a bicycle would be subject to the maximum fine of ¥12,000.
Japan brings forward deadline for electronic travel authorization system
Japan is planning to implement by March 2029 a new online screening system in which foreign visitors who don’t need a visa apply for a certification before entering the country.
Built in a flash, Osaka Expo pavilions wrestle with sustainability
Kengo Kuma & Associates oversaw the construction of the Malaysia pavilion, which is encased in interwoven rows of bamboo that appear to ripple.
Social media helps fuel growing 'sex tourism' in Japan
People walk down a street in the red-light entertainment area of Kabukicho in the Shinjuku district of Tokyo on March 31.
Amid uncertain tariffs, is now the time to buy a new iPhone?
An Apple store in Tokyo's Shibuya Ward in September. Prices for the newest iPhone models start at around ¥100,000 ($700) in Japan.
Built in a flash, Osaka Expo pavilions wrestle with sustainability
Kengo Kuma & Associates oversaw the construction of the Malaysia pavilion, which is encased in interwoven rows of bamboo that appear to ripple.
Japan weighs using U.S. rice imports as tariff negotiation tool with Trump
A restaurant owner pours California-grown Calrose rice into a rice cooker at his restaurant in Tokyo
Is Japan’s parliament ready to welcome more youth to its ranks?
Lower House lawmaker Kai Odake in his Tokyo office on Wednesday
Crow meat, goat tartare: Mauvaise Herbe raises its game
Crow meat, shaped into a ball and attached to a foot of the bird, is one of the peculiar offerings of game at Mauvaise Herbe.

Podcast

One of the many entrances to the Kabukicho neighborhood in Tokyo’s Shinjuku Ward.
Kabukicho: Tokyo’s ‘stadium of desire’

Longform

Visitors walk past Sou Fujimoto's Grand Ring, which has been recognized as the largest wooden structure in the world.
Can a World Expo still matter? Japan is about to find out.
By Tomoko Otake

SUSTAINABLE JAPAN

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