In an age where the internet provides an abundance of information, to still be unaware of the varieties of Japanese cuisine could be seen as a form of self-exile from pleasure. While curating a list of the “best” nonfiction on the topic is certainly subjective, the following books, which offer immersive writing based on research and firsthand impressions and encounters, make for a nourishing reading experience.
“A Taste of Japan” by Donald Richie (1985)
Kodansha, 112 pages