In the not too distant future, global warming could deprive Japanese cuisine of an essential element: konbu, or edible kelp. A Hokkaido University research group has warned that 11 principal breeds of natural konbu may cease to exist by the 2090s. That also poses a threat ...
Herald the springtime with a classic Japanese osuimono soup
Made with a fragrant, high-quality dashi and fresh, seasonal ingredients, you can't get more Japanese than this osuimono soup.
Hosting a summer bash? Impress with quick and easy konbujime
A popular drinking snack or side dish accompanying a traditional Japanese meal, konbujime is umami-packed and refreshing.
What makes a great chawanmushi? Using even better dashi
The clear, umami-packed stock called dashi is the foundation of washoku, traditional Japanese cuisine. Follow this recipe to find out how a good dashi makes a great chawanmushi.
Hokkaido's unique konbu dials up the umami to 12
Fisherman Kazuaki Ida entered the No Borders Cafe in Rausu just as we were finishing cups of hot coffee on a rainy Hokkaido afternoon. He held giant flat-leaved stalks that scraped against each other like hard plastic, garnering appreciative "ahs" of recognition among the ...
Finding extraordinary 'konbu' in a remote Hokkaido fishing village
Reaching Rausu, a fishing village in Eastern Hokkaido, isn't easy. Public transport is almost non-existant to this small community situated halfway up Shiretoko Peninsula, which juts out from the edge of Japan's northernmost island. Though it's remote and tiny, Rausu produces some of the ...
Combining best of East and West diets to enhance longevity
Many people attribute longevity in Japan to the traditional Japanese diet. Yet even a balanced Japanese meal, full of health-enhancing elements such as taurine, magnesium and isoflavones, typically has two major flaws: too much salt and too little calcium, which can lead to stroke ...
