5 Most Popular Otera and Jinja during Hatsumode
Here in Japan, there is a traditional custom of visiting an Otera (お寺: Buddhist temple) or Jinja (神社: Shinto shrine) at the beginning of the New Year. As you may know, we generally call the first...
Category: Trivia
The Meaning of Toshikoshi Soba Noodles on New Year’s Eve
Last night, I enjoyed soba with my family, as we Japanese have a tradition of eating buckwheat noodles on New Year’s Eve. The soba eaten as a New Year’s Eve late-night meal is called Toshikoshi Soba...
Types of Miso Fermented Soybean Paste: Japanese Seasoning
The fermented, aged soybean paste, miso (味噌), is one of the essential seasonings to us because, as you know, rice and miso soup are the staples of the Japanese diet. But do you know...
8 Condiments for Shoyu Ramen Favored by Japanese
As you know, there are few Japanese that don’t like ramen noodles. As for me, every time I go shopping at a drugstore or supermarket near my house, I am sure to head to the...
Cheese Tara vs Chiitara: Japanese Fish Cheese Snacks
As you may know, “Otsumami (おつまみ)” is the Japanese word for the snack food eaten with alcoholic drinks, and the representative examples include Kaki no Tane and Kamaboko. As with them, what I introduce here, the...
Atarime vs Surume: Japanese Dried Whole Squid
When it comes to Japanese snack foods for alcoholic drinks or “Otsumami (おつまみ)”, “Atarime (あたりめ)” and “Surume (するめ)” are two of the most common. Atarime or Surume In the first place, Atarime and Surume...
Rairaiken Asakusa: The Birthplace of Shoyu Ramen
Japanese ramen has its roots in “Nankin Soba (南京そば)“, a noodle soup dish that was eaten in Chinatowns. They were founded in the early Meiji period (Meiji: 1868 to 1912) in cities such as...
Awanami: Okinawa’s Rarest Awamori Sake Brand
Japanese rice wine “sake (酒)” has gained popularity in many countries in recent years, but the total consumption in Japan is on the decline. By the way, speaking of sake, have you ever heard...
