Furoshiki Shoes: feet ahead – product review
This is a product just made for me! Connections with Japan are writ large throughout this story but it has a happy ending. The shoes...
Japanese Curry – traditionally cubed – recipe
We might think that Japanese curry is a new invention. Perhaps Japanese tourists discovered the recipe for curry on recent trips to the Subcontinent. But,...
Sake Cups … or perhaps a glass – travel review
Or natural wood, lacquered wood, glass or even plastic… For those of us who love the delicious complexity of sake, the vessel from which we...
Sake – a Japanese History – travel review
We in the West are becoming more familiar with Sake. There are now many more Japanese restaurants in our cities and all of them will...
Onikoroshi Honjozo Sake – drinks review
Founded around 1720 in Takayama Hida in Japan, Oita Shuzo brewery has been producing sake ever since. This is a beautiful region with several noteworthy...
Sake: what I didn’t know – The long list – drinks review
In truth the title of this article should be ‘The long list – Sake: what I didn’t know and what I don’t know I don’t...
Hokusai: The Master’s Legacy
We have likely all heard of Hokusai but in truth most people would only recognise The Great Wave off Kanagawa, also known as The Great...
The Japanese Garden by Sophie Walker – review
An in-depth exploration spanning 800 years of the art, essence, and enduring impact of the Japanese Garden. The most comprehensive exploration of the art and...
Japan – Marco Polo Pocket Travel Guide 2018 – guidebook review
Japan is a country like no other. Ask people where in the world they would dream of visiting and they will likely mention Japan. It...
New Trends in Japanese Photography – review
Photographers create stories with their cameras. One can have the most expensive equipment but still never rise to being anything more than a holiday snapper....
Domon Ken: The Master of Japanese Realism – art book review
Domon Ken is one of the most renowned Japanese photographers of the 20th century. One might not recognise his name but one will likely have...
Rafute – Okinawan braised pork belly – recipe
This is one of my favourite ways of eating pork. Rafute is flavourful, tender and moreish. It’s a dish popular in Okinawa in the far...
Ichiryu Hakata Udon House – restaurant review
Ichiryu Hakata Udon House is from the same stable that brings you Japan Centre and the chain of Japanese restaurants, Shoryu. Ichiryu is a well-placed...
Den Udon at Kings Cross – restaurant review
[This venue is now closed] Japanese food is becoming more popular. There have long been very smart Japanese restaurants in London and they have been...
Sunday Brunch – Kurobuta Marble Arch – restaurant review
I confess, I had no idea what to expect. Yes, it was going to be Japanese. But a Sunday Brunch Buffet? How was that going...
Bó Drake, Greek Street – restaurant review
It’s a part of Soho that has been the haunt of those seeking dubious nocturnal delights down the centuries, but also those associated with the...
Umami Kelp and Wasabi – an introduction
London’s Icetank Studio was the venue for an informative and friendly seminar on Umami hosted by the Japanese Culinary Academy UK and supported by JETRO...
Ozeki Dry Sake – drinks review
If we are new to sake we will likely be looking for a mild flavour and a light sake. Yes, sake does indeed have a...
Shirataki Shuzo Atoaji Kiriri Uonuma Junmai Sake – drinks review
The quality junmai sake, made in Uonuma City in Niigata, is a pure sake made of just 100% Japanese rice polished to 65% of its...
Sake: The History, Stories and Craft of Japan’s Artisanal Breweries – book review
I was told to expect a book. I was told to expect a big book. I was told to expect a coffee-table book. What I...