Winter is here! That means it’s time for nabe (hot pot), oden, hot chocolate, and… Japanese spiny lobster? That’s right! Spiny lobster, known in Japan as Ise ebi, is a popular delicacy during the winter months in Japan. This crustacean gets its name from Ise, in […]
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Umami is a universally loved, but somehow mysterious flavour. It is savoury, yet sweet, and comes through in a lot of our favourite foods. But where does it come from? Well, look no further than aspergillus oryzae, known in Japan as koji-kin. Koji releases an amino […]
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Sake (rice wine) has been produced and enjoyed for over 1,000 years in Japan, and has recently become popular in many other parts of the world. There are many varieties of Japanese sake, or nihonshu, each with its own unique flavours and characteristics. However, we rarely […]
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Picture this: it’s late, you’ve had a busy day, and you still have some errands to run. You need to pay your hydro bill, get some dinner, and buy a train ticket. Where would you go? Well, I suppose you could go online… but what if […]
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When you ask someone in Japan about ramune and what it means to them you are likely to be regaled with stories of childhood memories and summer festivals. So, is ramune just a soft drink? Far from it. Aside from being a beverage, it also takes […]
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