The perfect way to start your morning in Kyoto? A specially blended cup of java and a hotel-quality breakfast (1,440 yen, or about $13) at Inoda Coffee. The breakfast includes scrambled eggs, ham, salad, juice, a croissant and, of course, coffee. An equivalent breakfast at a local hotel would cost twice the price. The café offers several kinds of original artisanal blends including its...
From Japan’s foremost gourmet food blogger, fallindebuhasshi’s blog post, introducing a great place for kaisendon, also known as chirashi or barachirashi. Ginza Sushimasa Located near the Miharabashi crossing in Higashi Ginza, Sushimasa is very accommodating for a sushi restaurant in Ginza. It has semi-private rooms for a relaxed dining experience and is affordable. The toppings, which are thoughtfully sliced in small pieces, mix together...
Ippodo Tea opened in Kyoto in 1717. The store was originally called Omiya because the founder, Rihei Watanabe, was from the Omi area. In 1846, Prince Yamashina gave it the name Ippodo with a wish that the store maintain the highest quality tea for generations to come. Ippodo’s main shop, located in a quiet neighborhood of Kyoto, offers a wide variety of tea, from...
Ichiran Ichiran is Japan’s most popular purveyor of tonkotsu ramen. The reason? It uses only natural ingredients and the latest technology to make its soup, and the odor so often associated with the pork-bone broth is completely eliminated. People turned off by the usual pork-bone odor gobble up this ramen without hesitation. Another unique feature at Ichiran is the private booth seating, known as...
THE NINJA’S GREATEST ENEMY: NOT ENOUGH NINJA! JAPAN IS FULL OF entertainment spots geared toward tourists. One of the most popular of them all is a place that puts on the Ninja Show, where veteran ninjas perform and show off their skills. During the last few years, however, the show has grown so much that it is bumping up against the problem of a...
THE TRUE STORY BEHIND Japan’s beloved spies SO, YOU THINK YOU KNOW NINJA? THINK AGAIN CLAD IN ALL BLACK with an air of mystery about them, ninjas are a global phenomenon. Much of their popular appeal has a lot to do with their depiction in movies as possessing super-human powers. They seem to appear out of nowhere and take down multiple enemies with the...
TERUO NAKAMURA RUNS a small family printer in Kita Ward, Tokyo. When his friend’s bindery business ran out of work, he took him in and gave him a part-time job. Nakamura was in his 70s and his part-time partner, also named Nakamura, was 80. The two soon became obsessed with making one last great product to help the family business. Their goal: to make...
BENTOS ARE GOOD FOR YOU ( AND HERE ARE THE REASONS WHY ) 1. Calories are easy to gauge It’s said that the average adult should take in about 2,000 to 2,500 calories a day. That includes 600 – 800 calories for lunch. A traditional bento includes a staple, a main dish and a side dish in a 3:1:2 ratio. The bento box helps...
Bento&co is a unique store specializing in bento boxes and accessories, located in the heart of downtown Kyoto. Owned by Thomas Bertrand, a French native, the store is popular among foreign visitors. Thomas fell in love with the Japanese bento boxes and started the online store in 2008. In 2012, he opened the first Bento&co boutique in the downtown Kyoto. Bento&co offers a wide...
Osechi-ryori is a traditional Japanese food for the New Year. In Japan, many people take the first three days of the New Year off and spend time with their families and relatives. Each family prepares the Osechi before the New Year so the family members are free from cooking and can enjoy the foods together during the holidays. Osechi-ryori is beautifully arranged in an...
