OVERLOOKING THE ENTIRE region with con dence and pride from his castle grounds on horseback is the statue of Masamune Date, the feudal lord who founded Miyagi. Under his leadership, Miyagi became famous nationwide for producing superior rice and Japanese sake. With the fertile lands and being situated o the Sanriku coast— one of the three largest shing grounds in the world—Miyagi has developed...
The 5-star Yelp reviews say it all: “I tried tsukemen, a dipping ramen, for the first time at Yoroshiku East and was blown away! Seriously, if you haven’t had tsukemen from Yoroshiku East, then get over here now! You’ll be a fan of doing the dip!” “Probably the best tsukemen in the Seattle area.” “Probably the best tsukumen miso ramen I’ve ever tried.” For...
Stocking-Stuffer Guide – Gift Ideas from Japan Our second annual stocking-stuffer guide is made for the procrastinator. Head to the nearest Uwajimaya supermarket and get these unique little gifts all under one roof. Then go enjoy some egg nog. Happy holidays! Japanese trays and bowls Uwajimaya has a host of beautiful trays and bowls that will add a little style to your dinner table....
The year of the mouse is right around the corner. While you are doing your year-end shopping this holiday season, check out the eclectic selection of 2020 calendars at Kinokuniya bookstores. You can find Japanese imports like elegant washi-paper wall-hanging calendars, calendars featuring woodblock prints of the floating world, those featuring favorite characters like Pokemon or Pusheen, and adorable calendars for just about any...
Ever wonder what your beloved pet’s name would look like in Chinese characters, or kanji? We pick one pet photo and render the pet’s name in kanji. Leo Leo will let you pet him, but he’d much rather be in the backyard stalking rodents. In fact, when he catches them, he’ll bring the carcasses by your front stoop just to show you how hard...
Nestled inside the new Kinokuniya Bookstore in Portland is an inviting Japanese-style spot called Book of Tea Café. The café serves matcha, hojicha, and other tea drinks, locally roasted coffee from Extracto Coffee Roasters, sandwiches, onigiri, soft-serve ice cream, and homemade pastries, cookies, brownies, and manju. Owner Tomoe Horibuchi is a longtime practitioner of the tea ceremony who also runs the popular Behind the...
Eat your way around the yatai carts of Japan and the night markets of Taiwan If you’re planning a trip to Japan, why not add one more destination to your trip? This might not be the right time to travel to Hong Kong, and popular Southeast Asian destinations like Bangkok are an extra seven-hour flight from Tokyo. Here’s our recommendation: take a 3.5-hour flight...
The cuisine of Peru is a blend of foodstuffs from the nation’s various ecosystems. Restaurants in this western South American country regularly place in lists of the World’s 50 Best Restaurants, and in 2019, two Peru restaurants made it into the top 10 of one of those lists. One restaurant in Peru is, MAIDO, which focuses on Nikkei cuisine. “Nikkei” is a term used...
Kinokuniya just opened this summer its newest store in the US smack in the middle of downtown Portland. The new bookstore is in the old Guild Theatre, which had been left unused for the last 12 years. Kinokuniya has breathed new life into the historic space, and initial reports indicate that Portlanders love the change. The Guild Theatre opened in 1927, which, coincidentally, is...
Ever wonder what your beloved pet’s name would look like in Chinese characters, or kanji? We pick one pet photo and render the pet’s name in kanji. Cookie 焼 This kanji means “bake.” Baking makes the ingredients yummier and more fragrant. 菓 This one indicates “sweets.” Confections enrich and brighten our lives. 子 This kanji indicates a child. In Japanese, “cookie” is written “焼菓子”...
