Ryo Iwa– Author –
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Hakodate Yakitori Bento (函館 焼き鳥弁当)
Here's a small puzzle. You order something called a yakitori bento. Yakitori means grilled chicken. You open the box, and inside you find grilled pork. Nobody apologizes. Everyone acts like this is completely normal. In Hakodate, it is. ... -
Kagoshima Black Pork (鹿児島黒豚)
Some foods earn their reputation through marketing. Others earn it through flavor. 鹿児島黒豚 Kagoshima black pork belongs firmly in the second category. One bite of a properly cooked cutlet or a thin slice dipped in shabu-shabu broth, a... -
Lucky Pierrot Hamburger (ラッキーピエロのハンバーガー)
Some restaurants are worth traveling for. ラッキーピエロ Lucky Pierrot is one of them. It's not a global chain. You won't find it in Tokyo or Osaka. Every single one of its 17 locations sits in Hakodate, a small port city at the southern... -
Japan’s Vegetarian Delights: Top Plant-Based Dishes to Try
Japan might not be the first country that comes to mind for vegetarian travel. Many dishes hide dashi, a fish-based broth, in unexpected places. But here's the truth: Japan has a rich, centuries-old tradition of plant-based eating. You j... -
Zangi (ザンギ)
The first time you order ザンギ Zangi at a Hokkaido izakaya, it might just look like regular fried chicken. But then you take a bite. The crust is thicker. The seasoning goes all the way through. The aroma of soy, garlic, and ginger hits... -
Noto beef (能登牛)
There's a moment, somewhere between your first bite and the second, when you realize this isn't like other beef. The fat is different. The flavor lingers in a way that's hard to explain. That's 能登牛 Noto beef, and once you understand w... -
Quincy melon (クインシーメロン)
If you've ever walked through a Japanese supermarket in summer, you've probably seen it. A round, netted melon with a warm amber rind. It sits quietly on the shelf, modestly priced. That's the クインシーメロン — the Quincy melon. So, wha... -
Ibaraking Melon (イバラキング)
If you've spent any time exploring Japanese fruit culture, you know how seriously people take their melons. Walk into any department store basement and you'll find them: perfectly shaped, gift-wrapped, and priced like jewelry. Among them... -
Shimonita Negi (下仁田ネギ)
Most people do not think much about green onions. They are a garnish, a background note, an afterthought. Then you eat a Shimonita negi, and that changes. 下仁田ネギ (Shimonita negi) is a premium Japanese green onion from Shimonita Town ... -
Takasaki Pasta (高崎パスタ)
If you think Italy holds a monopoly on great pasta, think again. Deep in Gunma Prefecture, about 90 kilometers northwest of Tokyo, sits a city called Takasaki. And Takasaki has a secret. Locals call it the "pasta city" of Japan. That lab...