Ryo Iwa– Author –
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Edo Period Sake: How Brewing Became a Major Industry in Japan
In 1697, roughly 640,000 casks of sake arrived in Edo by sea. Almost none of it came from Nada, although that district later dominated Japanese brewing. Edo period sake is not really a story about better brewing, since most of the key te... -
Benikomachi Sweet Potato (紅小町)
Benikomachi is a Japanese sweet potato cultivar closely associated with Chiba Prefecture. Written 紅小町 in Japanese, it has dark reddish-purple skin and pale yellow flesh. Cooked, it develops a floury, fluffy texture and mild sweetness,... -
Beniharuka Sweet Potato (紅はるか)
Beniharuka, officially registered in Japanese as べにはるか and commonly written 紅はるか in shops, is one of Japan's best-known sweet potato cultivars for moist, strongly sweet yakiimo. It has reddish-purple skin and pale flesh that tur... -
How to Cook Japanese-Style Steak at Home: Searing, Doneness, and Simple Japanese Accompaniments
A deeply browned crust, tender slices of beef, a touch of wasabi, and a bowl of steamed rice can turn a simple steak into a satisfying Japanese-inspired dinner. The key is not an elaborate marinade. It is controlling the heat well enough... -
Anno Imo (安納芋)
Picture a roasted sweet potato split open on a cold evening. The skin is wrinkled and dark, while the flesh glows golden orange with a glossy, syrup-like surface. This is the image most often associated with Anno Imo (安納芋), a Japanese... -
How to Order Food in Tokyo: A Beginner’s Guide to Ticket Machines, Sushi Counters, and Japanese Menus
Tokyo is one of the world’s great food cities, but its restaurant culture can feel unfamiliar when you visit for the first time. A small ramen counter, a conveyor-belt sushi restaurant, an underground food hall, and a neighborhood izakay... -
Silk Sweet (シルクスイート)
Silk Sweet is a Japanese sweet potato sold under a trademarked name, and the name is a promise about texture rather than sweetness. Its breeder registered it with Japan's Ministry of Agriculture under the cultivar name HE306, and it then... -
Medieval Sake in Japan: Temple Breweries, Sake Shops, and Brewing Innovation
In 1425, a document kept at Kitano Shrine in Kyoto recorded 342 sake businesses inside and around the capital. By then, that number marks how far sake had travelled. It was no longer mainly a courtly ritual drink, but rather a commodity,... -
Koshu Miso (甲州味噌)
Koshu miso (甲州味噌, Kōshū miso) is a regional miso associated with Yamanashi Prefecture in central Japan. In its traditional form, producers ferment soybeans with both rice koji and barley koji in the same batch, which gives the paste ... -
Koshi no Aka-gani (高志の紅ガニ)
At half past noon in Shinminato, the floor of the fish market turns red. Crab after crab goes down on its back, packed shoulder to shoulder across the concrete, until the whole hall looks carpeted. Buyers are already crouching over the r...