Search results for “kansai”

Some sake tastes bold, savory, and wonderfully complex. That depth often traces back to the yeast starter. So what is yamahai in sake brewing? Yamahai is a traditional yeast starter method born from kimoto. It drops the grueling yamaoros...

Have you ever tasted a sake with firm acidity, deep umami, and a quietly earthy structure? There is a good chance its character began in the yeast starter. In traditional kimoto sake brewing, few stages matter as much as that starter. So...

Sake truly takes shape in one bubbling tank. That tank holds the moromi. So what is moromi in sake brewing? Moromi, written 醪 in Japanese, is the main fermentation mash of sake. It is the thick mixture of steamed rice, koji, water, and ...

Summer in Japan brings heat, humidity, and tired appetites. So coastal cooks invented cooling dishes to fight the season. One of the most unusual comes from the Seto Inland Sea. People there make Igisu tofu, a jelly-like dish from seawee...

Open any bottle of premium sake, and you will see a number on the label. It often reads something like 60 percent or 50 percent. That figure points to rice polishing, one of sake's defining steps. So what is rice polishing in sake brewin...

Sake begins with a quiet transformation inside a grain of rice. That transformation has a name: koji. So what is koji in sake brewing? Koji is steamed rice grown with a special mold, Aspergillus oryzae. The mold spreads through each grai...

Kagawa is famous for udon, yet its food story runs deeper. One old dish carries a strange, catchy name. People call it Kankan zushi, a pressed sushi from Kagawa. Some also write it as Kankan sushi in English. The name comes from a sound,...

Kagawa is famous for udon, yet the prefecture hides other treasures. One of them is iriko meshi, a humble rice dish with deep flavor. Iriko means dried sardines, a pantry staple across western Japan. Cooks here simmer them into rice for ...

Yakiniku is one of Japan’s most enjoyable food experiences. It feels casual, warm, and a little exciting. You sit around a grill, cook small pieces of meat, and eat them hot. The sound, smoke, and smell become part of the meal. At first,...

Akita sake is a refined sake culture from northern Japan. It comes from Akita Prefecture, a rice-growing region in Tohoku. Cold winters, abundant water, local rice, and careful brewing shape its character. As a result, the style is often...