This is what the dish looks like when made with whole wheat spaghetti instead of soba noodles These savory noodles are deeply satisfying, even though they are made from only five ingredients. Walnuts give them a deep autumnal flavor that feels just right for the season, and although they’re a very traditional Japanese dish, everybodyContinueContinue reading “Nutty Noodles”
Category Archives: September
What’s the most Japanese thing you could ever do? Go on a bus tour
I thought going to the holiest shrine in all Japan would be the most ur-cultural experience I could possibly have. I was wrong. It was the bus tour that really redefined “cultural experience,” but not quite in the way I was expecting. Thanks to TokyoCheapo for this fine bus photo Right now, the only wayContinueContinue reading “What’s the most Japanese thing you could ever do? Go on a bus tour”
SEP-OCT 2021
Click on photo or link to read the feature Japanese Home Cooking: How to host a great sake tasting Sake isn’t just for Japanese food anymore—restaurants all over the world are discovering it’s the perfect pairing for all kinds of food. But how do you know what kind of sake you like? Here’s everything you needContinueContinue reading “SEP-OCT 2021”
Did you win the July-August book giveaway?
If you recognize your email, congratulations! You just won a copy of The Pillow Book: Diary of a Courtesan in Tenth Century Japan by Sei Shōnagon! If you think this is you, shoot a message to JapanagramJonelle@gmail.com and tell me if you’d like an ebook or paperback (and if paperback, let me know a mailing address you’dContinueContinue reading “Did you win the July-August book giveaway?”
The REAL story of the 47 rōnin
…is so much crazier than I thought You can see why the tale of the forty-seven masterless samurai who avenge their lord appeals—righteous grudges, extreme consequences, clever & twisted revenge. It’s definitely got the makings of a killer Netflix series! But the most amazing thing is…it’s all true. Page from the 47 Ronin manga byContinueContinue reading “The REAL story of the 47 rōnin”
How to host a great sake tasting
Three is the classic number of sakes to compare and contrast, but you can go higher. Read on for some great category suggestions! Sake isn’t just for Japanese food anymore—it’s popping up in top restaurants all over the world as the perfect pairing for all kinds of cuisines. Crisp and clean, it’s delicious with everythingContinueContinue reading “How to host a great sake tasting”
A rugged paradise with famous drummers, bathtub boats, and a cave of spooky Jizo figures
Sado Island in Niigata prefecture Sado is everything a remote island should be—plummeting cliffs surrounded by crystal clear water—but you can also do some things here that you can’t do in any other part of Japan These days, Sado Island is an hour offshore by hydrofoil, but in olden times it would take a lotContinueContinue reading “A rugged paradise with famous drummers, bathtub boats, and a cave of spooky Jizo figures”
A parade of people dressed up as angry ghost cats? Yes, please!
Bakeneko Parade in Kagurazaka, Tokyo And this one is my all-time favorite—she was wearing an excellent traditional-style mask, but totally dressed in goth-princess style kimono, with all the bells and whistles Japan is host to the most delightful festivals ever, and even the supernaturally scary bakeneko have their day! This isn’t an official holiday—you won’tContinueContinue reading “A parade of people dressed up as angry ghost cats? Yes, please!”
Pachinko
By Min Jin Lee Setting & details: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Authenticity of Japanese characters & dialogue: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Translation quality: N/AEntertainment value: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐My recommendation: This multi-generation story about what it’s like to be a Korean living in Japan from the early 1900s until the new millennium is heartwarmingly painful, beautifully written, and quite an accurate window into what it’s likeContinueContinue reading “Pachinko”
SEPTEMBER 2020
Click on photo or link to read the feature Seasonal Secret: When the small and humble come together to become magnificent and mighty When I started thinking about what’s so special about September in Japan, the first things that came to mind were three obscure flowers that are nobody’s favorite. By themselves, they’re utterly smallContinueContinue reading “SEPTEMBER 2020”
A special gift for Japanagram subscribers
If you pre-order a copy of The Last Tea Bowl Thief, I’ll send you a signed bookplate for the front! These cream-colored bookplates are printed on archival paper, and feature one of the illustrations from the front of The Last Tea Bowl Thief. You can only get them from me, but it’s easy, if you’reContinueContinue reading “A special gift for Japanagram subscribers”
The twelve winners of the August Book Giveaways are…
If you recognize your email, congratulations! You just won a copy of CLIMB, by Susan Spann! • You just won a copy of Claws of the Cat, by Susan Spann! If one of these is you, shoot a message to JapanagramJonelle@gmail.com and tell me where to send it (plus an email address if you’re prefer ebook, or a mailingContinueContinue reading “The twelve winners of the August Book Giveaways are…”
Here’s your free copy of It Was You!
Thanks for being a Japanagram subscriber. Here’s your free copy of the brand new, not-for-sale, Only In Tokyo Short! You can read this digital format It Was You right now on your ebook device, but ten lucky subscribers will get a signed paperback copy too! To find out if you’re a winner, check the linkContinueContinue reading “Here’s your free copy of It Was You!”
Japanese Summer Rice Bowl
This rice bowl features Poached Salmon with Spicy Miso, Chilled Snow Peas with Soy-Lemon Dressing, and Peppery Marinated Mushrooms This delicious topping is rich in umami goodness, and can be used on fish, chicken, cold veggies and salads with equally tasty success! Spicy Miso Topping 2 T. (30ml) soy sauce 3 T. (45ml) rice vinegarContinueContinue reading “Japanese Summer Rice Bowl“
Tall noses, small faces & big feet
Japan beauty goals “Your nose is so tall!” No foreigner lives in Japan for long without encountering this strangest of comments, delivered with an inexplicable tone of admiration. But having a big nose is not the only Japanese compliment that sounds like anything but. Here are five Japanese beauty standards that will have you checkingContinueContinue reading “Tall noses, small faces & big feet”
Surprising flower extravaganzas of fall
Flowers that look small and humble by themselves, but are spectacular and mighty in great numbers When I started thinking about what’s so special about September in Japan, the first things that came to mind were three obscure flowers that are nobody’s favorite. By themselves, they’re utterly small and forgettable. You might even be aContinueContinue reading “Surprising flower extravaganzas of fall”
Tanuki Town: A quaint mountain village filled with all manner of tricksters
This month’s destination: Shigaraki, in Shiga Prefecture Tanuki figures always feature outsized ballsacks, and the reason for that actually has nothing to do with their studly prowess. Makers of gold leaf used to wrap the nugget of gold in tanuki skin while working it. The skin is so tough, it’s said that a tiny pieceContinueContinue reading “Tanuki Town: A quaint mountain village filled with all manner of tricksters”
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