Social Media Ideas for Ainu Food

Ohaw? Ruibe? Pocche? While traveling in Japan’s north, we try Ainu cuisine for the first time

Taste-testing the northern frontier of local foods in Japan. Just about every corner of Japan has some special food it’s famous for, and if you head up to the country’s northern ti...

Yamakujira Nabe (山くじら鍋)

Picture a cold mountain village in old Japan. A heavy iron pot bubbles over the coals. Inside simmers dark, marbled wild boar meat. This warming dish is yamakujira nabe. It is one...

Kozuyu (こづゆ)

Some dishes tell you almost nothing about where they come from. Kozuyu is not one of them. Lift the small red lacquer bowl, taste the broth, and the whole story of Aizu arrives in...

Tono Jingisukan (遠野ジンギスカン)

Tono Jingisukan (遠野ジンギスカン) is a regional lamb barbecue from Tono City in Iwate Prefecture. Thin slices of lamb or mutton go onto a domed iron pan unseasoned, then get dippe...

How to eat like a local in Japan

In the Chugoku region, local specialties reward curious eaters. Here’s what should be on the menu for your next trip. Japan is a destination that rewards foodies at every turn. Sus...

Okinawa Zenzai (沖縄ぜんざい)

Okinawa zenzai breaks every rule you thought you knew about Japanese sweets. On the mainland, after all, zenzai means a steaming bowl of sweet red bean soup. In Okinawa, order zenz...

Hittsumi (ひっつみじる)

Hittsumi (ひっつみ) is a traditional dumpling soup from Iwate Prefecture. Cooks tear wheat-flour dough by hand and simmer it with chicken, root vegetables, mushrooms, and soy-based...

Tsukemono Steak (漬物ステーキ)

Picture a snowy night in the mountains of central Japan. Outside, the cold bites hard. Inside a small izakaya, a sizzling iron plate arrives at your table. Golden egg and a scatter...

Otsuke Dango (おつけだんご)

Trains from Tokyo reach Otsuki in about an hour. Hikers pour off the platform, and the small restaurants beside the station keep their miso pots warm all day. One dish appears on a...

Akakabu Sushi (赤カブ寿司)

Sushi does not always need fish to shine. In fact, akakabu sushi proves that point beautifully. So what is akakabu sushi? It is nigiri topped with pickled red turnip from Hida. Lit...

Barappa Manju (ばらっぱまんじゅう)

Barappa manju is a steamed wheat-flour bun filled with sweet red bean paste, cooked on a single wild leaf. It comes from the Hokuso area of northern Chiba Prefecture, and people th...

A sushi rice pocket by any other name

Japan's "inari-zushi" sushi pockets are normally plain compared to their Korean counterparts, but a blend of the two makes for a delectable treat.

Gurukun (ぐるくん)

Gurukun is Okinawa’s prefectural fish, and most visitors first meet it as a whole small fish split open and deep-fried until the bones crunch. Locals call the dish gurukun no karaa...

Japanese Cream Stew (クリームシチュー)

Few dishes say “home cooking” in Japan like cream stew. It is warm, creamy, and gently sweet. A pot of it can fill a whole kitchen with comfort. Children adore it, and adults feel...

North Korean media touts traditional foods to beat extreme heat

SEOUL, South Korea: As a severe heat wave grips the Korean Peninsula, North Korean state media have highlighted a range of foods, including dog-meat soup, as traditional remedies r...

New on the Menu: Potato salad with eel and tuna-tomato crudo

Plus a dip made from sake lees, a steak inspired by a stew, and a cocktail inspired by a song inspired by a frog.

Okesa Maki (おけさ巻)

Sado Island sits in the Sea of Japan. It is famous for fresh seafood and folk culture. One local sushi roll captures both at once. That roll is called Okesa maki. It is a true tast...

Affogato and Rendang on the Menu in Canada’s High Arctic

The menu offerings at Kuugaq Café, owned by immigrants from the Philippines, speaks to the increasing diversity of Cambridge Bay, Nunavut.

Less sea urchin, more tuna: Change comes for Japan's seafood bowls

The world loves boiled and salted edamame. But how about sweet?

"Zundamochi" is the term for mashed edamame mixed with sugar and spread across rice flour dumplings.

Beyond Sushi: Classic Japanese Recipes, Minus the Meat

Japan may be famous for sushi, but outside of the delicacy, the country has many delicious dishes to offer—from ramen to yakisoba. Here are our plant-based favorites of classic Jap...

Ulu Goes Italian

One of chef Dave Caldiero’s most popular twists on a traditional recipe is his Italian dumplings, called agnolotti, made with ulu filling. His filling is creamy and delicious and g...

Foodie in Fairbanks: the unexpected culinary scene in the middle of Alaska

Locals and visitors of the Golden Heart City have a plethora of food choices to choose from – Thai, Chinese, Korean and even Moldovan cuisineCharlie Boonprasert and Tutu Navachai a...

Glaze of glory

The markets are filled with different types of salmon and all seem fatty and therefore tasty. Here is the simplest way to prepare this protein with just a store-bought teriyaki sau...