* This is a sponsored post featuring our partner, Diners World Travel, for TSSTakeMeToJapan. All opinions and thoughts expressed are our own. Winter may be a time of bitter cold, but it’s also the best time to dress warmly and head out to bask in the snow-capped vistas Japan is richly blessed with! Hokkaido, in […]

A summary of some of the places we have been and the produce highlights of these regions in my quest to discover Japanese comfort foods. Mouse over the icons on the map to find out more about my trip! This is a third instalment of Souperchefannatravels series, this time Take Me To Japan. How many […]

My souperinspiration Miso The protein-rich fermented soybean paste called miso is one of the world’s great flavour foundations adding a savory quality called umami to all sorts of dishes, including soups, salad dressings, vegetables, stews and marinades. According to the The Oxford Companion to Food, miso was first developed in China and the first written […]

My souperinspiration Mizutaki In Japan, once it starts getting chilly outside, it’s that time of year again when comfort food means a good old-fashioned nabe, or Japanese hot pot. Mizutaki is one of the classic nabemono, communal stews which have long been a hallmark of home cooking in Japan. The term nabe refers to the vessel itself, […]

My souperinspiration Miso On this trip to Japan, in Matsumoto City, we met Hayashi san, the president and master shinshu miso maker at Marusho Jozo. Through our conversations, I found out he is 80 years old. But the man, does not look a day past 65 years old. The complexion of his skin, its tautness […]

My Souper Inspiration Festivalo Karaimo World (1-1 Gofuku-cho, Kagoshima City (Tenmonkan) Karaimo (“potatoes from China”; “Kara” refers to China, “Imo” is the Japanese word for potatoes) or satsumaimo is Japanese for sweet potato. Hah, the understated vegetable that has been tagged as poor man’s food in Asia. Well, no one would have guessed that this […]

* This is a sponsored post featuring our partner, Diners World Travel, for TSSTakeMeToJapan. All opinions and thoughts expressed are our own. As September gives way to October, Japan transits from the sultry summer buzz to charming fall reprieve. Koyo or fall foliage in Japan is a spectacular sight, and notably a key reason for […]

* This is a sponsored post featuring our partner, Diners World Travel, for TSSTakeMeToJapan. All opinions and thoughts expressed are our own. Oh Japan, the land we’ve all heard of and delight in. Strong in spirit, rich in culture, the country shines in her fascinating contrasts of modern and traditional, order and innovation. It’s amazing […]

Kagoshima-Hawaii of Japan The prefecture of Kagoshima is a volcanic tropical paradise also known as the ‘Hawaii of Japan’. With the opening of the Kyushu Shinkansen, accessibility to this area is greatly improved bringing with it great influx of local tourists. This southern Japanese city in the island of Kyushu, is effortlessly charming, big enough […]

Takayama Ryokan experience Takayama is a city in the mountainous Hida region of Gifu Prefecture. To differentiate it from other places named Takayama, the city is also commonly referred to as Hida-Takayama. It has the nickname “Little Kyoto of Hida” as it has managed to retain a traditional touch especially in its beautifully preserved old […]

Nagano and traditional Shinano cuisine Zenkoji Temple is the heart and soul of Nagano City. It is one of the most important and popular temples in Japan. It was founded in the 7th century and stores the first Buddhist statue ever to be brought into Japan when Buddhism was first introduced in the 6th century. Similar […]

Sampuru, Replica food making experience Whenever we go to a Japanese restaurant, the first thing we do is marvel at the fake food in the front window. My kids are very intrigued by them. So real, so fake, so detailed! Restaurants throughout Japan display these plastic food replicas as a sort of menu or in-the-street […]