Japan by Food

04/01/2025

Soba is seriously underrated, but this Tokyo spot gets it right! 🍜

Don’t skip the egg tempura rice bowl either. It’s delicious! 🥢🍳

📍BASO OMOTESANDO
6 Chome-11-7 Jingumae, Shibuya, Tokyo 150-0001

03/01/2025

Book our Tokyo National Museum Historic Teahouse Tour & Dining (Ueno)
now: https://bit.ly/49ZbP20

Enjoy a premium dining experience, learn the art of matcha making, and taste traditional sweets at Okyokan, a historic house over 200 years old, nestled within the Tokyo National Museum in Ueno. 🍵🍣

The Tokyo National Museum houses many of Japan's most valuable treasures, from ancient scroll paintings to delicate ceramics, as well as entire buildings of great historical significance. 🏺📜

Okyokan, a building with over 280 years of history, was originally a temple study room before being relocated to Tokyo and later donated to the museum. It has been meticulously preserved, showcasing reproductions of fusuma paintings by master Maruyama Okyo. This traditional tearoom offers the perfect ambiance for this unique dining experience, connecting you with Japan's cherished customs. 🏯✨

Relish a seasonal dining course featuring Japanese ingredients (Edo Course), prepared by a skilled chef with experience in 5-star hotels. Your meal will be presented in elegant Oju multi-tiered boxes, typically reserved for special occasions. Hot or cold tea is included, with additional drinks available for purchase. 🍶🍤

After your meal, take part in a hands-on matcha-making session, where an expert will guide you through the casual process of whisking tea and savoring it with traditional sweets. 🍵🍰

02/01/2025

Here’s everything we ate on Ameyoko Street in Ueno, Tokyo!

Ameyoko, short for "Ameya-Yokocho," is a lively market street that stretches between Ueno and Okachimachi stations. The street is packed with vendors selling everything from fresh seafood to quirky souvenirs.

Meat Croquette
📍 Niku no Ohyama 肉の大山 上野店
💴 ¥420

Fruit Cup
📍 Hyakkaen Ueno Main Store
💴 ¥280

Oyster
📍 UO TSUKA
💴 ¥800

Takoyaki
📍 Minatoya みなとや食品
💴 ¥300 for 4 balls

Yakitori Sticks
📍 Takioka
💴 ¥780 for two sticks, ¥600 for drinks

Ice Cream
📍 Tea Garden 茶の君野園
💴 ¥400

02/01/2025

Read more on the blog: https://bit.ly/4a6iZ4D

Finding vegetarian and vegan Japanese food while traveling abroad can be challenging, especially if you don’t know the language. In Japan, many popular dishes incorporate meat, and that fact isn’t always clear. While a slice of meat as a ramen topping is easy to spot, it’s harder to notice meat or animal products incorporated into broths or sauces. 🍜

In contrast, there is a traditional Japanese vegetarian cuisine dating back over 1,000 years. 📜 Shojin ryori, traditional Buddhist cooking in Japan, is known for its plant-based dishes and usage of local seasonal ingredients. While its history is in the halls of Buddhist temples, it has also been finding popularity more recently in cities, with vegetarians, vegans, and people looking for healthier food options alike becoming interested in shojin ryori. 🥢

01/01/2025

The Japanese New Year might not go off with a bang, more like 108 chimes of a temple bell, but there are plenty of traditions and Japanese New Year foods that you can get stuck into! 🎉

Read more on the blog:

Experience Japanese New Year traditions! Slurp up toshikoshi soba, send out nengajo New Year cards, visit a shrine or temple for

01/01/2025

Happy New Year from Japan! 🥂🎉

A Japanese New Year tradition, Shizuka learns all about mochitsuki (mochi making) at Enpukuji Temple in Chiba Prefecture with the help of the head monk, Ibaraki. Mochitsuki is usually reserved for special occasions like anniversaries and the New Year, and is symbolic of community and togetherness as it cannot be done alone. 🎋🍚

Usually, people use white rice to make mochi, but in the Monoi City area, unpolished rice called “genmai” is often used as well. In particular, they use a type of green rice called “midori mai,” which is extremely rare in Japan. The green rice at Enpukuji is grown using pesticide-free and organic farming methods. It is said to have benefits like helping to lower cholesterol levels. 🌾💚

Rice is considered a sacred food in Japan (mochi and sake are particularly significant). Mochi appears in many Japanese New Year foods from “ozoni” mochi soup to “kagami mochi.” 🍲🍶

HOW MOCHI IS MADE
Wash and soak the glutinous rice overnight 🛏️🍚
Steam the glutinous rice 🌬️🍚
Transfer the steamed rice into the Usu (mortar) 🍽️
Moisten the Kine (wooden mallet) with water 💦
Using gravity, one person hits the rice with the wooden mallet 🥢
Occasionally, a second person folds the rice in between hits 👯‍♀️
When the mochi reaches the desired consistency, shape it and enjoy 🍡

LOCATION
Enpukuji Temple 🏯
Monoi, Chiba Prefecture 📍

31/12/2024

Here are our top 3 restaurants in Tokyo this year:

Tempura Ono 🍤
Kappo Yuzuha 🍣
HOMMAGE 🌟

You can book all these restaurants on byfood.com 🥢✨

31/12/2024

Check out the best kimono experiences in Tokyo: https://bit.ly/4gTVEW7

Kimono are synonymous with traditional Japanese culture. 👘 People who travel to Japan want to experience wearing a kimono, but may not know how to or where to go to find kimono experiences. Lucky for you, kimono are easily accessible around Japan, especially in Tokyo. 🗼

Wearing an authentic kimono in Tokyo will make your trip more memorable. Explore the best kimono experiences in Tokyo and wear kimono while touring museums and historic districts, attending tea ceremonies, and more! 🏯🍵

30/12/2024

Book Kyoto’s Kitchen: Nishiki Market Food Tour With Hiroshi 🐙 https://bit.ly/4fifPMc

Join Hiroshi for this private tour of Kyoto’s beloved Nishiki Market. Tour the stalls, learn about the market’s history, sample foods, see how tsukemono (pickles) are made, & take a shot of sake. 🍣🍶

Join Hiroshi, a multi-skilled explorer, for an interactive tour of Nishiki Market in Kyoto! During this private tour, you'll visit various market stalls, stuff yourself silly with street foods, skewers, seafood, and a shot of sake, then stuff your head with knowledge courtesy of your trusty host. Curiosity activated, your learning will continue! A pickle (tsukemono) tasting and info session awaits. 🛍️🍢📚

Nishiki Market (Kyoto’s Kitchen) boasts a rich history that dates back centuries. Its origins as a fish wholesale district have evolved into a gastronomic paradise showcasing a diverse array of culinary treasures–it’s been serving customers for over 400 years, and there are no signs of slowing down! 🏛️🐟

From fresh seafood and local produce to traditional sweets and snacks, the market is a microcosm of Kyoto's culinary heritage spanning five blocks in the city center. And who better to guide you through this sensory tunnel than Hiroshi, a spirited explorer with roots in Shiga Prefecture (neighboring Kyoto). From his childhood, where sports like volleyball, rugby, swimming, and diving were his playground, to his global escapades spanning over 20 countries, Hiroshi's love for adventure is undeniable. Unexpectedly, Hiroshi's journey turned culinary. As a sushi chef overseas, he honed his craft. But a new calling led him to the world of marine biology, pursuing a Ph.D. at Kyoto University to champion ocean protection. Today, Hiroshi wears another hat–your travel guide! 🌍🐠🎒

30/12/2024

MORE viral Tokyo foods that broke the internet! 🥪

Watch new YouTube: youtu.be/dl40jD5-4e4?si=oDpcEO8QXg84IsWX

29/12/2024

You can book this exclusive, byFood original tempura-making class to cook with the world-renowned Chef Shimura ➡️ https://bit.ly/4gxIdLB🍳🍤

What makes high-end tempura different from the more affordable options you can find at convenience stores and supermarkets in Japan? 🍤🇯🇵 Hear it from Chef Shimura, a tempura master who has been perfecting the art of golden tempura fritters for over two decades. 👨‍🍳✨

Today, we go behind the counter at Tempura Ono, an upscale tempura omakase restaurant in Ginza, where Chef Shimura shares all his secrets to achieve a perfect crisp. 🍽️🥢 If his face sounds familiar, it might be because this world-renowned chef appeared on the Netflix series Taco Chronicles in an episode about fish tacos and their relationship with Japanese tempura! 🎥🌮

27/12/2024

Book Ganko Kameoka Rakurakusou 🍣 https://bit.ly/3VGn8Xa

Indulge in a succulent sukiyaki or kaiseki course meal in Kyoto beneath the rafters of one of Japan’s Tangible Cultural Properties. 🍲🏯

In the 50-odd years since its origin as a humble 15-square-meter shop in Osaka in 1963, Ganko Food Service has since become responsible for some of the most vaunted restaurants in Japan. Particularly active in the Kansai region, its company philosophy is to introduce diners to top-quality traditional Japanese cuisine at accessible prices, from tonkatsu to sushi. 🍣🍱

Perhaps most famous among its stable of restaurants are the oyashiki restaurants, which let visitors enjoy Ganko’s signature high-quality Japanese cuisine in the architectural grandeur of historical mansions. 🏠🍴

Grandest of these is Rakurakusou, which was the birthplace of Kyoto Railway Company founder Gentaro Tanaka. Designed by legendary Japanese architect Jihei Ogawa VII, it is one of Japan’s Tangible Cultural Properties. 🏯🌿 The kaiyu-style garden, which spans 1,200 square meters, is inspired by the greenery of the nearby Hozu Gorge, and offers dramatically different experiences in each season. Peak popularity is in spring and autumn, when the gardens blush pink and blaze red respectively. 🌸🍁

Kaiyu means “meandering,” and the garden lets guests do precisely that, with its gently curving pathways taking them between quiet groves and still waters. 🌳🌊 It’s the perfect place to casually work up an appetite with a pre-meal stroll, or conversely, walk a particularly delicious one off. 🚶‍♀️🍜

26/12/2024

As the year wraps up, here are the top 5 dishes we ate in Tokyo in 2024 🍤🍩

📍 Tempura Satoumi Satoyama – Shinjuku
1 Chome-4-4 Nihonbashi, Chuo City, Tokyo 103-0027

📍 Abebe Bakery – Shin-Okubo
1 Chome-18-5 Kamiyama, Shibuya City, Tokyo 154-0001

📍 PREMIER MAI – Near Yoyogi Park
1 Chome-6-10 Tomigaya, Shibuya City, Tokyo 151-0063 (2nd Floor, Yoyogi Park Building)

📍 Koroku Kuramae – Near Asakusa Station
3 Chome-20-2 Kuramae, Taito City, Tokyo 111-0051

📍 Yoshoku Yoshikami – Asakusa
1 Chome-4-3 Iwamotocho, Chiyoda City, Tokyo 101-0032

26/12/2024

Read more in the blog: https://bit.ly/4iUfhyU

When you think of winter in Japan — and especially skiing or snowboarding in Japan — there’s no place quite like Niseko. Based on Japan’s northernmost island of Hokkaido, Niseko is famous for its inimitable powder snow and expansive, accessible slopes, around which some of Japan’s most luxurious ski resorts gather. ❄️🏔️🎿

Step onto your skis or snowboard and swerve through our handy Niseko Winter Guide, showing you some of the best things to do in Niseko’s winter months… ⛷️✨

26/12/2024

Japanese convenience store taste test 🏪

What are the must-try foods and drinks? 🥪

Watch new YouTube 🎥 youtu.be/ngUs6La2v4A?si=stTiYpFnhSv3M68h

25/12/2024

Christmas in Tokyo ✨🎄

Wishing you all a holiday filled with delicious food and all the joy! 🎁

24/12/2024

30% off this Kyoto class! Book here: https://bit.ly/3ZUkdey

For a limited time only, enjoy 30% off the price of this experience using the code RAMEN30 at checkout (until January 15th, 2024, subject to availability). 🎉

Learn to make noodles from scratch and prepare a customized bowl of ramen in Kyoto with gluten-free, halal, pescetarian, vegetarian, and vegan options. 🍜✨

Ramen consistently ranks near as one of the most popular Japanese foods, but it can also be one of the least accessible for those with dietary restrictions. Meat is often used, and noodles are made from wheat flour, posing a problem for gluten-free people. Thankfully, this noodle dish is also incredibly versatile, and with the right guidance, you can make a bowl to suit your liking and dietary needs. 🍜

This Customizable Ramen Cooking Class in Kyoto can accommodate gluten-free, halal, pescetarian, vegetarian, and vegan options, so you can make a delicious bowl of ramen no matter your dietary restrictions. 🌱

For those who request a no meat option, tofu will be used instead of chicken, and vegans can omit the egg. There is also an option to make gluten-free noodles out of rice flour rather than wheat flour (note that the gluten-free noodles take a little longer to make, and the resulting texture of the noodles depends on the weather conditions). 🌾❌

You'll start by making the noodles from scratch as you knead, roll, and cut them while learning the techniques to get the perfect chewy texture. 🍥👩‍🍳 Then, you'll pan-fry some tasty chicken (or tofu) and prepare it as a juicy topping. 🍗🍴

The soup broth is pre-prepared by chefs using a recipe they have perfected over 30 years. You can then customize the broth using various sauces and soup bases. Get creative and mix a ramen broth that's exactly to your liking! 🔥🍲

Finally, you'll boil the noodles and arrange the bowl, topping it off with ingredients such as scallions, chicken (or tofu), a beautifully runny egg, and chili flakes (if you like it hot). 🌶️🍳 When your bowl is complete, it's time to relax and dig in as you savor the aromas and flavors of your handmade ramen. 😋🍜

23/12/2024

Still searching for the perfect gift for a Japan lover?

Send them a byFood e-gift card for cooking classes, food tours, or unique dining experiences across Japan. Instantly delivered, it’s a gift they’ll actually use. 🎁🍣

Buy here: https://bit.ly/4grXltU