We all know wasabi as that spicy green condiment that comes with our sushi and sashimi. Yet little do many know that in most cases what we’re eating is just a mix of horseradish, Chinese mustard and green coloring. Real wasabi, also known as Wasabia Japonica, is rare to come across as it is one of the most expensive crops to grow, with its extreme sensitivity to temperature and harvesting conditions.
Here is a short documentary about Shigeo Iida, an 8th generation wasabi farmer in Izu, Shizuoka prefecture. Not only giving us insight into the deep roots of the wasabi industry, this is a story of a family and their livelihood that pulls at the heartstrings.
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This summer, Japanese furniture maker Time & Style showcased a selection of furniture designed by architect Kengo Kuma. Like a compilation of rare B-sides, the exhibition, titled “Furniture that blends into the surroundings,” represents years of creative output and celebrates a facet of Kuma’s practice that has thrived quietly in...
My relatives recently went on tea picking / hiking experience via Airbnb in the countryside of Kyoto, Wazuka. That area has been producing tea for over 1000 years which is around the same time as the introduction of tea to Japan itself. You’d often hear about how the tea culture originated...
A new tea house called Uji-Kochakan recently opened in Uji, the tea capital of Japan. They specialize in black teas, 30 varieties to be exact, that come with cookies in multiple flavors or a beautiful. On their menu is this beautiful 30mm thick pancake with an original sauce that is not at...
