Fumiko Ichimura is a nationally registered dietitian in Japan. She uses her knowledge about balanced meals in a primary school, where she makes the menus so that children grow healthy and learn to enjoy eating. I asked her about the effects of Japanese food on health, the changes in Japan’s eating habits, and teaching kids…
How I Learned I Was Making Green Tea the Wrong Way
Disclaimer: This article was produced in cooperation with byFood and contains affiliate links. Kokoro Media may earn a commission from purchases made via the byFood links featured throughout this article. I started drinking green tea more than 15 years ago, during my first visit to Japan as an exchange student. I got a liking for…
Kagami Mochi, the Japanese New Year Cake
During the New Year period in Japan, you can see kagami mochi displayed as a decoration inside houses. It is a cake usually made of two layers of round mochi (rice cake) topped with a mandarin orange. Kagami Mochi As a Symbol “Kagami” means “mirror” in Japanese, and it is often said that the shape of the mochi…
Zen and the Art of Eating: Appreciating Food through Mindfulness
Disclaimer: This article was produced in cooperation with byFood and contains affiliate links. Kokoro Media may earn a commission from purchases made via the byFood links featured throughout this article. I’m notorious for my perception of food and eating. In my youth, meals were often something that pulled me away from whatever activity or creative…
How to Use Japanese Chopsticks the Right Way
If you are reading this article, maybe you are having a business dinner with your Japanese counterparts soon. Maybe you have been invited to a Japanese family dinner. Maybe you are afraid to make a cultural mistake during your upcoming trip to Japan. Worry no more! Here are the keys that will allow you to use chopsticks properly and have…
Eat Fugu and Live to Tell the Tale
For any foodie visiting Japan, eating fugu should be on their list of must-eat foods, since it’s next-to-impossible to have in other countries. Usually, that would involve a trip to an expensive, high-end restaurant. Unless you have fugu fisheries in a nearby bay, which is precisely the case for Takahama town, located on the Western…
Tsukimi, the Moon Festival
Praying to the Harvest Moon As it is often depicted in Japanese pop culture, manga, anime, or video games, you may have already heard about ”tsukimi,” or more formally “otsukimi,” literally “moon viewing.” It is the most emblematic celebration in autumn, and shops often have decorations or sell items bearing the moon, rice cakes, or rabbits (more about this…
My Japanese Supermarket Culture Shocks
After living in a different country for many years, you adapt to the local lifestyle and tend to forget the things that surprised you in the first place. The last time I went to my home country, France, I experienced several reverse culture shocks, one of them just by going to my local supermarket. When…
How Science Helps in Revitalizing Japan’s Fishing Industry
Takashi Suzuki is an assistant professor at Kagoshima University and a former project researcher at the University of Tokyo. Now a specialist in marine life and fisheries, he was a student on the Iwate Prefecture campus of Kitasato University student when the 2011 Great East Japan earthquake happened. Since then, he has been devoting his studies and activities to…
What You Need to Know before Eating Ramen in Japan
If you are traveling alone and feeling hungry, ramen is probably the best choice for a satisfying meal. It is arguably one of the most famous Japanese dishes. Whether it is your first time to try ramen, or whether you are a ramen veteran, you should definitely add one (or more) ramen meals to your…