God Bless Butter. 🧈 Brilliant branding by this sweets shop at Tokyo Station. Looove the gaudy gold. The package says: “The best butter confectionery ever created, supervised by an expert with God’s perspective, has been created. Enjoy the supreme taste.”🤣 Usually impossible to purchase without queuing. Got lucky the morning of a typhoon. 🌀 Even…
Category: gotta get
Nagano Shichimi
One of the cities that I love spending time in is Nagano. It is easy to access from Tokyo. So much to love here. Zenkoji temple. The Buddhist temple dates back to 642. https://www.zenkoji.jp/en/ I also love the many shops on the Omotesando street leading up to Zenkoji. In particular, one of Japan’s most famous…
Natsuno
My favorite shop for #chopsticks in #Tokyo. @ginzanatsuno has a colorful selection of chopsticks🥢, chopstick rests, and some tableware in the heart of #Ginza. I have collected several pieces from here over the years and they all brighten up each meal. Ginza NatsunoChūō-ku, Ginza 6-7-4
Kanazawa Fukuro
Fukuro is a cool condiments shop near Ohmicho Market. I love the seasoned salts and misos. Curry chicken miso excellent for stuffing in onigiri or for crudité. On this trip I picked up lemon salt as staff said it’s great for karaagé fried chicken and bōcha roasted green tea salt for ochazuké rice with toppings…
Vegetable Bentō
Met a girlfriend for lunch after eight years. We picked up noriben, nori bentō, from the basement of the Ginza Six department store and headed to the roof. I was so excited to try the vegetable version. Maitaké (hen of the wood mushrooms) tempura, yamaimo (mountain potato) and renkon (lotus root) is grated to a…
Sakura Mochi
This time of year we are starting to see the early blossoming sakura cherry blossoms. The wagashi confectionary shops are starting to offer sakura mochi. There are many variations. Ginza Akebono’s sakura mochi is a sweet azuki red bean paste surrounded by a thin cherry colored pancake wrapped in an edible salted cherry tree leaf…
Amanoya Tamago Sando
Aiste Miseviciute of Luxeat introduced me to Amanoya tamago sando in Azabu Jūban. I visited the shop with her and she placed orders for their saké cake to bring back home as omiyage gifts. https://www.luxeat.com/ The egg sandwich is not the Tokyo style of boiled eggs with mayonnaise but the Kansai style of dashimaki tamago,…
Ercole Moretti
There are some tableware that I come across at restaurants that are so beautiful that it’s fun to add them to my home collection. I first came across Ercole Moretti while dining at Tsuru to Kame restaurant. However the restaurant was unable to tell me the name of who made the colorful glassware. They did…
Number Sugar Caramels
If you love caramels be sure to visit numbersugar_official. Fun flavors like raspberry, brown sugar, and rum raisin. There are a few branches in Tokyo. The Marunouchi branch has limited edition flavors of matcha, kokuto black sugar, and miso. https://numbersugar.jp
Ginza Kikunoya
Kikunoya in Ginza came up with the idea of dry confectionaries for tea time and this colorful fukiyose was developed. Presented in colorful tins the sweets have a long shelf life and are a fun omiyage gift for friends. Opened in 1890 Kikunoya is a busy shop in the heart of Ginza (Ginza 5-9-17). The…
Gotta Get – Sesame Seed Paste and Oil
Who doesn’t love sesame? Everyone I’ve spoken to on our tours all go crazy for this (and for yuzu). I first came across Here are three of my favorite sesame products for the Japanese pantry. The nerigoma sesame paste on the left is what I use the most. Mix simply with some sugar and soy…
Kakigori
Tokyo summers are terribly hot and horribly humid. We seek refuge in kakigōri, shave ice, topped with toppings sweetened condensed milk, mattcha, azuki beans, and fruit preserves. The only problem with going out for kakigōri is that this time of year there are usually long lines, often outdoors. We beat the heat at home with a kakigōri machine so…
Where to Buy Kit Kats in Tokyo
The best place to buy regional Kit Kats in Tokyo is at the Shokoku Gotochi Plaza. The shop is in the basement mall of Tokyo Station near the Tokyo Ramen Street, across the hallway from Rokurinsha ramen shop. Kit Kat in Japan makes regional flavors that are usually only sold in that region. The Shokoku…
Gotta Get – Summer Fruit Saké
In the humid summers I seek relief in chilled fruit saké that are tart and mouthwatering. Here are two worth seeking out, lemon and natsumikan (imagine an orange pomelo). My favorite producer for these kajitsushu is Tsuru Ume from Wakayama. Their aromatic yuzushu is also one of the best made in Japan, in my opinion. On…
Gotta Get – Okinawa Ryukyu Glass
Selecting tableware is a very important part of the Japanese dining experience. Glassware is also an integral part of regional expressions in Japan. I am a big fan of the Ryukyu glass from Okinawa. Okinawa is a tropical paradise in Japan. Ryukyu is the name of the former independent kingdom, which is now Okinawa. Ryukyu…
Fermented Butter
Fermented butter is popping up here and there in Tokyo, even at 7-11 convenience stores in these simple fermented butter rolls. You know when a new food trend has become mainstream when it makes it to your local 24-hour combini.
Gotta Get – Tomizawa Dried Mikan
A friend who is the editor of a food magazine introduced me to these addictive dried mikan. These are sweet and tart at the same time. Tomizawa is a chain found throughout Tokyo. I come here to buy nuts, flour, dried fruit, and much more. If I am baking this is the first shop I…
Gotta Get – Furikake Pen
We have just returned from a trip to Western Japan and one of my favorite things I brought back as an omiyage for myself is this furikake pen that happens to say yukari on it. Yukari is a furikake made from red shiso leaves that are dried and minced with salt. I love it as a topping over rice, but it…
Gotta Get – Kokuto Black Sugar 沖縄黒糖
Do you know about kokutō? Black sugar that is harvested on the islands south of Kagoshima in Okinawa. It is a dark sugar that is rich in minerals and is 100% natural sugar cane. We often keep a jar of kokutō on the counter. It makes a nice little snack. Kokutō can be cooked with water to make a syrup…
Instant Umami – Hanakezuri Kombu
Sashimi is a staple in our home. We never tire of it as the type of seafood we use for sashimi changes throughout the year. Suzuki, Japanese sea bass, is a firm-fleshed fish so it is cut in thin, usuzukuri slices. If it were cut thick, as we do with tuna, it would be too hard…
Gotta Get – Chopsticks at Hashichō in Nihonbashi
We eat with our chopsticks two, sometimes three times a day. Having a pair that you really love to eat with makes each meal all the more fun. There are so many factors to consider when selecting chopsticks. The size of your hands will determine the length. The tips can be fine or thick….
Gotta Get – Green Tea at Tsukiji Market Jugetsudo
Tsukiji Market is the most popular destination for our Food Sake Tokyo tours. Perhaps the most popular item that clients buy to bring home with them is Japanese green tea. My favorite tea shop in the market is Jugetsudo which is at the Maruyama Noriten Shop. The shop sells a variety of tea including mattcha,…
Nuts and Nori
Nuts and sea vegetables are a new snack for me. The idea was introduced to me by chef friend of mine. My friend was in Tokyo and while here she was on the hunt for a special type of aonori. We looked throughout Tsukiji Market and finally came across what she was looking for. She said…
Gotta Get – Tomizawa’s Deep-Fried Okra
We came across these deep-fried okra at Tomizawa. The okra are deep-fried until light and crispy. Not at all oily. Surely they must be better for you than potato chips, right? Well, that is what we tell ourselves. We are seeing lots of fried vegetables sold at the markets, but most of them are…
Gotta Get – Sansai Mountain Vegetables
Today at lunch I was reminded of what a special time of year this is. This gorgeous katakuchi bowl was presented with simmered octopus, fava beans, and fuki. Fuki is the stem of a bog rhubarb. It is no relation to the rhubarb I grew up with in Minnesota. It looks like a thin celery…
Gotta Get – Taberu Togarashi Furikake
Furikake are toppings that are sprinkled over rice. Most of the times at home we are eating a bowl of white rice. But once in a while we’ll sprinkle on some furikake just to spice things up. This Taberu Tōgarashi is in the genre of the taberu rayū, which we also like to have from time to time. We try…
Gotta Get – Nori Cups at Tsukiji Market
Once in a while you come across something that changes your food life forever. A Japanese chef girlfriend who now lives in California told me about these nori cups at Tsukiji Market. They are sold at a store that I walk by every time we do a Food Sake Tokyo tour, which is about 3-4…
Gotta Gets – Okra Crisps
When it comes to crispy snacks in Japan, I tend to pick up Calbee potato chips. Calbee changes up its line-up frequently and it gives me a good excuse to buy something to snack on. When we saw these okra crisps at our local Tomizawa Shōten shop we were so curious. What would okra,…
Gotta Get – Fresh Green Tea
It has been incredibly hot in Tokyo this last week. Record high for the month of October, 31 degrees C yesterday, almost 88 degrees F. I tend to drink a lot of water while out in the city, but another favorite, if I can find it, are these green tea bottles. Powdered green tea, sometimes…
Gotta Get? Pepsi Salty Watermelon
Having just indulged in a shaved watermelon ice with rum syrup at Toraya Cafe in Omotesando, watermelon was on my mind. We ran across this sparkling Pepsi Salty Watermelon at our local supermarket. The packaging is great with blue skies, sandy beach, and watermelon which looks like many a blow-up ball you’ll see at…
Gotta Get – Nama Shichimi 生七味
My latest craving is this great shichimi paste from the Kubara Honke Group. This nama shichimi is a paste of shichimi or seven spice. A little bit in miso soup for breakfast adds just the right spice to the savory soup. I also like it with some roasted chicken or yakitori. It is a thick…
Gotta Get – Yuzusco Yuzu Tabasco
I am a condiment addict. I need to get things in order as our fridge is overflowing with tubes and jars. When working for a travel company I remember having lunch with an automotive executive on our way to the airport. This well-dressed, worldly man pulled out a small bottle of Tobasco from his briefcase….
Tokyo Sky Tree Solamachi Food Shop Highlights
Tokyo Sky Tree is the city’s most popular tourist destination. The world’s tallest tower (for the time being) the communication tower replaces the landmark Tokyo Tower. Solamachi, at the base of Tokyo Sky Tree, is very exciting mall to visit with so many shops it’s hard to come up with a short list. It has…
Gotta Get – Taberu Rayu Two
Taberu Rayu is at every supermarket I visit in Japan. What started as one product by one company has exploded to many variations. One of the most interesting ones I have come across is the basic taberu rayu without the oil. As you can see by looking inside the jar, it’s very different from the original…
Gotta Get – Taberu Shoyu
The popularity of taberu rayu has been a great food trend to observe. First was to see all of the copycat versions imitating the original taberu rayu. Now, there are many new products that are similar in style but made from totally different ingredients. One of our new favorites is this Saku Saku Taberu Kobashi Shoyu from Kikkoman. The oil…
Gotta Get – Nosetare Rayu Oroshi のせタレラー油おろし
We are addicted to taberu rayu, the mild chili oil filled with fried garlic chips. At the store this area of condiments has blossomed into other products, including this very interesting rayu oroshi. Oroshi is simply grated items, usually vegetables. Popular grated vegetables include wasabi for sushi, ginger for topping tofu, and daikon for serving…
Food Gifts – Omiyage from Tokyo 東京のお土産
Omiyage most often describes gifts that you pick up while traveling that you bring back to your family, friends, and colleagues. For example, on a trip to Kyoto I may select some local jizake or wagashi for friends. For my colleagues at work I may pick up a box of yatsuhashi, a popular confectionary that Kyoto is known for….
Gotta Get: Ra-yu Salmon Flakes
Salted salmon flakes are a popular topping for a hot bowl of rice. It is sold in a small glass jar and found is most supermarkets. Shinji came home the other day with a new product we had never seen before, ra-yu (chili oil) flavored salmon flakes. Taberu ra-yu is a very popular product still, having…
Gotta Get – What to Get at Japanese Supermarkets
For those visiting Japan wanting to stock up their suitcase for foodie items that are hard to find outside of Japan I have come up with my list of “gotta gets”. When I have lived outside of Japan I also make a stop at the 100 (or 99) yen shop and stock up on cheap…
Book Review – Drinking Japan by Chris Bunting
This indispensible guide will become the bible for anyone passionate about Japanese beverages. Regardless if your preference is for shochu or nihonshu, Chris has covered it all. Clearly written by a reporter, no detail is overlooked, and the information is easy to understand. The descriptions of each bar transports you there and he even includes…
Gotta Get – Taberu Rayu 食べるラー油
When shopping for food products in Tokyo I find there are some items you just gotta get. Either because they are so delicious or as they are a trendy item. Taberu rayu is in the second category. Popular for about two years now it is still a hot item on the market and can be…
Kappabashi Gotta Gets
I love these shochu cups in the winter when I drink shochu with hot water. These have the type of base ingredient written on the cup 芋 for imo jochu (sweet potato shochu) or 黒糖 for kokuto jochu (brown sugar shochu). These teacups will get lots of use in any home. The cup on the far…
Kappabashi Gotta Gets
Kappabashi is filled with treasures, gadgets, and tools for anyone passionate about cooking. These refrigerator sushi magnets are always fun gifts. Iron tea pots are said to soften the water that result in tea that is round on the palate. These sturdy pots retain heat and are gorgeous on any table. Some do rust…
Foodie’s Guide to Kappabashi 合羽橋
Kappabashi is a wonderland for chefs. Here you will find almost everything that one would need for cooking. While it is famous for its plastic food models, that is only a tiny part of what you will find in this area, very close to Asakusa, the popular tourist destination. It is a short walk from…
Gotta Get Food Shopping Tips in Japan
Shopping for food in Japan can be intimidating as there is often little to no English on the packaging. Here are a few tips for some of my favorite food products and how to use them in your kitchen. This article originally appeared in Metropolis magazine: http://archive.metropolis.co.jp/tokyo/574/localflavors.asp (text below) Exploring a new food culture can…
Food Sake Tokyo 