Japanese tradition My First Umeshigoto: Preserving the Taste of Early Summer
Every year in Japan, as the rainy season (tsuyu 梅雨) begins, a quiet ritual takes place in many households:umeshigoto, or...
Japanese tradition
Japanese tradition 
Japanese tradition My First Germinated Brown Rice (hatsuga gen-mai)
To be honest, I wasn't a huge fan of brown rice(gen-mai 玄米). I know I should benefit from higher nutritional value—but I...
Fermentation Homemade Natto experience: My Fermentation Experiment with Sticky Results
If you've ever lived abroad, you'll know the feeling—craving a food that simply doesn’t exist where you are. For me, tha...
Japanese tradition How to Make Shoyu Koji: A Rich, Enzyme-Powered Umami Condiment
Shoyu koji (醤油麹) is a magical Japanese seasoning made by combining soy sauce with rice koji. It’s packed with savory uma...
Fermentation Exploring Time and Taste: A Nukazuke Cucumber Experiment
As someone who’s become quite attached to the daily rhythm of maintaining a nukadoko (fermented rice bran bed), I recent...
Fermentation How to Make Miso Soup (The Ridiculously Basic but Deeply Respectful Guide)
Let’s be honest—miso soup seems like it should be obvious.And yet… when you stand in your kitchen with miso paste, tofu,...
Fermentation How to Eat Natto (Yes, We’re Getting Ridiculously Basic)
Let’s face it—natto can be intimidating.It’s sticky. It’s smelly. It’s weird. And if you’ve never eaten it before, you m...
Japanese tradition Mastering Homemade Shio Koji: A 5-Day Fermentation Diary from My Kitchen
Shio koji has been a staple in my kitchen for quite some time. As someone who regularly prepares fermented foods, I’ve m...
Japanese tradition Let’s Make Shio Koji! A Simple Guide to Japan’s Magical Fermented Seasoning
Shio koji (塩麹) is a beloved seasoning in Japan, known for its mild saltiness, natural sweetness, and deep umami. While i...
Fermentation What Is Natto? Japan’s Slimy, Smelly, Superfood
If you’ve ever visited a Japanese breakfast table, you might have seen (or smelled) a sticky, stringy bowl of fermented ...