Nabe refers to a variety of Japanese hot-pot dishes. It is a typical winter food. All the ingredients for nabe are prepared together in a large clay or iron pot. The pot is usually placed on a burner in the middle of the table and the dish is cooked at the table. Everyone gathers round... Continue Reading →
Different types of sushi
Japan has a type of sushi for every occasion. In the West, we often have a very limited view on sushi. When Belgian people think of sushi, they generally think of sushi rolls, as pictured below: This type of rolled sushi, wrapped in nori seaweed, is called makizushi (which literally means 'sushi roll'). In my... Continue Reading →
How to make Japanese green tea
Green tea is one of the basic elements of life in Japan. I think it is safe to say that most Japanese people drink green tea every day, in one form or another. One of the most famous kinds of Japanese green tea is sencha. It is a fairly good quality of tea leaves, served... Continue Reading →
Chicory Village
In Japan you never know what you'll see next. It is one of the many things that I love about living in Japan. The strangest thing you will ever see might be just around the corner. Like that one time we were visiting the towns of Magome (in Gifu) and Tsumago (in Nagano). These picturesque... Continue Reading →
Signs of spring: Field Horsetail or Tsukushi
Japanese people are a lot more aware of the seasons than Belgian people are. While the first signs of spring are met with joy everywhere, Japanese culture takes it to another level by singling out a great number of tell-tale sings of spring that people can look for and rejoice about. Famous examples are the... Continue Reading →
Different kinds of Pocky
Yesterday was Pocky Day. It is a Japanese 'holiday' that celebrates the snack Pocky. The reason that the 11th of November was chosen as Pocky Day, is because the date consists of lots of 1's, which are of course shaped like Pocky. What is Pocky? It's a crunchy biscuit stick covered with chocolate. This is... Continue Reading →