When I think of female ninja, a picture pops into my head of a badass women, all in black, wearing tabi boots and carrying shuriken stars and swords. Sadly, this is not the reality of these women. They were definitely badass, but usually a little more understated and certainly less recognisable than their male counterparts,…
Super Sake Boy and Nihonshu Girl get serious about Sake…
Super Sake Boy and I started drinking sake together almost precisely two years ago. We had very limited experience before coming together and our journey from sake novices to sake enthusiasts has been a fun and educational one. Our two trips to Japan since becoming sake literate have definitely been enhanced by our burgeoning love…
Women, criminals and other subversions in Japanese sub-culture….
Last night I watched a documentary made by a woman, a well-educated and intelligent woman, who was raped by a well respected Japanese journalist. Her story was very sad and her outcome was not satisfactory. The case was dismissed, at the last minute, as there was insufficient evidence. The man was the biographer of Shinzo…
What does UMAMI mean?
Umami is a very misunderstood term in the West… although it has been understood for many years at a taste level by chefs and foodies alike. The usual translation is “pleasant savoury taste” or just savoury. It adds another taste to what was believed to be the four basics tastes of sweet, salty, bitter and…
Super Easy Teriyaki Chicken
Teriyaki Chicken is a staple in our house. It is quick and super easy and very delicious. It is loved by everyone and is my no-brainer “go to” meal. I make my sauce from scratch and have tweaked several different recipes, as I often find Japanese sauces to be ever so slightly too sweet, sometimes….
Heisei to Reiwa: A Golden Week to Remember
On Tuesday the 30th April history was made as the first Japanese Emperor in over 200 years abdicated from the throne. Emperor Akihito, who was enthroned in 1989, chose to step down and pass the responsibility to his son, who on 1st May was enthroned as Emperor Naruhito. The occasion was celebrated around Japan, as…
Shishito Yakitori
Last weekend we stopped past a local veggie market on our way home from stocking up our sake supplies. We don’t go very often, as it is usually so busy, but they have excellent and difficult to find ingredients and I wanted to buy some new shiso micro-greens to grow on my kitchen window ledge….
The Continuing Adventures of Super Sake Boy and Nihonshu Girl
For those that have been following my story, you will be aware that, Super Sake Boy and I embarked on a wonderful adventure, delving into the joys and mystery of Japanese sake, around 2 years ago. Neither of us had ever really had more than a few experiences with sake, most of which were not…
Super Sake Boy’s Super Sous-Vide Sake Experiment
Last Saturday night was cold and miserable in the hills where I live. Wet and really the first cold night of the year. We had decided to stay in for the night and had refrigerated our mandatory flask of sake for the night. During the day we had managed to acquire a 1.8 litre bottle…
Top 15 Things to see in Tokyo and Kyoto Part TWO
A little later than I had hoped, but better late than never. Part two of the very difficult to narrow down list of my favourite places to visit in Tokyo and Kyoto. Gion and Ponto-cho Gion is the most famous of the 花街 hanamachi, the geisha districts of Kyoto. (Although in Kyoto they are called geiko…
Top 15 Things to See in Tokyo and Kyoto Part ONE
I am always torn when people ask me for my advice on what is unmissable in both Tokyo and Kyoto. It is a really hard question to answer. There are so many amazing things to see in both places. However, as I am currently planning a trip with my mum and step-dad (their first time),…
Marie Kondo and the “Spark Joy” phenomenon
Alternate Name: Uniquely Japanese- Tokimeku Featured image credit New York Times ときめくor tokimeku is the Japanese word that is translated in English to “sparks joy”. If you are not living under a rock you will surely have seen the Netflix show Tidying Up with Marie Kondo, that is if you missed her New York Times…
