Have you ever heard of Ogura Toast? Well, read on for a brief history of this Nagoya breakfast staple, as well as our recommendations on where to get it! A standard daily Japanese breakfast usually includes rice, not bread. Rice is typically served alongside grilled fish, miso soup, an egg (either raw on top of the rice or fried as a Japanese-style omelet called tamago maki), and of course natto...
Did you know that the Japanese archipelago contains almost 7,000 total islands, only 430 of which are inhabited? Located a short distance from Nagoya is Sakushima, a crab-shaped island home to amazing seafood and a number of modern art installations that you are able to touch, sit on and crawl all over. Sakushima, also known as “the island of the winds”, is one of the 3 islands located in Mikawa...
Many people buy their clothing from the multitude of discount and fast fashion clothing stores that have become the norm nowadays. But, after a visit to Chita, a city south of Nagoya, you will gain a new appreciation for the simplest of textiles – cotton. The craftsmen in the Chita area have specialized in producing and using cotton for the past 400 years. The Not so Colorful History of White...
For many people, making tea is simply heating water and putting some tea into a cup. However, for Japanese people, this is definitely not sufficient! A higher purpose is required, and the straightforward act of preparing a cup of tea is becomes an intricate process involving ceremony, rules, and a whole process for what would otherwise be a simple task. This is the essence of a Japanese tea ceremony. How...
About an hour away from Nagoya is the small city of Okazaki. People from Okazaki are very proud of two things: The first is that the unifier of Japan, Tokugawa Ieyasu, was born in Okazaki in 1543. The second thing they are proud of is that Okazaki is the birthplace of Hatcho Miso! Hatcho Miso is a strong and dark red miso that has been produced in Okazaki for over...
