Japanese food – Susan Spann, Adventure, Mystery, and Mountains

Osaka’s Famous Dotonbori Lights Up the Night

Susan Spann Blog, Travel & Tourism January 23, 2023January 22, 2023dotonbori, Japanese culture, Japanese food, Osaka, travel

A couple of months ago, I spent the night in Osaka. I had to leave the next morning, but made the most of the time I had with an evening trip to Dotonbori – an entertainment district not far from Osaka Namba Station that’s famous for good food and over-the-top neon lights.

Edible Lilies: a Tasty Way to Welcome the New Year

Susan Spann Blog January 7, 2022January 3, 2022edible lilies, how to cook lily bulbs, Japan, Japanese food, lily bulb, lily bulb recipe, New Year

In early December, I paid a visit to my friends Elizabeth and Satoshi at their lovely ryokan, Mori-no-yado Gableview Forest Inn, in Nikko. At dinner, Satoshi served a delicious appetizer I’d never had before: sautéed lily bulbs. I was so excited when I found them in the market, so I could enjoy them at home too!

Happy Halloween Tea!

Susan Spann Blog October 31, 2021October 31, 2021food, Halloween, Halloween treats, High Tea, Japan, Japanese culture, Japanese food

Themed high teas are very popular in Tokyo, and in the spirit of the season, I decided to try the “take home” Halloween High Tea from the Tokyo Grand Hyatt on Halloween Day.

Welcome, Spring . . . and Sakura-Flavored Everything

Susan Spann Blog March 14, 2021March 14, 20212021 cherry blossoms, cherry blossoms, Japan, Japanese food, Murder is Everywhere, sakura, sakura food

Springtime in Japan means the return of the beloved sakura (cherry blossoms) — on the trees and on the plate. The blossoms are arriving about two weeks early this year. The trees in my Meguro neighborhood are already setting buds, and on my walk yesterday afternoon I spotted the first blossom of the year: When I stopped to take a picture, a woman walking next to me also stopped, looked up (to see what I was looking at) and startled. “Sakura!” she exclaimed. “Honto desu ne? Hayai desu ne.” (“Is it really true? They’re early, aren’t they?”) I agreed with

Shojin Ryori – Japanese Temple Cuisine

Susan Spann Blog March 5, 2018March 4, 2018Japan, Japanese food, shojin ryori, temple cuisine, vegetarian food

Although I love most styles of Japanese cooking, my favorite is shojin ryori, or temple cuisine. This style of cooking, practiced primarily in Buddhist temples, came to China from Japan along with the Zen Buddhism. Since Buddhist practice forbids killing animals for consumption, shojin ryori contains no meat or fish and also eschews the use of “exciting” or “pungent” ingredients like garlic and onions.

The Best Tonkatsu in Kyoto

Susan Spann Blog March 2, 2017November 8, 2017food, Japan, Japanese food, Kyoto, pork, Tonkatsu

Japanese food is not all fish and saké. The food in Japan is diverse, vibrant, and almost always as fantastic to the eye as it is to the palate. When traveling in Japan, I try to eat at different places every day, to experience as much as possible. Although I often want to repeat a meal, I rarely do, because I want to sample as much as possible on every trip. However, on occasion I can’t resist a repeat meal … and Tonkatsu KYK (とんかつKYK京都ポルタ店) in the Porta underground dining area immediately adjacent to Kyoto Station was responsible not just one, but two of the best meals I’ve ever

The Joys of Japan’s Seasonal Cuisine

Susan Spann Blog October 7, 2016November 8, 2017autumn cuisine, Japan, Japanese food, matcha, regional cuisine

Japanese cuisine is heavily seasonal (and regional), with different “specialties” popping up across the country as the seasons turn. From “street food” and snacks to desserts and main courses, menus across Japan change–often radically–with the seasons, making a visit to Japan in the summer a very different culinary experience from a trip in the autumn, winter, or spring. Certain staple flavors, like matcha (a powdered form of green tea), remain on the menu year-round, though the form may change throughout the year. Matcha-flavored cakes, like this one I purchased in Tokyo Station while waiting to catch a shinkansen (bullet train) for Kyoto, are available in any