Ikechan’s Japanese Food Blog

“Shishitou” literally means “a head of lion” as the shape of its tip looks like a lion face. It is a kind of pepper. However, it is usually…

“Akou” (official name: Kijihata) lives in Setonaikai sea (the sea between Honsyu, the main island, and Shikoku island in Japan) and Japan…

“Dango” literally means “ball” or “dumpling”, and “jiru” means “soup” in Japanese. Despite the name, it consists of wide and thick noodles…

As I mentioned in the last entry, there are many kinds of delicious local food in Oita prefecture.

Oita prefecture is located on the east of Kyusyu island, in Japan. It faces the Bungo Suido (the channel between Kyushu and Shikoku…

“Hoshi-gaki” literally means “dried oyster.” It is a rare ingredient and expensive. Dried oyster are put in water for two hours and heated…

“Kinpira” comes from a boy’s name, “Kintaro”, who is one of the characters in a famous Japanese classical story named after him. “Gobou” is…

In Japan, dumplings were brought from China by repatriates and veterans after the second world war. It is called “gyoza” from the Chinese…

A cow has four-chambered stomach: mino (rumen), hachinosu (reticulum), senmai (omasum) and giara (abomasum). Each chamber has a different…

In Japan, “kamo(duck)” is commonly eaten as a Pot-au-Feu style dish in Autumn to Winter as it warms you up. It is sliced and then cooked in…

“Moe” means “being strongly attracted to one’s ideals. ” It was coined in the Otaku culture and is often used when one becomes happy from…

As I have mentioned before, we Japanese love to eat many kinds of fresh fish as sashimi. Among them, these two ingredients are most desired…