The Tokyo Traveler

Maru serves an excellent modern take on traditional kaiseki cuisine in Omotesando.  Read the Maru review at The Japan Times.
If candy and sweet things are more your speed then read all about Japanese candy at NYMag.
Leah Dizon, a Gravure Idol (read bikini model and video star) in Japan, recently got married and W. David Marx talks about the Japanese entertainment industry in an interesting article at his blog, Neojaponisme.
The Jenss family blog about their visit to Tokyo at Intelligent Travel.
Image Credit:  Flickr, Candy Stand

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How hard is it really to learn Japanese? is a great article with a little bit of history of the language and it’s origins.
Reuters lists Top 10 “weird activities” around the world features the Hakone Kowakien Yunessun Wine Spa in Hakone, Japan at number eight. Yep, you read it right, the spa website says that bathing in wine is a rejuvenation treatment for the body, and that the Queen of Egypt, Cleopatra loved to bath in wine.
Traditional court music or gagaku, …read more

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When I asked “What do YOU want to know about Tokyo?” in May I got a lot of great questions. Tyr will be moving to Japan for about six months and admits to having some fears about the whole idea, here’s a excerpt from his comment:
….But if you have like a first timer’s guide, like how to get an apt what kind of documentation you need, how to get around without getting horribly lost. Even if you have a tip, like what kind of food a Norwegian would like….
Renting an Apartment
As with many other foreigners who come to Japan, …read more

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Okonomiyaki are Japanese pancakes but nothing like any pancake that you have ever tasted! The basic ingredients of okonomiyaki are cabbage, flour, and eggs that are mixed together to create a pancake like batter. Other traditional ingredients like pork, shrimp and squid are the most common add-ins but you can add pretty much anything to okonomyaki and it will be delicious.
Okonomiyaki restaurants are fairly common in Japan and the dish is a popular one at festivals but what makes okonomiyaki special is not only do you choose your ingredients, but in most restaurants, you get to cook …read more

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In Japan eating with chopsticks or hashi is commonplace and you will often have to ask for a fork if you are unable to use chopsticks. With the proliferation of Asian cuisines throughout the world many people are able to use chopstick quite effectively but how many do you think know their chopstick etiquette?
Yesterday I told you about Ginza Natsuno, your one stop shop for everything chopstick related, and today I want to let you know about 11 things not to do with your newly purchased chopsticks. These things are all considered rude or at least culturally …read more

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Udon is a thick wheat based noodle that is served in a variety of different ways at Hanamaru Udon (English on signs read ‘Manmaru’), a fast food Udon chain that operates 187 restaurants throughout Japan and serves over 2.5 millions customers each month.
Noodles are a significant part of the diet in Japan and there are three different kinds of noodles.  The most commonly known noodle in the west is Ramen, then there is Soba, a thin noodle made from buckwheat and wheat flour, and finally, my favorite, Udon, which is a thick and substantial noodle made from wheat flour …read more

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One of the coolest things that you can do when you come to Tokyo is eat at a Kaitenzushi restaurant.  This month marks the 50th anniversary of this very cool dining experience where your sushi is brought to you on a conveyor belt.  The Daily Yomiuri reports that the first conveyor belt sushi restaurant opened in 1958 in Osaka. 
“Operator Yoshiaki Shiraishi equipped a sushi restaurant counter with a revolving belt after seeing a conveyer belt at a beer factory and thinking that it could reduce the work of waitstaff….Shiraishi dreamed of making sushi, which was once considered a …read more

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Yakiniku is a meat lovers dream dinner! Yakiniku translates to “grilled meat” and that’s exactly what it is. When you arrive at a Yakiniku restaurant you will notice that all of the tables have a grill in the center – that’s because you cook your own food. Yakiniku is served family style so if you go with a group you can order a variety of dishes and eat as much or as little as you like.
When we go we usually start off with a couple of beer while we ponder the menu. We then order …read more

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Nihon on the Net will offer you some a glimpse into what people who live, work and visit Japan have to say about it on the net. It will be a periodic feature at The Tokyo Traveler so check back often.
Here’s a great article on the adventures of using a Japanese Style Toilet.
The post, ID Cards Needed for Cigarette Machines, will give you some insight on a new law aimed at preventing underage smoking. Check out the lively discussion in the comments section of the post.
The Weather Channel named Tokyo one of its Top 10 Spring Destinations and …read more

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Curry and rice is one of the most common dishes eaten in Japanese homes today and is considered a perfect comfort food.
It is said that the first Japanese person tasted curry on board a ship on its way to the United States in 1871. The following year a recipe for curry was published in a “Guide to Western Cuisine”. This came at a time when the Japanese were eagerly trying to absorb western culture but curry was considered a gourmet dish as it was very expensive due to the fact that the curry powder used to make theses …read more

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