japanese food Archives - Unseen Japan

Grilled salmon on the left, raw salmon sashimi on the right, and a cartoon woman frowning in thought between them

Shake (鮭) vs. Salmon (サーモン): How Norwegian Salmon Became a Sushi Staple in Japan

Curious why there are two names for salmon in Japanese? There's an interesting historical (and scientific!) reason behind that.

A nighttime view of Tokyo Tower, a smiling chef holding a plate of tonkatsu, and a busy Tokyo shopping street.

TRAVEL

The Tokyo Neighborhoods With Japan’s Most Acclaimed Restaurants, According to Its Harshest Reviewers

Which Tokyo neighborhoods really have the best food? Tabelog scores from 794 restaurants reveal surprising winners and losers across the city.

Bowls of uncooked white rice and white rice flour with rice stalks, on a bamboo mat.

TRAVEL

Traveling Gluten-Free in Japan: What You Need to Know

Traveling to Japan while also wrestling with a gluten allergy? It's tricky but it can be done. Here's what you need to…

Glazed chicken yakitori skewers grilling over glowing charcoal as a hand turns a skewer.

FOOD

Yakitori in Tokyo: From Cheap Skewers to High-End Grills

All you need to know and more about yakitori: its history, nose-to-tail cooking, and popular chains vs. Tokyo's luxury omakase grills.

INSIDER

Japan Discovered MSG. Why Do Even Some Japanese Call It “Poison”?

MSG has been pilloried for decades in the United States. But Japan's "additive-free" movement has also labeled glutamate's most prominent supporter a…

Person eating a Japanese bento of sesame-topped rice, shumai, tamagoyaki, and kamaboko with chopsticks on their lap

FOOD

The World Loves Japanese Food. So Why Does Japanese Bento Get Kids Bullied Abroad?

A Japanese mother in Canada took to social media after her daughter started bringing her homemade bento home untouched, too afraid to…

Illustration of a black bear walking through a village of houses, flanked by two large cuts of meat on the bone

FOOD

Japan’s Bear Crisis Is Putting Bear Meat on the Menu

As bear populations expand and attacks increase, Japan is looking to turn an environmental challenge into a culinary trend with bear meat.

Woman drinking tea inside of an old traditional Japanese house/ryokan

FEATURED

Kyoto Ryokans Stop Serving Traditional Japanese Food That Foreign Tourists Hate

Many inbound travelers to Japan love staying in a traditional Japanese ryokan. However, they're not so keen on the food that comes…