Hokkaido, Cornucopia Of Fine Foods | J-food | Trends in Japan | Web Japan
Prime Minister Abe Shinzo has selected Hokkaido as the venue for the July 2008 Group of Eight Summit. He chose the site, he says, "because I hope to use it for transmitting the beauty of Japan to the world." The island is indeed a scenic place, and it is also a treasure trove of fresh, tasty foods.

Eat ‘Til You Drop In Osaka | J-food | Trends in Japan | Web Japan
Osaka, with a population of 2.64 million, is the economic hub of western Japan where foodstuffs from all across Japan are shipped for distribution. This has made it the site of fierce competition among restaurants and earned it the nickname kuidaore no machi, or "the city where you eat ‘til you drop."

Yokohama, A Port With an International Flavor | J-food | Trends in Japan | Web Japan
Home to more than 3.6 million people, Yokohama today is a city that is so open to outsiders that locals say anyone can call themselves a Hamakko (Yokohama native) if they reside in the city for three days. Entrepreneurs and intellectuals from all over Japan and cultural influences from overseas have flowed into Yokohama since it was first opened as a gateway to the outside world, a process that made the city the cosmopolitan place it is today.

Sapporo, Hokkaido's Culinary Hub | J-food | Trends in Japan | Web Japan
Prime Minister Abe Shinzo has selected Hokkaido as the venue for the July 2008 Group of Eight Summit. He chose the site, he says, "because I hope to use it for transmitting the beauty of Japan to the world." The island is indeed a scenic place, and it is also a treasure trove of fresh, tasty foods.

Chiba Offers Delicacies From Land And Sea | J-food | Trends in Japan | Web Japan
Chiba Prefecture, population 6.1 million, lies just east of Tokyo and occupies a large peninsula lapped by the Pacific Ocean to the South and East and Tokyo Bay to the West. The region is blessed with a mild climate and rich, fertile expanses of farmland, making it one of Japan's most prolific regions of agricultural production.

Kyoto, Spiritual Home of Japanese Cuisine | J-food | Trends in Japan | Web Japan
For more than 1,000 years, beginning in 794, the ancient city of Kyoto was the capital of Japan. Kyo-ryori (Kyoto cuisine) is the model for Japanese culinary culture, which places great importance on the use of seasonal ingredients.

Hokkaido, Cornucopia Of Fine Foods | J-food | Trends in Japan | Web Japan
Prime Minister Abe Shinzo has selected Hokkaido as the venue for the July 2008 Group of Eight Summit. He chose the site, he says, "because I hope to use it for transmitting the beauty of Japan to the world." The island is indeed a scenic place, and it is also a treasure trove of fresh, tasty foods.

Cosmetics Made from Food | Fashion | Trends in Japan | Web Japan
Asymmetrical design, or clothes in which one side is not the same as the other, is currently one of the more conspicuous trends in Japanese fashion.

Aomori Offers Culinary Treats For All Seasons | J-food | Trends in Japan | Web Japan
Located at the northern tip of Japan's main island of Honshu, Aomori Prefecture, which has a population of 1.44 million, is a fertile land rich in natural beauty and encompassing verdant forests and the Hakkoda mountain range. Thanks to its climate of four distinct seasons, fruits and vegetables from the region are also delicious. The farming, fishing, and mountain communities of Aomori are a treasure trove of traditional recipes and cooking methods using local ingredients.

Niigata, The Rice Capital of Japan | J-food | Trends in Japan | Web Japan
Niigata Prefecture boasts astounding natural beauty. Looking out over the Sea of Japan to the West and surrounded by majestic mountains on its other three sides, lush rice fields fan out over the region's serene landscape. Niigata is known throughout Japan as the home of Koshihikari rice, sworn by many to be the best in Japan.

Vegetable Innovation | Food & Travel | Trends in Japan | Web Japan
Close Green asparagus and vanilla mousse. (C)pâtisserie Potager

Vegetable Innovation | Food & Travel | Trends in Japan | Web Japan
Close Whole tomato salad. (C)Celeb de Tomato

Vegetable Innovation | Food & Travel | Trends in Japan | Web Japan
Close Specially selected grilled pork with tomato juice. (C)Celeb de Tomato

Vegetable Innovation | Food & Travel | Trends in Japan | Web Japan
Close Green soybean cheesecake. (C)pâtisserie Potager

Counter Culture | Lifestyle | Trends in Japan | Web Japan
More and more trendy bars and restaurants have been setting up standing counters, which have proven particularly popular among young women.

An Authentic Taste Of Japan | Business and Economy | Trends in Japan | Web Japan
In the midst of the worldwide boom in Japanese cuisine, the government is planning to establish a certification system for Japanese restaurants overseas, in the hope of properly acquainting people with the delights of traditional Japanese foods.

Instant Ramen - Hi-tech - Kids Web Japan - Web Japan
Have you ever eaten instant ramen? They're noodles that can be made just by adding hot water. Many instant ramen products come in cups, and all you have to do is fill the cup with hot water and wait for two or three minutes. Others are sold in bags; these you take out of the bag and boil in hot water, also for two or three minutes, then put in a bowl to eat.

Okonomiyaki and Yakisoba - Cookbook - Kids Web Japan - Web Japan
Okonomiyaki is a kind of Japanese pancake filled with a variety of ingredients and is very popular with kids. Okonomi means "as you like," and yaki means "fry," so okonomiyaki means "foods you like, fried."

The World's First Scientific Taste Sensor 3 - Hi-tech - Kids Web Japan - Web Japan
Japanese scientists have invented the first device for measuring flavors scientifically. The new "taste sensor" makes it possible to compare subtle differences between flavors—and to come up with some interesting new combinations!

The World's First Scientific Taste Sensor 2 - Hi-tech - Kids Web Japan - Web Japan
Japanese scientists have invented the first device for measuring flavors scientifically. The new "taste sensor" makes it possible to compare subtle differences between flavors—and to come up with some interesting new combinations!