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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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."

Working the Soil | Lifestyle | Trends in Japan | Web Japan
Young people these days are taking a new look at agriculture. Students are making efforts to bridge the gap between farmers and consumers and are playing a role in regional revitalization through their involvement in farming.

Tourists Flock to Tsukiji | Lifestyle | Trends in Japan | Web Japan
Tokyo's Tsukiji Fish Market is enjoying booming popularity among foreign tourists, who go there not only to take a look around the bustling marketplace but also to lunch on some of the freshest sushi in Japan.

Eating It My Way | Lifestyle | Trends in Japan | Web Japan
More and more people are blending foods like rice and soy sauce themselves for the thrill of creating something new. The trend for custom blending has now spread from ingredients used in main dishes to those used in desserts.

Edible Gold | Lifestyle | Trends in Japan | Web Japan
Tiny letters float on your cup of coffee, reading "Happy Birthday." Bright and shiny, they almost seem to be made of gold. In fact, they are! A new form of ultra-fine pure gold that floats on drinks is now being used to enliven refreshments at parties and other events.

Creative Juices | Lifestyle | Trends in Japan | Web Japan
A battle for ideas is heating up among bottled tea producers, who are engaged in a fierce competition to create tasty beverages that capture the public's imagination.

Vinegar Vitality | Lifestyle | Trends in Japan | Web Japan
As more and more consumers recognize the health benefits of su (rice vinegar), vinegar bars and cafes offering beverages that combine rice vinegar with ingredients like fruits and vegetables have begun to appear in Tokyo.

Delectably White | Lifestyle | Trends in Japan | Web Japan
White-colored foods are enjoying a surge of popularity this autumn. White versions of curry, tea, fish burgers, mushrooms, and many other foods and dishes feature prominently in this trend.

Tofu With a Twist | Lifestyle | Trends in Japan | Web Japan
Brands of tofu with unusual names like "Handsome Tofu" and "Johnny the Tofu Maker, Blowing in the Wind" have been attracting attention on the Internet and around town, not just for their names but also for their exquisite flavor.

Vinegar Drinks Catching on | Lifestyle | Trends in Japan | Web Japan
Vinegar, known as o-su in Japanese, is considered to be good for the health, particularly for improving circulation and countering fatigue. Now more and more Japanese are seeking the benefits of vinegar by drinking vinegar-based beverages.

Japan's Queen of Homemaking | Lifestyle | Trends in Japan | Web Japan
When it comes to the art and science of Japanese homemaking, Harumi Kurihara reigns supreme. Kurihara's reputation went global in February when her English-language book, Harumi's Japanese Cooking, was selected as Best Cookbook of the Year 2004 at the 10th Gourmand World Cookbook Awards.

Waste Not, Want Not | Business and Economy | Trends in Japan | Web Japan
Fruits and vegetables that are rejected for sale because they are irregularly shaped or bruised are often thrown away. Now, however, these otherwise perfectly good foods are being used in purée form under the brand name Nepurée.