Apr 14 (Japan by Food) - Snack culture is HUGE in Japan. From nostalgic childhood favorites like Koala no March and Pocky, to limited‑edition seasonal flavors and timeless old‑school classics like Dagashi.
The options and creativity continue to amaze people in Japan AND across the globe. So, today, Shizuka shares some of Japan's, as well as her own, beloved treats and snack categories!
The Japanese government is preparing to release a new damage projection for a major earthquake striking directly beneath the Tokyo metropolitan area by the end of the year, and interviews with officials familiar with the assessment indicate that in the worst-case scenario the death toll could reach 18,000, while economic losses are estimated at 83 trillion yen.
Toyota unveiled its new GR GT supercar on December 5th at Woven City, the next-generation technology testbed located in Susono, Shizuoka Prefecture, marking the model’s world debut as the automaker targets a release around 2027, positioning the vehicle as the pinnacle of its GR sports-car lineup and its first true supercar since the Lexus LFA launched in 2010.
The proposal to strengthen regulations on international eel trade has been formally shelved, marking a result in line with the position pushed by Japan and several other countries.
EU member states and others had called for tighter controls on all eel transactions under the Washington Convention, citing global resource depletion and the need for stronger international oversight. However, Japan countered that the Japanese eel faces no imminent risk of extinction and opposed the measure.
Tokyo’s Tsukiji Outer Market has taken the unusual step of asking tourists not to visit in December as operators move to prevent crowd-related accidents during the busy year-end shopping season, with local officials also confirming that Shibuya’s New Year’s Eve countdown will be canceled for the sixth consecutive year.
Abe Akie appeared at the Nara District Court on December 3rd for the lay judge trial of the shooting that killed former Prime Minister Abe Shinzo, marking the first time she has attended proceedings in person. Akie arrived in the courtroom shortly after 1 p.m. wearing a navy jacket and bowed toward the gallery as she entered, while the court continued a scheduled witness examination of Sakurai Yoshihide, a religious scholar and specially appointed professor at Hokkaido University.
A family-run ramen shop in Yokohama has become a national destination for fans of the Yoshimuraya lineage, drawing visitors from across Japan who line up daily for bowls of richly flavored ramen and the shop’s signature handmade chashu.
Christmas cake reservations are underway across Japan on the approach to Christmas in late December, yet the familiar holiday treat is once again becoming more expensive as rising ingredient costs push prices higher, prompting shops to introduce smaller, more affordable options and even cakes without Santa decorations.
As Matcha’s popularity continues to climb, with overseas shipments expanding sharply and exports increasing more than tenfold over the past 15 years as global demand strengthens. Japan is encouraging tea growers to shift production to tencha, the raw material used to make matcha. While it may seem logical that farmers should simply increase production if matcha is selling so well, growers say the reality is far more complex.
This is Mochiyori PAN Samba, a small bakery in Oshiage near the Tokyo Skytree that creates its own Japanese deli style baked bread. What makes it special is that it is helped run by three 80 year old grandmas who are at the heart of the shop. (Paolo fromTOKYO)
Nagoya welcomed one of Japan's largest wine sales floors on November 24th as JR Nagoya Takashimaya opened “Wine Maison” on its second basement level, creating a new destination for wine enthusiasts with a selection of roughly 2,600 varieties and 15,000 bottles sourced from around the world.
Japan byFood and Shizuka are going inside a bento factory in Japan, where we are discovering all the processes that make the famous train station “ekiben” bento so special. (Japan by Food)
Japan byFood and Shizuka are eating through the season! Autumn in Japan is more than just red leaves – it’s also a celebration of seasonal flavor. (Japan by Food)
November 11th marks “Sake Day,” a date chosen because the kanji for salmon (鮭) contains the characters for “eleven” side by side. Although Japan’s wild salmon catch has fallen due to rising sea temperatures and shifting ocean currents, the popularity of farmed salmon is growing rapidly across the country, including in Fukuoka.
