Water(水ーみず):Is it safe to drink tap water? Yes, Tap water meets the water quality standards based on the Waterworks Law, so you can safely drink it a...
Dashi is basically the backbone of Japanese cooking—the foundation that holds up so many dishes. Think of it as the BASE, that you find in everything from miso soup and ramen, to udon, soba, and simmered veggies. It’s impossible to imagine Japanese food without dashi. Honestly, when I’m walking around Tokyo, I can sometimes smell it wafting out of tiny izakayas or corner fish shops, and it just feels like a comforting hug in the air. My Japanese husband always says something like, “Oh, this d...
When I first encountered the article about the potential to grow new teeth, my initial reaction was, "Count me in; I want to try it." It filled me with hope. The idea of not having to resort to artificial teeth, despite their necessity, is thrilling because teeth are so crucial to our health. I haven't shared this I belive until today, but I was raised by my aunt and uncle when I was on the first grade of school so roughly 5-6 years old. My aunt, being a dentist, meant I spent a lot of time a...
Wagyu, which literally means “Japanese cow,” refers to four native breeds that are cultivated in Japan for their unique qualities: Japanese Black (Kuroge Washu), Japanese Brown or Red (Akage Washu or Akaushi), Japanese Shorthorn (Nihon Tankaku Washu), and Japanese Polled (Mukaku Washu). Wagyu is more than just a category of beef—it is a designation that focuses on breed authenticity and specific production standards. Only meat from these four breeds, or their crossbreeds, raised and fattened ...
I’m not exactly sure when my interest in sumo started. I remember seeing them on TV as a child in my small Albanian town called Fieri. Japan seemed so far away, but the image of them eating huge bowls of chanko nabe( at that time I didn't know it was called like this) stuck with me. Years later, I met a foreign girl in Japan who was fascinated by sumo life, especially post-retirement, but I didn’t dive in then either. She was studying and researching how hard is for them to find a job or even...
I've been diving deeper into AI recently, especially as part of Network School, where I’ve had the chance to meet incredible people from AI, machine learning and entrepreneurs. AI is a subject I didn’t know much about before, and I’m still learning. Whenever I bring it up to my mom, she always tells this story about a movie she saw in the past where, in the end, the robot created by a professor ends up killing him. It never fails to crack me up! But in all seriousness, while AI is advancing r...
Today, I just want to take a moment to say thank you for being part of this journey with my newsletter. We've now grown to over 240 subscribers 🥳, and I’m really happy to share my work with you. I also want to address an issue from last week where I mistakenly sent the same post, Prison Food in Japan, three times. On my end, it showed up as a draft, and when I clicked publish, it sent the post again to everyone. I sincerely apologize 🙇♀ for the mix-up, and I appreciate your understanding ❤...
I never thought I would write about this topic, ever! However, I came across a fascinating book by a dietitian who managed the menu and diet for a sm...
A few months ago, I visited Miyakojima in Okinawa, and it had some of the most breathtaking beaches I’ve ever seen—the crystal-clear blue waters and soft white sand were unforgettable. But what stood out the most was how incredibly warm the sea water was. It felt like I was taking a bath! I found th
Ah, Okinawa, My Sweet Okinawa!I don’t know if you’ve heard about the stunning waters of Okinawa and its surrounding islands, but to me, i...
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