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HYPER JAPAN 2013 – Tickets now on sale!

HYPER JAPAN 2013 – Tickets now on sale!

HYPER JAPAN, the UK’s biggest celebration of Japanese culture, cuisine and cool, is back for 2013. Diverse exhibitors, stores, performers and fans will once again come together to bring the very best of contemporary and traditional Japan to the heart of London. Since the first HYPER JAPAN in 2010, there have been three subsequent events, … Continue reading »

Japanese StrEAT food in Bristol

Japanese StrEAT food in Bristol

When I heard about a street food event in Bristol called StrEAT Food Collective my first thought was: “will there be any Japanese food?!”. Fortunately, I was in luck! The event, which takes place in Cabot Circus in Bristol, has been happening every week during May and I first popped down on 3rd May in … Continue reading »

Netsuke – In a Nutshell

Netsuke – In a Nutshell

Have you heard of Netsuke (根付)? I had, but I didn’t really know much about them until I went along to the Embassy of Japan in London’s current exhibition: In a Nutshell. The exhibition, which features more than 200 netsuke, was fascinating, and I was lucky enough to attend a talk while I was there too. I … Continue reading »

A to Wa of Japan: Week 19

A to Wa of Japan: Week 19

It’s time for A to Wa of Japan again! Last week’s post was about things beginning with ち (chi) and we looked at Chichibu (秩父). This week we are looking at things beginning with つ (tsu). A big thank you to everyone who joined in with suggestions this week (I know ‘tsu’ was a particularly tough one!): Japan Australia suggested Tsu (津 … Continue reading »

Going nuts about Kinomi

Going nuts about Kinomi

I’m usually more of a sweet snacks person, generally opting for chocolate over crisps, but when it comes to nuts I just can’t resist. I love peanuts, cashews, and anything with a Japanese flavour such as wasabi, miso or soy sauce. Kinomi – a range of whole nuts dry roasted with Japanese seasonings – is … Continue reading »

Making my bed…

Making my bed…

I try not to bore you too much with the day-to-day goings on of my life because I’m sure no one out there really wants to read about all that stuff. I haven’t gone on too much about the stresses of moving, the hassle of unpacking, and the endless flat-pack-furniture building. This is, after all, a … Continue reading »

A to Wa of Japan: Week 18

A to Wa of Japan: Week 18

It’s time for A to Wa of Japan again! Last week’s post was about things beginning with た (ta) and we looked at takoyaki (たこ焼き) and taiyaki (タイヤキ or タイ焼き). This week we are looking at things beginning with ち (chi). A big thank you to everyone who joined in with suggestions this week:  lovelycomplex22 suggested chirashizushi (ちらし寿司 / scattered sushi); Japan Australia suggested Chiba … Continue reading »

My Golden Week in Bristol

My Golden Week in Bristol

It’s one of the best times of year in Japan at the moment: Golden Week. Golden Week (ゴールデンウィーク) is a collection of holidays that happen to fall very close together, causing one of the three main holiday periods in Japan (the other two being Obon (お盆) in August and Oshogatsu (お正月), which is New Year). … Continue reading »