Miso
A visit to the mushroom kingdom to see if 600,000 fans could possibly be wrong, and also to eat some amazing ramen.
In our quest to find a cheese-laden pizza we can eat guilt-free, we’ve come across a Japanese-style concoction that’s surprisingly delicious.
The former Victoria’s Secret model is so popular in Japan that she even has a say in the country’s miso production.
Putting soy sauce on white rice is a major faux pas in Japan, but now there’s a flavorful alternative.
What’s so special about this Cup Noodle? Well, you can have it instead of an energy drink!
Brief glimpse at multigenerational family has viewers reaching for their tissues and chopsticks.
One of the most wonderful things about a Japanese winter is the abundance of hot drinks that become available at convenience stores and vending machines on street corners. There’s nothing quite like popping a coin into a machine on a freezing cold night or while making your way to work, only to have a piping hot can delivered into your frozen palms; it’s an experience that’s almost as satisfying as actually drinking the hot beverage and warming yourself from the inside out!
Stumbling across a good hot soup other than corn potage when scouring the drinks display is always a rare bonus and now that’s something we can look forward to, especially after a night of drinking, with the new canned miso soup from Nagatanien. Filled with the power of ornithine, an amino acid abundant in clams, this is a traditional hangover remedy from Japan, now packed in a can!
Makeup is big business in Japan, where there’s almost a cultural obsession with the stuff. But the demand for makeup and beauty products also means, through the magic of capitalism, that it also tends to be a lot more expensive out here than in, say, the US. I’ve personally never purchased or used makeup, outside of, obviously, those Halloween Rocky Horror Picture Show events, so I couldn’t tell you exactly how much the average woman in Japan spends on makeup, but it’s gotta be somewhere in the ballpark of, hmm, approximately their entire paycheck every month.
Luckily, there appears to be a “lounge” in Tokyo’s Shinjuku neighborhood that is sympathetic to the thorough wallet-denting women must endure in the pursuit of beauty, offering all-you-can-apply Chanel makeup at just 300 yen (US$2.50) an hour. A service with “all-you-can-(verb)” in the description? You bet we went to check it out!
“Comfort food” is traditional cooking that tends to have a nostalgic or sentimental connection, often one related to family or childhood: the grilled cheese sandwiches your mother used to make; the thought of your grandmother’s bread pudding makes your mouth water; the way the whole house would be filled with the intoxicating aroma of roasted turkey or ham at Christmas? Because of such memories, these foods comfort us, especially when we’re longing for home or feeling especially vulnerable.
Not surprisingly, the sentimental Japanese have their own comfort foods. While you might think they’d be waxing over the octopus tentacles of home, very few of the dishes we’re about to talk about have much to do with seafood. Many Japanese comfort foods have a rice connection and may even center around the unique relationship between mothers or wives and their role in family food preparation. And in Japan, make no mistake about it–her kitchen rules!
Let’s get this out of the way first: Miso soup is delicious. It’s a great addition to nearly any meal, but we have to admit that it is pretty…basic, in every sense of the word. Of course, there’s nothing wrong with that! Basic doesn’t mean bad, though we imagine it presents a bit of a marketing problem–how do you differentiate one brand of miso soup from another? If you deviate from the tried-and-true recipe too much, it’s just not miso soup anymore!
Well, it looks like Marukome, one of Japan’s top miso paste producers, has found a way: They’ve played loud, fast, and raw rock music for their newest instant miso soup–right in the miso paste factory !
The humble pancake is a beloved food for both its deliciousness and how easy it is to make. It’s also a highly versatile food, suitable for either a sweet snack with powdered sugar, strawberries and syrup, or a savory dish served with chicken and lettuce.
Now, there appears to be a rumor among pancake aficionados in Japan that with one simple addition to the pancake mix it is possible to boost the flavor level to that of a luxury hotel or restaurant. That ingredient is none other than the typical Japanese seasoning made from fermented soybeans: miso.
One of the few Japanese restaurateurs to gain international fame and popularity is Nobuyuki Matsuhisa. Better known by his professional moniker Nobu, the Saitama-born chef began his culinary career in Tokyo, before leaving Japan to open restaurants in Peru, Argentina, and the U.S.
Being so far away from the birthplace of Japanese cuisine, though, meant Nobu had to come up with new recipes and flavors that would suit the palates of his non-Japanese clientele. This often meant finding roles for locally available ingredients, but in one case, Nobu took things a step further by developing one of his own: miso powder.
Locally owned ramen shops can be found spread out all across Japan. In fact, some of the best flavors aren’t found at the big chain restaurants, but at the hole-in-the-wall shops that you might never even notice without a proper introduction. Hence, we’d like to make it our duty to tell you about an amazing, little ramen joint in Aomori Prefecture, which is famous for its miso flavored curry milk ramen.
When we at RocketNews24 first heard about this place, we couldn’t imagine how so many different flavors could possibly achieve good balance within a single bowl of noodles, so we sent one of our adventurous Japanese reporters, Mami Kuroi, to try it out. Here’s what she had to say about the experience.
MOST POPULAR
Now
Does Comiket need to revise its booth code system for foreigners who don’t understand Japanese?
Hundreds of otaku line up to get spanked by anime voice actress at Tokyo event
Eat your burger with a Japanese sword at Shogun Burger in Tokyo
Japanese cosplay model shows off thighs, but fans’ eyes are on her Nintendo 64 controller grip
The weird and wonderful things you’ll find at Japanese love hotels【Photos】
McDonald’s Japan’s cute Sanrio toy has a dis-ass-terous misprint
Free “Language Learning with Netflix” extension makes studying Japanese almost too easy
New ANA air pass with unlimited Japanese house rentals, multiple flights now taking applications
Fake eggs are being used in Japanese convenience store bentos
Counting sheep to get to sleep may work after all, unless you speak Japanese
Weekly
Adult Cream Pie coming to McDonald’s Japan- Japanese cosplay model shows off thighs, but fans’ eyes are on her Nintendo 64 controller grip
We taste the Adult Cream Pie from McDonald’s Japan- Free “Language Learning with Netflix” extension makes studying Japanese almost too easy
- Fake eggs are being used in Japanese convenience store bentos
Japanese shrine bans foreign visitors following disrespectful behaviour by tourists
Why do Japanese stairs have red-and-yellow marks on them?
Japanese bar hostess goes too far with the compliments, scares customer into going home
What are these strange empty “seats” that are being spotted in Tokyo train stations?
Maximum fan service as 17 beautiful cosplayers gather for Fate/Grand Order bunny girl shoot【Pics】
Monthly
- Adult Cream Pie coming to McDonald’s Japan
Pokémon fan learns the startling truth about the Wooloo plushie- Japanese cosplay model shows off thighs, but fans’ eyes are on her Nintendo 64 controller grip
- Free “Language Learning with Netflix” extension makes studying Japanese almost too easy
- We taste the Adult Cream Pie from McDonald’s Japan
Here’s what happened when our three middle-aged reporters got makeovers with new makeup for men- Fake eggs are being used in Japanese convenience store bentos
- Japanese shrine bans foreign visitors following disrespectful behaviour by tourists
How to respond to Japanese people saying “I don’t speak English” when you’re speaking Japanese?
Man at Ichiran ramen receives frightening note from man in the next booth
Yearly
- Adult Cream Pie coming to McDonald’s Japan
Microsoft Japan’s experiment with 3-day weekend boosts worker productivity by 40 percent- Pokémon fan learns the startling truth about the Wooloo plushie
- Japanese cosplay model shows off thighs, but fans’ eyes are on her Nintendo 64 controller grip
- Free “Language Learning with Netflix” extension makes studying Japanese almost too easy
Japan’s cheapest hotel charges just 130 yen (US$1.20) for a room, with a huge, no-privacy catch- We taste the Adult Cream Pie from McDonald’s Japan
Five reasons not to live in Japan (as chosen by Switzerland’s perviest otaku)- Here’s what happened when our three middle-aged reporters got makeovers with new makeup for men
- Fake eggs are being used in Japanese convenience store bentos
RECOMMENDED STORIES
McDonald’s Japan’s cute Sanrio toy has a dis-ass-terous misprint
Free “Language Learning with Netflix” extension makes studying Japanese almost too easy
New ANA air pass with unlimited Japanese house rentals, multiple flights now taking applications
Fake eggs are being used in Japanese convenience store bentos
Counting sheep to get to sleep may work after all, unless you speak Japanese
Adult Cream Pie coming to McDonald’s Japan
What are these strange empty “seats” that are being spotted in Tokyo train stations?
Japanese shrine bans foreign visitors following disrespectful behaviour by tourists
Japanese newspaper issues correction over hilarious Harry and Meghan photo
What’s in a name? The 10 most common surnames in Japan (and their meanings)
Real-life location of Your Name’s anime-only lake discovered, still holds a beautiful surprise
Everything you wanted to know about girls’ school uniforms in Japan 
Survey says more than 70 percent of Japanese people think gender inequality exists in Japan
Cosplayer and self-professed meme queen becomes member of Taiwan parliament
-
