All stories about "Japanese"

Tsukiji fish market is the beating heart of the Japanese sushi scene. The market is the main spot for the buying and selling of sushi-grade fish in Tokyo. Every morning, at an absurdly early hour, fishermen and restauranteurs crowd Tsukiji to take part in raucous auctions. During these sales, choice cuts of raw fish are sold to the highest bidder and sent out to restaurants all over the world. For sushi lovers this is it-- the Mothership Connection, a can't-miss stop on any trip to Japan. You need to eat sushi here, and according to every local I asked, Sushizanmai is the place to do it.

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Sushi chefs must undergo years of training and obtain a license in order to prepare fugu, the poisonous blowfish. One such fish contains enough neurotoxin to kill 30 people, and the delicacy requires careful preparation to keep the poison from being consumed by unsuspecting diners. This graphic video from Japan documents the care and precision that goes into cutting fugu. Speed is a key element of the process, and as this footage somewhat grotesquely shows, the blowfish must be gutted and skinned while it's still breathing. Sweet. (via)

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New York is pretty obsessed with sushi, so it's kind of surprising that the city doesn't have a district dedicated to all things Japanese. There are multiple Chinatowns, at least two Little Italys, and a host of other, lesser-known ethnic enclaves, but nothing known as "Japantown." So to find the top-notch Japanese restaurants and shopping, you have to be willing to venture around the city. This guide will get you started. More ideas welcome, as always, in the comments or tips.

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Even the avid pastry junkie in Paris may tire of the usual tarte du jour and seek teatime refuge in wagashi, the equally stylized, ancient pastry of Japan. And while Japanese-influenced green tea macarons and other pastries are now de rigeur at French pastry houses like Ladurée and Pierre Hermé, Paris has a handful of elegant Japanese tea salons and pâtisseries where you can enjoy authentic Japanese tea and pastries in an exotic setting far from the everyday ambiance of your local café.

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Culinary history dates the consumption of raw fish slapped on some sticky rice as starting in China in the 8th century. Apparently it was picked up by the Japanese, who then tweaked the recipe a little and have been owning the dish ever since. While sushi hasn't been on the menu in Australia quite that long, it's safe to say that Sydney's love affair with uncooked fish shows no sign of slowing down. Here's a handful of quality choices; more ideas welcome in the comments or the tip jar.

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Over the last five years, Bondi Junction in Sydney's east has transformed from a mediocre and perfunctory transport hub (where you might buy some groceries on your way home from work) into a vibrant urban and cultural center with shopping and food options galore -- it's grown from convenient to indulgent. As well as the food options available in the Westfield Centre, Bondi Junction is full of great restaurants that have furtively sprung up along Oxford, Spring, and Ebley streets. The Junction is also a popular first stop for Japanese travelers studying at UNSW or at any of the English-language schools in the area. This could be the reason why there are so many great Japanese restaurants and cafes in the area. If you're in the mood for sashimi, here are a few cafes and trains you should hit up.

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After Japan ended a long period of isolation in the mid-1800s, the term Japonisme was coined by the French writer Jules Claretie to describe the influence of Japanese art and culture on the West. Significant aesthetic movements like Art Nouveau and Cubism are both indebted to the ubiquitous Japanese woodblock print, though today anime, samurai movies, and sushi have become Japan's best known cultural exports. That said, Berlin's enthusiasm for Japanese kultur extends beyond the occasional California roll, and from November 2-4, the city will host a Manga Festival, where anime aficionados and karaoke addicts can congregate and compare subculture obsessions. Then, from November 14-16, the annual Japan Festival kicks off, offering Berliners a more traditional taste of Japanese culture, with calligraphy and origami workshops, sake tasting, and shiatsu demonstrations. In this spirit, we've compiled a list of additional venues where Japonisme is on display, from galleries to boutiques, and, of course, some of the best sushi in Berlin.

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Japanese food, at least in the Western mind, is often identified with the elaborate preparation and almost ritualized consumption of sushi. However, there's a whole range of food, from fried snacks to bento boxes to hearty noodle soups, that might be considered Japanese "fast food." A particularly good place in Paris to sample this type of cuisine is the rue Sainte Anne, a relatively short street with an unusually high number of Japanese restaurants and businesses. Popular with Japanese tourists and savvy locals, the rue Sainte Anne is conveniently located near the grands magasins of the Opéra district -- and it's just a few blocks north of the Louvre, making it a perfect lunch destination after a morning of shopping or sightseeing.

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Sushi in LA is a beautiful thing. Well, if we're being honest, sushi in Studio City is a beautiful thing. The Valley hamlet hosts many of LA's best sushi joints (Little Tokyo is better for other Japanese dishes, as discussed here). Now, everyone's going to have their own strongly held opinion about where to find the best sashimi, nigiri, and rolls. But for sushi newbies and those looking to get out of a rut, here are a handful of Studio City favorite sushi joints. If your top pick has been left out, please feel free to leave a tip or comment below. (Politely, please. Arigato.)

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With London's first capsule hotel open for business, and imported bullet trains soon to start torpedoing commuters into the city, it's tempting to think there's a Japanese cultural invasion afoot. But let's be honest: YO! Sushi aside, London isn't all pachinko parlors and cherry blossom quite yet. But if you are seeking a samurai slice of Japanese culture in the capital -- or just some manga and a jar of miso paste -- we've compiled this practical guide to help you get your J-fix.

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Nothing gets our juices flowing like the feeling of sweet, slippery flesh sliding across our tongue. Flirting with taste and texture, experimenting with oils and flavors, being guided by the knowledgeable hand of a master .. yes, sushi is one of the ultimate sensual dining experiences. Here in San Francisco, balanced on the edge of the Pacific Rim, we're in the unique position to have some of the best and brightest serving us bits of raw fish wrapped in seaweed. Here are a few of our favorite places.

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Cambridge is a satellite city of Boston whose residents get off on feeling cosmopolitan. Perhaps some of their self-satisfaction is well deserved since Cambridge has one of the coolest international culinary attractions around Beantown--Porter Exchange. The Exchange is a Japanese mall filled with incredibly small, incredibly inexpensive restaurant and shops geared towards Asian ex-pats. It's basically like a flea market for noodles, bubble tea, and sushi that's perfect for a massive maki or udon binge.

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There's much disagreement in LA as to what the proper term is for this neighborhood: Little Tokyo? Japantown? Little Tokyo seems most common, though traditionalists seem to prefer Japantown, and Nisei and Sansei Japanese-Americans just call it J-town. Whatever you choose, the important thing to remember is that it's a fantastic neighborhood with awesome food. Sushi is the most obvious segment of Japanese cuisine, but there are plenty of other culinary options to choose from (and besides, Studio City is a better neighborhood for sushi, generally speaking). If you're after ramen, wagashi, or shabu shabu, Little Tokyo has everything your tastebuds need.

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Every global city needs a Japanese megamall. That's why New York has Mitsuwa. The only East Coast location of a Japanese-by-way-of-SoCal chain, NYC's Mitsuwa is located just across the water in Edgewater, NJ. There's a staggering 80,000 square feet of retail and supermarket space inside. Good stuff includes a full-service Japanese supermarket, multiple restaurants (even a Japanese-Italian joint), a toy store, a book store, a Japanese auto parts store, and lots of wonderful, wonderful electronics. Plenty of them. Imported Japanese home gadgets? Check. Multiple aisles of sake? Check. Not to mention that New York's massive Japanese population keeps everything authentic. The Jersey location is no big deal for patrons; a free hourly shuttle bus leaves from the Port Authority Bus Terminal.

Mitsuwa [Official site]

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I was raised as a diehard Yankees fan, so I generally don't speak of Boston unless the word "sucks" appears somewhere in the sentence. However, as much as I love to hate on Beantown, I must admit that Massachusetts has some damn good seafood. And when it comes to sushi, there's one place in The Hub that's head and shoulders above any of my favorite Japanese restaurants in New York. In fact, Ginza has the best sushi that I have ever eaten outside of Japan itself.

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Great Japanese isn't the first thing that comes to mind when reflecting on the Parisian culinary landscape. But thanks to the large influx of Japanese tourists, businessmen, and expats, the French capital has a lot to offer for those seeking a break from the brasserie and bistro scene. From the sculpted sweet offerings of chic Japanese patisseries to cake-box sized sushi joints, aficionados of the East will in no way struggle to find a culinary bolt-hole to call their own.

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If random anecdotal evidence from friends we don't really trust is any guide, the perennially clusterfucked Beverly Hills Gonpachi is slowly recovering from its spectacular Mother's Day weekend crash and burn. The West Coast outpost of the international Japanese mega-chain opened last March after three years and $18 million of construction. Then it stumbled around for a couple months, got some mediocre reviews, and decided to fire, oh, everyone at every level of the restaurant. But yesterday's Los Angeles Times reports that the slow-moving train wreck of opulent dining has gone almost a month without demanding ritual seppuku from every single person in the building. Baby steps.

Gonpachi [Yelp]

-- Omri Ceren

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Sweet, sweet sake. So delicious and potent and cute when it comes served in a box. A square beverage! Plus, the delirious sake high makes the punishing sake hangover totally worth it. Fortunately, New York has plenty of excellent options when it comes to sake, whether your preference is cultured sipping or abusive pounding. We've collected a few favorites to guide you on your NYC sake tour. And yes, there's some overlap with our suggestions for no-fail date spots. So we like to drink on dates, what of it?

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Often mentioned as a pretender to the Nobu throne, Knightsbridge's Zuma serves a variety of high-end sushi and other Japanese and Japanese-inspired cuisine. It's extremely popular with a sceney, moneyed crowd, and prices match their enthusiasm. The interior might appear stark if it wasn't so thoroughly clad in expensive teak, glass, and rockwork. Though the food sometimes draws the ire of Japanese authenticity fanatics, standouts include the wagyu beef and fried soft-shell crab.

Zuma [via Urban Junkies]

-- Chris Mohney

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