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January 30, 2025
 

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Makiko Itoh

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Makiko Itoh
Makiko Itoh writes the Japanese Kitchen column, and is the author of the bestselling "The Just Bento Cookbook" and its sequel, "The Just Bento Cookbook 2." A Tokyo native, she runs two Japanese cooking blogs, JustHungry.com and JustBento.com.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / JAPANESE KITCHEN
Mar 16, 2019
Colorful, portable and easy to make: Inarizushi is the best picnic food
Inarizushi 'sushi in a bean bag,' is an ideal hanami (flower viewing) picnic food since the sweet-salty bags (skins) of fried tofu (abura-age) help ensure the sushi rice fillings taste great for at least a few hours.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / JAPANESE KITCHEN
Feb 16, 2019
Forget oysters on the half shell, give frying them a try instead
Japanese cuisine is well-known for its enthusiastic embrace of raw or barely cooked foods. Seafood in particular is frequently consumed when it's raw; sometimes it's so fresh, it's still moving on the plate.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / JAPANESE KITCHEN
Jan 19, 2019
Chase away the winter blues with a comforting nabe hot pot
Japanese nabe (hot pot) is a warming and hearty dish that is easy to prepare, even for the inexperienced cook. Preparing nabe together at the table makes cooking a fun group activity instead of a tedious chore.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / JAPANESE KITCHEN
Dec 15, 2018
Don't go to the store, make your own New Year's feast instead
The style of osechi (New Year's food) that is popular today is an array of salty, sweet or sour foods made in advance to give the cook of the house a break during the New Year period.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / JAPANESE KITCHEN
Nov 17, 2018
A comforting udon noodle recipe for the winter season
Two of the most popular everyday hot udon soups are named after animals that have a special place in Japanese folklore and the Shinto religion: the kitsune (fox) and the tanuki (Japanese raccoon dog).
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / JAPANESE KITCHEN
Oct 20, 2018
Autumn is the season for shinmai, newly harvested rice
Shinmai — rice harvested and processed during the current calendar year — is celebrated for its fresh, clean taste and subtle sweetness. But komai (old rice) also has its place in Japanese history and the kitchen.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / JAPANESE KITCHEN
Sep 15, 2018
Potato korokke: Deep-fried, delicious and easy to make
Whether you call them croquettes, krokets, or korokke, this classic, easy-to-make deep-fried potato dish can be dressed up with a variety of fillings and sauces.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / JAPANESE KITCHEN
Aug 25, 2018
Hiyajiru: A soup to get over the last of the summer sweat
Learn how to make hiyajiru, a chilled miso and sesame soup, with this simple recipe.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / JAPANESE KITCHEN
Jul 14, 2018
Edamame: Eat them fresh and green, with a beer or two
Edamame, or immature green soybeans, are the quintessential snack to have with an ice-cold beer, especially in summer.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / JAPANESE KITCHEN
Jun 16, 2018
A recipe for the rainy season: Umeboshi-simmered pork
Beat the plum rains with ume nibuta, a versatile pork dish that will see you through June.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / JAPANESE KITCHEN
May 19, 2018
Hosting a summer bash? Impress with quick and easy konbujime
A popular drinking snack or side dish accompanying a traditional Japanese meal, konbujime is umami-packed and refreshing.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / JAPANESE KITCHEN
Apr 14, 2018
Celebrating the spring with homemade Japanese sweets
Spring is a great time for fans of wagashi, traditional Japanese sweets. While many wagashi reflect the seasons all year long visually — especially the colorful, beautifully formed nerikiri created by skilled artisans — this is the time of year when you can taste, as well as see, the season as it...
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / JAPANESE KITCHEN
Mar 17, 2018
Cabbage: The brassica that found a new home in Japan
The humble cabbage is the third most consumed vegetable in Japan according to the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, following daikon radishes and onions. It's used in everything from stir-fries and gyōza dumplings to pickles and more and, despite the high prices for fresh produce this year, it's...
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / JAPANESE KITCHEN
Feb 17, 2018
What makes a great chawanmushi? Using even better dashi
The clear, umami-packed stock called dashi is the foundation of washoku, traditional Japanese cuisine. Follow this recipe to find out how a good dashi makes a great chawanmushi.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / DAVOS SPECIAL 2018
Jan 23, 2018
Wagashi confections enjoy increased global popularity
Back in the 1990s to early 2000s, my sister worked as a chef in the kitchen of the Toraya Cafe in New York City, the sole North American branch of a famous wagashi (traditional Japanese confections) maker that has been in business since the late 16th century. Her job was to create savory lunch items...
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / JAPANESE KITCHEN
Jan 20, 2018
In winter, the humble daikon is the ultimate utility vegetable
The price of fresh vegetables this winter is much higher than usual. That's why this edition of Japanese Kitchen features a classic, daikon-based seasonal recipe that will help your yen go further.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / JAPANESE KITCHEN
Dec 16, 2017
Break with tradition and bring out the duck this Christmas
These days, having chicken for Christmas dinner is quite commonplace in Japan, whether it's made at home or carried there in a paper bucket. But chicken doesn't have that long a history as an everyday food source.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / JAPANESE KITCHEN
Nov 18, 2017
Bitter or sweet, the much-loved persimmon is a healthy and versatile fruit
Persimmons come in three types, but amagaki is of most use in the kitchen.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / Tools of the Japanese Kitchen
Oct 21, 2017
Donabe: The hardy pot that Japanese cooks swear by
The cookware that has made the biggest comeback in recent years can be traced back to prehistoric times: the donabe, a lidded, heatproof earthenware pot with a matching vented lid.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / JAPANESE KITCHEN
Oct 14, 2017
Autumn is peak season for ‘sanma,’ a once-common fish that's playing hard to catch
The sanma (Pacific saury) that's caught at this time of year is rich with heart-healthy oils, and is considered a quintessential autumn delicacy in Japan.
Sumo avoids chasm at top as Hoshoryu picked for top rank
Hoshoryu answers questions from reporters after being recommended for the rank of yokozuna, in Taito Ward, Tokyo, on Monday.
Sumo’s newest yokozuna is all smiles — but major challenges await
Hoshoryu (front, second from left) celebrates after being promoted to yokozuna on Wednesday in Tokyo.
What we learned at Fuji TV's marathon Nakai scandal news conference
Members of the media raise their hands for questions as outgoing Fuji TV President Koichi Minato attends a news conference in Tokyo on Monday.
KyoAni arson suspect's death penalty finalized after appeal dropped
Shinji Aoba is taken to the Kyoto Prefectural Police's Fushimi Police Station in May 2020. His death penalty has been finalized after he dropped an appeal.
North Korea's Kim vows to 'indefinitely' bolster nuke program
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un visits one of his country's nuclear material production facilities at an undisclosed location in this photo released Wednesday.
What we learned at Fuji TV's marathon Nakai scandal news conference
Members of the media raise their hands for questions as outgoing Fuji TV President Koichi Minato attends a news conference in Tokyo on Monday.
In meat- and fish-loving Japan, veganism is making a comeback
Though vegan restaurants have been on the upswing since 2017, Japanese vegans still lack a wide variety of options.
Kanoa Igarashi dreams big as surfing championship tour gets underway
Kanoa Igarashi surfs in the Hurley Pro Sunset Beach competition in Oahu, Hawaii, on Feb. 18.
How Japan is looking deep underground to solve its carbon problem
A pipe for transporting carbon dioxide to removal equipment at a carbon capture and storage (CCS) test site in Tomakomai, Hokkaido.

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