Learn Japanese Online - JOI Teachers blog

From China to Japan : Green Tea Green tea is originally from China and was introduced to Japan by monks who also introduced Zen Buddhism to the country. There are many famous tea growing areas in Japan, including Yame tea in Fukuoka prefecture and Uji tea in Kyoto. In this Japanese language learning blog, Oogi sensei introduces Shizuoka tea and her experience with it. You can read this blog and...

Soy beans and Japanese cuisine Japanese cuisine has many condiments and seasoning. Many of these are made from Soy Beans including Miso paste and Soy Sauce. They are staples of Japanese dishes and there are many many types and flavors depending on the area of Japan and the families. In this blog by Japanese teacher, Oosawa Miki sensei, talks about one of these standard Japanese condiments. Read...

Sushi, the quintessential Japanese cuisine Sushi is the quintessential Japanese cuisine and is ubiquitous in Japanese supermarkets, convenience stores, and in restaurants around the country. There are many kinds of Sushi, but the typical dish referred to as 'Sushi' is in fact just one type, called Nigirizushi, which literally means hand-pressed Sushi. In this JOI teachers' blog, Sakude sensei e...

Yoshoku : Western-style cuisine in Japan In Japan there is Washoku or Japanese-style cuisine and Yoshoku or western-style cuisine. Yoshoku or Youshoku, is food cooked in a western-style and became popular during the Meiji period in Japanese history. When the Meiji emperor declared that Western knowledge and learning should be incorporated into Japanese culture. Today there are many kinds of Yos...

Japanese pickles Japanese pickles are an essential part of Japanese washoku cuisine. Usually they are served with traditional Japanese dishes along with Miso soup and rice. There are many ways to make Japanese pickles:- pickled in rice bran (nukazuke) , pickled sake lees or leftovers, pickled in miso, pickled in vinegar or in soy sauce. They each have special methods for preparation and a large v...