Upon entering Auberge Tokito in Tachikawa, just 45 minutes from Tokyo, you are transported to an exclusive and serene oasis. The stunning architecture and interior design, created by renowned Japanese architect and designer Shinichiro Ogata, offer a modern take on the traditional Japanese ryokan. In keeping with the ryokan tradition, all…

Hyoteiis a traditional kaiseki restaurant located at the entrance of Nanzen-ji Temple in Kyoto. It also boasts 3 Michelin stars. Crossing the doorstep of Hyotei is like traveling back in time. The restaurant has been owned and operated by the same family for 450 years, with the current chef-owner, Yoshihiro…

Soba noodles is a staple food originating from the Edo period and one of my favourites in Japanese cuisine. During this period, it was considered a cheap and fast food that was enjoyed by people of all social classes. Made of buckwheat, Soba noodles are often served with a dipping…

If you’ve ever had the good fortune to visit Japan, you’ll doubtless have been left with the same wealth of feeling I have, as I write from my home in London. The chaotic modernity of Tokyo versus the historical richness of Kyoto, to the Idyllic countryside, kind gestures of the…

More than a staple food, rice is a way of life in Japan. From a baby’s first solid food, in the form of a soft rice porridge, to the national beverage: saké made from fermented rice, consumed in bars and restaurants throughout the country, rice lies at the culinary and…

“Originating from the tea ceremony, kaiseki is a multi-course meal in Japan that highlights the skills of the chef and the finest seasonal ingredients. The kanji characters to write “kaiseki” (懐石) literally mean “breast-pocket stone” and are thought to have been incorporated by Sen no Rikyū , to indicate the…

Umami is synonymous with Japan in many ways, in everything from their cuisine to their tea ceremonies, but there’s no reason the illusive ‘fifth taste’ can’t be produced in other countries too. This was exactly the thought that struck journalist Nina Gruntowski one day, when she discovered that green tea…

As part of our deep dive into Japan, Luxeat has the joy of meeting with a Japanese ceramics legend to better understand the history and importance of cups, plates and bowls across the nation. Robert Yellin is an American Japanese ceramics specialist who has been living in Japan since 1984.…

As part of a special issue about rice, we talk with Kayama San, who comes from five generations of ancestral Japanese farmers in Northern Kyoto. Beyond continuing the family legacy, he feels a sense of mission and purpose in protecting Japanese food culture, as well as helping maintain the beautiful…

Chef Kunio Tokuoka has been working in the kitchens of KITCHO, the legendary Japanese haute cuisine restaurant for close to 40 years and is now running the show. He follows in the hefty footsteps of his grandfather the founder of KITCHO Teiichi Yuki. Born in 1960, Kunio Tokuoka has brought…