the Kansai Region

Shabu-shabu is a popular Japanese dish consisting of thinly sliced meat and vegetables cooked in water. The dish is an evolved version of the traditional Mongolian nabemono (one-pot) cooking. Roughly translated to swish-swish, its name is referring to the sound that is made when... Read more

Teppanyaki is a Japanese technique of grilling a variety of ingredients on an iron plate. Its name is derived from two words: teppan or an iron plate, and yaki, meaning grilled or broiled. Teppanyaki refers to a variety of dishes cooked in the aforemen... Read more

Similar to an omelet or a pancake, okonomiyaki is an immensely popular Japanese dish. The batter is made with eggs, flour, water, grated yam, and shredded cabbage. Additional ingredients such as fish, seafood, meat, vegetables or cheese are also occasionally added to the mix. The batter is then p... Read more

Futomaki is a variety of rolled sushi that is characterized by its large size and a strict balance of used ingredients. The rolls are typically filled with vegetables of different colors, and usually don't contain seafood. Futomaki should be both flavorful and visually appealing, and the ingredie... Read more

Chawanmushi is a delicate custard-soup, its name meaning steamed in a tea cup. Each portion of the dish is ideally served in a small, lidded cup, either as an appetizer or as a part of a bigger meal. The custard usually consists of an egg mixture that can be flavored with numerous ingred... Read more

Breaded, skewered with a bamboo stick and deep-fried, the delectable bite-sized pieces of various fish and seafood, pork, chicken, beef, and even horse meat or fresh vegetables are collectively called kushiage, also kushikatsu, and originate from Osaka, a city aptly nicknamed the kit... Read more

The small, round takoyaki are one of the most famous Japanese snacks, made with a simple egg batter that is enriched with diced octopus pieces. These tiny balls get their signature shape from the traditional iron pan in which they are grilled. The pan is filled with small round molds in which the... Read more

Kitsune udon is a famous Japanese dish which consists of thick udon noodles served in a fragrant dashi broth which is then topped with sliced or whole deep-fried tofu known as aburaage. The name of the dish is translated as fox udon, following the old folk tale which su... Read more

One of the best known meibutsu or regional specialty products of Kyoto, yatsuhashi is a type of wagashi - traditional Japanese confections that are often served with tea and sold mainly as souvenir sweets called miyagegashi. Reflecting hundreds of years of the city&rsqu... Read more

This pressed sushi variety consist of a sushi rice base that is topped with marinated mackerel fillet, which is typically covered with a thin, delicate layer of kelp. Unlike other pressed sushi varieties, saba zushi is not made in traditional wooden appliances, but the whole creation is usually w... Read more

Mitarashi dango is a popular Japanese treat which consists of skewered rice cakes covered in a sweet, sticky soy sauce glaze. They are traditionally made with five round cakes, just like they were initially prepared at the Kamo Mitarashi Tea House in Kyoto. It is believed the name mi... Read more

Warabimochi is a sweet Japanese concoction reminiscent of jelly. It is made from bracken starch, and is traditionally dusted with sweet toasted soybean flour known as kinako. Warabimochi is one of the most popular sweets in the Kansai area, typically consumed in the summertime, since it ... Read more

Kobe beef is a Japanese delicacy and one of the most popular regional specialties in Japan. The beef comes from the Tajima-gyu breed of cattle in Japan's Hyogo Prefecture, where Kobe is the capital and gives the beef its name. It is characterized by its tenderness, flavor, and exceptiona... Read more

Shiso is a Japanese herb with a unique flavor: hints of citrus, mint, basil, anise, and coriander are all incorporated into its tiny leaves, which can be red or green. They are a part of the seven spices of Japan, originating from over 300 years ago in Kyoto. Green shiso leaves are often... Read more

Matsusaka is a type of wagyu or Japanese beef, originating from the town of Matsusaka in Mie Prefecture. The cattle must be raised from at least 12 months within the Prefecture and it‘s fed on a diet of wheat, rice, barley, and soy. This diet increases the weight of the animals, and the res... Read more

Omi or Ohmi beef is a type of wagyu or Japanese beef that’s raised in Shiga Prefecture. The beef cattle has a very long history - in the Edo era, Ohmi beef was marinated in miso and presented to the Shogun as medicine. The meat has very fine and tender marbling (intramuscular fat), while th... Read more

Nigorobuna or round crucian carp is a wild goldfish that's native to Japan. The fish swim in Lake Biwa in the Shiga Prefecture. They're traditionally used for the preparation of funazushi, where whole nigorobuna are salted and fermented in beds of cooked rice. Funazushi is a loc... Read more

Hōjicha is a Japanese roasted green tea. It is made with bancha or sencha green tea that is roasted over high heat. During roasting, the tea attains a distinctive reddish-brown color. Brewed hōjicha will result in a light brown tea with a slightly warmer character than traditional green ... Read more

Genmaicha is a mix of roasted green tea (bancha or sencha) and roasted brown rice (genmai), though white rice is also sometimes used. Invented in Kyoto by a local merchant, genmaicha was initially regarded as a standard and cheap tea option. It is now enjoyed by many and praised for its ... Read more