Yakiniku is a Japanese meal of grilled (“yaki”) meat (“niku”), and most often involves diners cooking meat around a grill on a table front of them. Adopted from Korean cuisine, yakiniku became widespread throughout Japan in the 20th century. Oftentimes yakiniku restaurants have other dishes that people can order, but the meats and sauces are the main components to a yakiniku experience. The grilled meat is then dipped by the customer in sauce and eaten. The sauce for these dishes oftentimes can be savory and sweet, but other flavor combinations such as sour and spicy can be added as well. The flavor of the sauce depends on the restaurant, and the variety of sauces at yakiniku restaurants can be a reason for someone to visit many of them. Osaka, historically a mercantile city located in the south-central region of Japan's main island, is a place that has many fantastic yakiniku restaurants for residents and travelers to enjoy--read on to discover some of these!

Continue reading Yakiniku in Osaka - 9 Restaurants for Succulent Grill-Your-Own Meat

Cherry blossom season in Japan begins each year in early spring, lasting until around Golden Week in May. During that time, swaths of pink and white sakura blossoms burst into full bloom starting from the Kyushu area in the southwest and moving in a northerly direction. During this season hanami, or cherry blossom viewing parties, are common in Japan. Sakura viewing first began during the Heian period, the historical peak of the Japanese nobility and a period in which culture and the arts flourished in Japan. The Heian emperor would host extravagant feasts beneath the cherry blossoms at the imperial palace in Kyoto, which set the tradition for hanami picnics. Today, hanami parties can take place either during the daytime or at night among family, friends, and coworkers.

Continue reading Hanami Guide: Where to see Cherry Blossoms in Tokyo, Kyoto & Osaka

Osaka Station is the busiest train station in the western Kansai region of Japan, serving over two million passengers a day. The station building, called “Osaka Station City,” was newly remodeled in 2011 and offers various shopping, entertainment, and dining establishments in close proximity to the station area. With Osaka’s reputation as the culinary capital of Japan, it should come as no surprise that the area around Osaka Station boasts some truly excellent dining. Read on for 12 Osaka Station restaurants that highlight the epicurean genius of Japan’s top gourmet city.

Continue reading Osaka Station Restaurants showcase Japan's Foodie Capital

Osaka, located in the western region of Kansai, is a city famous for its food culture, and prides itself on being the gourmet capital of Japan. From the Dotonbori canal district lined with various dining establishments to the Shinsekai area serving up famous local dishes, Osaka is a true foodie mecca. There’s even an old Japanese saying that people from Osaka will eat and drink themselves out of house and home. If you’re visiting Osaka and want to uncover the different types of Osaka restaurants, here's a guide to the diverse array of food experiences that await.

Continue reading Where to Eat in Osaka, from Izakaya Restaurants to Yakitori

For Japanese, the ubiquitous “yakiniku party,” may be the greatest social affirmation of group identity—the tiny, tender cuts of meat, each like a bite of heaven on the tongue, are simply much too good to be eaten alone. Yakiniku’s close cousin, teppanyaki—named for the flat iron grill upon which the ingredients are cooked—is an equally social cuisine that eschews an entirely meat centered approach to include fresh vegetables, seafood chicken and an array of exotic spices and sauce. In perhaps the ultimate expression of luxury, this inviting combination is typically cooked to order right in front of you by master chefs who transcend the boundary between cuisine and performance. Once you feast your eyes on these 5 Osaka teppanyaki restaurants, you’ll never want to cook meat for yourself again.

Continue reading Osaka Teppanyaki Guide: 5 Fine Grilling Establishments

Steeped in rich history, delicious cuisine, and incredible views of the flowering cherry blossoms, West Japan is also a region that features around two dozen historic castles, many of which are surrounded by picturesque sakura-filled gardens that are perfect for a day of leisurely relaxation. Furthermore, these famous attractions, when paired with the beautiful weather of March and April, can make for an amazing springtime sojourn from the city din of Tokyo and Osaka. If you would like to include hanami, history, and haute cuisine on your itinerary, then be sure to visit these five West Japan restaurants—each offering seating with lush views of sakura as well as nearby proximities to popular castles and sakura groves.

Continue reading West Japan Sakura Season: Combining Hanami, History & Haute Cuisine