So indulgent, you’d never guess it was popular as a health drink. Discover fun flavours and interesting recipes with our soy drink round-up.

Make Mine a Soy

Soy drink seems to have existed in Japan since the middle ages, however the tasty sweet beverage we know today really came into being in the 20th century with delicious improvements in the way it was made.

These days there are all kinds of flavours and ways to enjoy soy drink. Japanese people drink an average of 2 litres a year and it’s famous across the world as natural soft drink.

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Let’s Get Cooking

Soy drink isn’t just great for quaffing, you can use it for all kinds of recipes. We love using soy drink in matcha lattes, especially using flavoured soy drinks like matcha or malted flavours. Soy drink is also a great alternative to dairy in many puddings and desserts.

Traditional Japanese sweets like Brown Sugar Soy Milk Pudding are particularly hassle free as there’s no need to use additional thickeners or setting agents like adapted dairy free recipes.

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Product Round-Up

Fun Flavours

Marusanai Kumamon Carrot Soy Drink	Marusanai Black Sesame and Honey Soy Drink	Marusanai Soy Drink

Healthy Drinking

Marusanai Low Calorie Malt Coffee Soy Drink	Marusanai 100% Soy Drink	Marusanai Low Calorie Soy Drink

Cafe Favourites

Marusanai Roasted Green Tea Soy Drink	Marusanai Matcha Green Tea Soy Drink	Marusanai Malt Flavour Soy Drink

Want to make yours a soy? Try the wide range of flavours and styles available to buy online at Japan Centre.

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You need not practice your cockney and brave London town to visit Japan Centre. This year we’re coming to you! We’ll be visiting all sorts of places around Europe, so you can have the coolest and yummiest stuff all the way from Japan. Keep an eye on our Events Calendar to see where we will be popping up next, you never know if could be in your neighbourhood!

EVENTS 2014

September

MCM Comic Con Scotland 6th-7th September

• What’ll we have? Manga & Games, Market, Food & Books

Japan Matsuri 27th September

• What’ll we have? Food from Shoryu and umai

October

Imperial College TBC

• What’ll we have? Books with great deals on textbooks!

FACTS 2014 18th-19th October

• What’ll we have? Manga & Games, Market, Food & Books

MCM London Comic Con London 24th – 26th October

• What’ll we have? Manga & Games, Market, Food & Books

November

HYPER JAPAN Christmas Market 14th-16th November

• What’ll we have? Food & Books, umai

MCM Birmingham Comic Con 22nd – 23rd November

• What’ll we have? Manga & Games, Market, Food & Books

Roll up, roll up to Japan Centre’s 6th Japan Food Festival! From the 11th – 31st of August we will be showcasing regional produce from Kyushu, the southern most of Japan’s four main islands.

Visitors to our Piccadilly store will get a chance to sample a different selection of these delicious foods in free tastings everyday! Plus there are free original tote bags for the first 100 people to spend over £20.

Check out our full brochure to learn all about the delicious treats we have on offer, including pickles, tofu and shochu spirits.

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Download the full brochure: Page 1, Page 2

Meet the Producers!

Michimoto Foods Products

With 47 years experience making pickled daikon, Michimoto know just how to get that delicious ‘crunch!’ with their products. The warm climate and fertile soils of Miyazaki are just one reason these pickles are irresistible.

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Kyoya Distiller & Brewer 

Kyoya Distiller & Brewer has been operating since 1834. Today they combine Miyazaki’s nature, tradition and the quest for new flavours to make an unbeatable product. Shochu is perhaps the favourite spirit of Kyushu, and you can really taste the terroir in Kyoyas sweet potato and rice based liquors.

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Houmoto Sesame Tofu

Based in Nagasaki, Houmoto specialise in Obakusan style sesame tofu. Obakusan style sesame tofu is made with roasted sesame seeds to bring out the rich aromatic flavour and a hint of sugar, to give it a delicate sweetness.

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Irikiya

Irikiya has been in business for 263 years, sending their wares across Japan from the bustling port city of Nagasaki. Discover beautiful dashi stock and deliciously easy to make noodles with Irikiya.

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Momiki 

Discover the new culinary sensation, black garlic, with Momiki! Grown without pesticides, Momiki garlic is then carefully aged and fermented to create a richly savoury condiment without the sting of fresh garlic.

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Agedama Hompo

Traditionally handmade since 1952, these little tempura pearls are the best of the best. Enjoy these tasty treats as you’ve never seen them before

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Kobayashi Syuzou Honten

With a brewing history extending to the 1700s Kobayashi produce some of Fukuokas finest liqueurs. Let your tastebuds take you on a whistlestop tour of Kyushu, with regionally inspired flavours, such as yuzu kosho, orange and melon spirits.

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Fundodai Foods

Fundodai has been making soy sauce in Kyushu since 1869, but it’s not just soy sauce that will delight your tastebuds. Fundodai also produce a wide range of condiments like sushi vinegar and dashi stock to bring to life any dish with fun and flavour.

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Beniotome Shuzo

Deliciously different liqueurs and shochu spirits. Infused with 300 years of brewing know how, Beniotome was created out of a desire to make truly world beating shochu.

Natto can have a bad rap, but this little bean dish could help your heart! Read on to learn what natto is, how to eat it and what it can do for you!

What is Natto?

Natto is made from fermented soy beans. If that’s got you clicking on the back button just remember that miso paste and soy sauce are both made with fermented soy beans, right?

Natto is popular as a breakfast dish on warm rice, but it also enjoyed in sushi, on noodles or on its own.

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Why Should I Eat Natto?

Well if the promise of deliciously sticky, slightly pungent beans is not enough to lure you natto is also known for its healthful properties.

Natto is known to be high in Vitamin K2, which helps prevent osteoporosis. It also contains a substance known as nattokinase, which may help reduce the chance of blood clots and as a result, heart attacks. If that wasn’t enough, natto has also been shown to lower cholesterol.

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How to Eat Natto?

First you need to discover if you’re a natto lover or a hater! Natto has a strong aroma that many compare to blue cheese or century egg, if you like these then you may just be a natto fan too. We suggest you first try natto plain with a little warm rice, you can find instructions on how to prepare it here.

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If you find natto is to your taste, well you’re in for a treat! If, however, you’re not so fond, there are also ways to reduce the natto-y flavour so you can still enjoy this healthy bean.

Natto Fans

• Natto Mochi
• Natto on Rice
• Natto Pasta

Natto Haters

• Natto Curry
• Kimchi Natto

Here’s three natto products we recommend: A standard natto, an organic natto and chopped natto (for when you fancy a change!)

Osato Umai Ichiban Natto	Azuma Foods Organic Natto	Yamada Foods Chopped Natto

Bonus Round!

Character goods fans may already recognise the cute and beany mameshiba bean dogs. Today natto is here to tell us that white asparagus is called mademoiselle fingers in France. Amazing!

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Thanks to Tamaki Sono at flickr for the image of the kid who just loves natto! (We don’t blame him)

Thanks to LWYang at flickr for the image of natto gunkan sushi

Check out our recommendation for six must have Japanese ingredients, what to use them for and just why there are so many different types!

Soy Sauce

Essential for sushi, sauces, dressings and more! Soy sauce is made from fermented soy beans. Be careful when you’re looking at recipes, all regular Japanese soy sauce is ‘light’ style compared with different Asian soy sauces. ‘Light’ or ‘white’ Japanese soy sauce is usually just lighter in colour, rather than flavour, so can be easy to go overboard.

Kikkoman Soy Sauce in Dispenser	Clearspring Organic Shoyu Soy Sauce	Yamashin White Soy Sauce

Mirin

This fortified alcohol used to be drunk as a medicinal treat, but these days you’re much more likely to find it in your nikujaga stew than your cocktail. Mirin helps to give a subtle sweetness to dishes and create the lovely glossy shine you see in dishes like teriyaki. If you prefer to avoid alcohol in your cooking, there are also low-alcohol or mirin-style alcohol free seasonings available.

Takara Hon Mirin	Mizkan Sweet Cooking Seasoning Mirin Style	Yutaka Japanese Mirin

Sake

Sake adds flavour, helps to stop strong tastes from meat, to keep the dish well balanced. Regular cooking sake usually has a little bit of salt added so it can be sold without alcohol tax or a license in Japan, so if you are watching your sodium intake, this is something to check before you cook.

Takara Cooking Sake	Yutaka Cooking Sake	Gekkeikan Moon Seishu Sake Cup

Miso

Miso is made from fermented soy beans, but can have a very different flavour or style depending on how it’s prepared or what ingredients are used. There are three major kinds of miso: white miso, red miso and awase miso (which is a blend of both!)

Hikari White Miso Medium Sweet	Japan Centre Red Miso	Masuyamiso Yuuki Barley And Rice Awase Miso

Rice

It may seem obvious to say, but rice is a very important part of Japanese cooking! Some dishes such as onigiri rice balls or sushi have to be made with Japanese style short grain rice in order to get the right texture. Those really into their rice have preferred strains or growing areas. Here are some popular ones…

Shinmei Hokkaido Nanatsuboshi Rice	Shinmei Toyama Prefecture Koshihikari Rice	Shinmei Akafuji Akitakomachi Rice

Rice Vinegar

An essential ingredient for getting just the right tang in sushi rice, rice vinegar is also important for vegetable side dishes, dressings and making pickles! Rice vinegar has a very mild flavour compared to traditional malt or cider vinegar, making an indispensable addition to anyone’s kitchen!

Uchibori Yuuki Rice Vinegar	Mizkan Rice Vinegar	Mizkan Brown Rice Vinegar

Want to get stocked up? Japan Centre has everything you need to kit out an authentic Japanese kitchen, including essential ingredients, cooking utensils and more!

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Japan is home to oodles of noodles! Check out our top 5 to learn all about our faves and how you can enjoy them.

5. Shirataki

Made from konjac these noodles are little different from the average. Super popular with dieters, they’re very high in fibre, but also very low calorie.

Shirataki are most popular in dishes like oden and sukiyaki hotpot where they can absorb the delicious flavour of whatever they’re cooked in.

Let’s Cook!

• Shirataki Sukiyaki Beef Salad
• Spicy Shirataki Noodle Salad 295kcal
• Shirataki Curry Soup

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4.  Somen

These wheat noodles are very popular served chilled in summertime as a way to cool off. Somen are similar to udon noodles, but much thinner.

Let’s Cook!

• Tanabata Festival Somen Noodles
• Fresh Somen Noodles with a Yuzu Twist
• Tanabata Festival Character Somen Noodles

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3.  Soba

These thin noodles are made with buckwheat. As wheat-free or juwari varieties made with only buckwheat are easily available, soba is popular not only with gourmets, but healthy eaters too.

Soba can be enjoyed hot in soup or chilled with a dipping sauce, especially popular on warm sunny days. Soba is naturally high in Vitamin B1 and as a result was popular for preventing beri beri with citizens in Edo (old Tokyo).

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Let’s Cook!

• Zaru Soba Chilled Noodles
• New Year Soba
• Soba Noodle Soup

2. Udon

These thick, wheat noodles are enjoyed hot or cold.  Possibly the most famous udon is made on Shikoku island and is known as sanuki, after Kagawa Prefecture’s historical name.

Hot udon are usually served in broth (or curry for curry udon) and chilled udon are usually accompanied by a bowl of dipping sauce. Popular toppings are spring onions, tempura flakes, seasoned and fried kitsune tofu or tempura.

Let’s Cook!

• Tanuki Udon
• Yaki Udon Stir-fry Noodles
• Kitsune Udon

1. Ramen

Ramen may have originated in China, but Japan has really made it their own. With regional specialities and styles, you could spend a long time travelling and not have tried all the different types!

Ramen are thinner noodles made from wheat, often with a distinct yellow colour from the kansui alkaline water they’re made with. Kansui is what helps give the noodle their wonderful texture and is named after lake Kan in Mongolia, whose water is supposed to be fantastic for ramen making!

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Let’s Cook!

• Japanese Ramen Noodles
• Spicy Ramen Noodles
• Hiyashi Chuka Ramen

Inspired to try some noodley dishes of your own? Shop online at Japan Centre for all your ramen, udon, soba, somen and shirataki needs.

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Learn how to use some of our favourite bento accessories with this handy guide.

Bento Cutters

Use bento cutters to style up all kinds of ingredients. They’re easy to use on bread, ham or cheese for anyone bento-ing with kids or on cooked vegetables for more advanced bento makers.

Bento cutters come in all kinds of shapes and sizes, which makes them great for other kinds of cooking too.

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Kai Houseware 4 Ways Quail Egg Cutter	Kai Houseware Cute Sandwich Cutter

How to Use

• Pop your food on to a flat surface and press down with the cutter. Be very careful if cutter harder foods or using anything with sharp blades.
• Use on eggs, sandwiches, cheese and more! You can also use some cutters for moulding rice too.

Bento Picks

Bento picks help stop you getting sticky fingers and make little items that are hard to eat with chopsticks much easier to pick up.

They’re also a really fun way to decorate a bento in a cool way, especially when you’re short on time.

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Torune Leaf Bento Picks	Daiso Friends Of The Forest Bento Picks	Torune Mamas Assist Animal Picks & Cutters

How to Use

• Pop the picks into finger food like tomatoes, eggs or meatballs
• Use picks to easily create a fun theme or decorate to make animal faces

Onigiri Moulds

Onigiri moulds are a super easy way to make you bento more fun.

Onigiri can be a little hard to make by hand for beginners, so moulds are a fool-proof and stress free way to try something new.

Maruki Bear & Flower Shaped Rice Moulds	Daiso Cookie & Rice Mould Rabbit	Daiso Heart & Blossom Onigiri Paddle

How to Use

Nori Punch

Nori seaweed is not only delicious, it’s also really easy to decorate with.

Use nori punches to make quick and easy decorations for rice, ham or cheese.

Arnest Smiley Nori Seaweed Punch	Kai Houseware Emoticon Nori Seaweed Punch	Maruki Bear Shaped Animal Food Cutters

How to Use

• Make sure your hands and the cutter are absolutely dry, otherwise you’ll only be making sad faces!
• Lay the nori down on a flat surface and feed it into your punch. Press down hard and voila, your nori decoration is ready to use

Inspired to make you own bento? Don’t forget to enter our fab bento competition for a chance to win a copy of  Yum-Yum Bento Box and check out the huge range of bento books, accessories and boxes available at Japan Centre.

 Shop Now!

Japan’s High School exams are notoriously tough. It’s no suprise then that Japanese students want to give themselves every advantage when it comes to tests. Level-up your study habits with our top tips from Japan.

Get GABA!

No, we don’t mean chatty (or a really disturbing kids’ show). GABA is an amino acid found naturally in many foods. It’s used by the body as a neurotransmitter and as such, hardcore studiers in Japan like to up the amount of GABA foods they eat to up their memory powers! GABA is often added to foods in Japan, with everything from chocolate to salad dressing trying to attract hungry studiers.

So how can you up your GABA? One easy way is sprouted brown rice. For sciency reasons when the brown rice is left to sprout, the amount of GABA contained in it increases. In fact, some people call this rice GABA rice. To make sprouted brown rice you need to keep brown rice in warm water for several days. If you’ve got a rice cooker it may have a GABA or yoghurt setting you can use to do this. If you live somewhere warm this may take much less time, so be careful! Otherwise you may end up with ricey proto-booze. Alternatively, you can get your GABA from Japan Centre!

The Secret of the Crane

To understand this one, we’re going to have to learn a little bit about Japanese folklore (no, really). Movement while studying or learning has been of interest to pedagogical scholars across the world for a few decades now. Anyone who’s studied linguistics or taught English as a foreign language might have come across exercises where students have to do a specific movement when they say a word to help them learn. This method is similar:

• Read your text book. While the information is still in your mind, close the book.
• Immediately say aloud what you remember and write down notes.
• Repeat!

By using the four skills of reading, writing, listening and speaking you get the brain firing on all cylinders and hopefully on the route to exam success! So why the crane thing? Well, in the folk tale Tsuru no Ongaeshi, a crane repays an elderly couple for their kindness by weaving beautiful cloth. But she must weave in secret, for if they ever find out she’s really a crane (and not a human), she’ll have to return to the skies. So like the tale, while the end product of your studying may be beautiful, you’ll not want anyone to watch you doing it with this method!

Give Yourself Encouragement

It’s important to stay motivated when you’re studying. Ideally studying should feel fun all the time, that way you stay focused too. However, if studying was easy we wouldn’t have to do it, we’d already remember it all! So sometimes we all need a little push. So when you successfully remember something or get a question right, give yourself a nice big hanamaru!

In Japan correct answers in school are marked with a circle and incorrect ones with a cross or tick. (Yes, this does get confusing for UK students!) A variation on this is a flower circle or hanamaru. The bigger, the more squiggly, the more extreme the hanamaru gets the better you did! So go on, reward yourself!

Give yourself some study fuel with great snacks, practice your Japanese reading magazines or books, or motivate yourself with fun treats (novelty erasers always work!).

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Thanks to Toshihiro Gamo at Flickr for the image of the crane

Pickles are an indispensable part of a traditional Japanese meal. Whether you’re having fukujinzuke with your curry, a pickled plum in your bento or some ginger with your sushi, pickles are the finishing touch to any meal! Read on to learn about some of our favourites.

There are loads and loads of different types of pickles made with all kinds of different vegetables. Here are some you’re most likely to come across.

Asazuke or Quick Pickles

These pickles are very popular because they’re so easy and quick to make. Just about any kind of vegetable can be turned into quick pickles, but popular types are cucumber, aubergine, cabbage and mooli radish. You can get handy quick pickle mixes or pickling solutions to make your own at home. We particularly love the bonito fish and kombu kelp flavour.

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Quick pickles have a very light flavour that makes them a great match to all kinds of dishes. However, because they’re only pickled for a short time and are not fermented, you have to eat them before they spoil!

Misozuke

Miso pickles can keep for much longer than quick pickles and have a very rich taste. Perfect for vegetables with a strong flavour, like garlic, miso pickles can be as simple as popping your prepared veg into a tub of miso!

Miso pickling is very flexible and many things that are not quite a ‘pickle’ can be popped in a bit of miso to give them a delicious flavour. Grilled misozuke pork, fish or beef are popular dishes.

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Nukazuke

If you go to a Japanese shopping arcade or department store basement, you’re sure to see some of these pickles sitting prettily in their bran tubs. Although they are quite tricky to maintain and season properly, many Japanese households still have their own nukadoko or rice bran bed they use for pickling.

Nukazuke have a subtle sour-salty flavour and are a favourite for preserving regional specialities of vegetable, as they also preserve the natural flavour.

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Pickled Plums

An iconic pickle! Mouth puckeringly sour, yet sweet at the same time, bento and onigiri across the world would be much sadder without the humble pickled plum. In the past when bento were packed in aluminium tins these plums would wear away at the metal over time!

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Pickled Ginger

You may have tried a few different types of pickled ginger. They’re all delicious, but make sure you choose the right one for your dish!

Sushi Ginger or Sushi Gari: Known as gari due to the crunchy ‘gari gari’ noise it makes when you eat it! Sushi ginger is traditionally eaten as a palate cleanser between different pieces of sushi. However, it’s zesty sweet flavour makes it really addictive and many Western sushi fans will use it in fusion sushi or salads to add a bit of pep.

Hajikami Ginger: If you’ve had grilled fish (especially Miso Black Cod) at a fancy restaurant, it was probably served with some of this delicious stuff. Hajikami is made from pickled ginger shoots, has a refreshing flavour similar to sushi ginger, and is less fiery than beni shoga style ginger.

Beni Shoga: If you’re an okonomiyaki aficionado you may be familiar with this pickle! The intense gingery flavour of beni shoga makes it great in strongly seasoned dishes. It’s a bit too strong for sushi, though, so don’t get them confused!

You can check out some of the wide range of pickles available online at Japan Centre. Try them and discover your favourite!

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There is no doubt about it, Inside Japan Centre readers – Autumn is definitely upon us! The nights are getting shorter, the weather is getting colder, and the sunglasses are starting to gather dust from lack of use. But it’s not all bad, especially if you are a lover of Japanese food and flavours! Indeed, the Japanese have a saying: “Autumn is the season to eat”. This refers to the widely held belief that the best food Japan has to offer is produced in Autumn. Read on to learn more about some of Japan’s most loved Autumn foods.

Shinmai

Autumn is harvest time for rice, meaning that all rice that is eaten in Japan in Autumn is as new and fresh as it can possibly be. This “new rice”, or shinmai (新米), is said to be sweeter, moister and softer than “older” rice, and Autumn (from September to December) is the only time of year when this rice can be experienced. As you can imagine, this is particularly significant in a country where rice is the single most important food in the local cuisine.

Matsutake

A type of mushroom, Matsutake is seen as the Rolls Royce of mushrooms in Japan, similarly to how truffles are seen in European countries. Also similar to truffles is their extraordinary price tag, with one perfect matsutake stem often costing more than 10,000 yen (approx. £60). This is due to the difficulty in finding them, and the fact that they cannot be cultivated. The quintessential matsutake dish is known as dobin mushi (土瓶蒸), a light and delicate clear dashi broth with matsutake and other vegetables, steamed and served in a clay teapot. If you are a fan of mushrooms and are in Japan, the deep aroma and subtle smokiness of an expertly prepared matsutake is an experience not to be missed!

Gingko

As the trees of Japan turn spectacular shades of red, yellow, orange and brown just in time for Autumn Foliage Viewing, some of the trees are also bearing fruit and nuts ripe for the picking. Gingko nuts are particularly (in)famous in Japan, due partly to the spectacular yellow colour the leaves of the trees turn in Autumn, and also in part to the fruit from which the nuts come smelling truly awful – like rancid butter. The nuts themselves, however, turn bright yellow and yield a subtly sweet, umami-rich flavour when cooked, perfect for mixing with shinmai rice or added to a dobin mushi.

Sanma

A blog post about Japanese food is not complete without talking about at least one type of fish. Sanma (さんま, or 秋刀魚) is known in the West as ‘pacific saury’ or ‘mackerel pike’, but in Japan this fish is so strongly associated with Autumn that its name literally translates to ‘Autumn knife fish’. Every Autumn thousands of sanma arrive along the Japanese coasts, brought there by Pacific Ocean currents. Full of good fats and delicately flavoured, sanma is most commonly grilled over an open flame and served whole with salt, or a soy sauce/daikon dipping sauce. Alternatively, if you are in Japan on the first Sunday of September, go to the Sanma Matsuri festival in Meguro and be given one of 5,000 or so grilled sanma prepared in celebration of the yearly hauls from Iwate.

Kabocha

To finish this Autumn food tour off, here is something a little more familiar. Kabocha (かぼちゃ) is the Japanese word for pumpkin, and the slightly sweet, hearty Japanese variety of pumpkin is in season in Autumn. While pumpkin is commonly enjoyed in the UK as a soup or as part of a roast dinner, in Japan pumpkin is also seen as a food for frying, either sliced in a shallow fry pan, or mashed up and crumbed as pumpkin croquettes. While the concept of a pumpkin croquette may seem a little unconventional, a well-prepared pumpkin croquette is crunchy, just a little bit sweet, and a favourite Autumn comfort food among the Japanese.

So now we in the Japan Centre online hub want to know, what is your favourite Japanese Autumn food? Have you tried any of these fabulous foods for yourself? Leave us a comment here, or on our Facebook or Twitter. For more amazing food ideas, take a look at our online shop and recipes!

Thanks to Choo Yut Shing at Flickr for the picture of gingko nuts

Do you love Japanese culture? Have you been aching for the chance to watch Japanese performing arts groups, learn about Japanese arts and crafts, stock up on adorable Japanese stationery and gifts, and enjoy delicious Japanese food? Can you come to London this Saturday? If so, then gather the family, friends and favourite cosplay outfits, because Japan Matsuri is here once more!

What is Japan Matsuri, you ask? Essentially, it is an enormous festival held once a year at Trafalgar Square, that gives the local Japanese community (consisting of Japanese expats, studiers of the Japanese language, employees in Japanese companies and anybody else interested in Japan) a chance to share aspects of Japanese culture with their family, friends, and anybody else who may be interested.

At Japan Matsuri you can expect to find an enormous variety of activities, performances and attractions. Do you love art and drawing? Then head over to the Manga Art stand and partake in manga drawing activities. Do you enjoy live performance? Try spending some time near the centre stage, where different exciting live performances will be happening all day, including Taiko Drumming, Noh Ballet and Piano, and J-Culture Fashion and Performance. And naturally, as lovers of Japanese food, there will be ample opportunities to stop by the Japan Centre stalls, where we will be offering tasty noodle dishes, takoyaki octopus dumplings, yakitori chicken skewers, gyoza dumplings, deep-fried karaage chicken, refreshing soft drinks, and more.

Interested? Excited? Then come on down to Trafalgar Square between 11am and 9pm this Saturday, 27th September. For more information, visit the Japan Matsuri website.

Fun costumes, wacky foods, street parades? As the country that invented Cosplay, raw horse meat flavoured ice cream and exuberant summer street festivals, there is no doubt that Halloween is right up Japan’s alley! Read on to discover how Halloween came to Japan and how it is celebrated there every year.

It All Started with Disneyland…

Although Japan had heard about Halloween before, from American movies and other Western media, the holiday was properly introduced to the country by Tokyo Disneyland. On 31st October 1997, all visitors to Tokyo Disneyland were invited to wear costumes and take part in the first “Disney Happy Halloween” celebration. The event was successful enough to warrant being held again, and interest continued to build until, in the year 2000, Tokyo Disneyland held its first “Halloween Twilight Parade”, which featured 400 visitors and various Disney characters in elaborately designed Halloween costumes. Since then the interest in Halloween has continued to grow, and the Halloween attractions at Tokyo Disneyland (website in Japanese) this year started as early as 8th September.

…Then Came the Festivals and Street Parades…

Soon Japan’s interest in Halloween was strong enough to expand beyond Tokyo Disneyland and other theme parks, to the streets of major cities. As the land of Cosplay and summer street festivals, the modern-day aspects of Halloween are a perfect fit for Japan, and it did not take long for festival planners in major cities to realise this and begin holding Halloween-themed street parades. The largest of these street parades is the Kawasaki Halloween Parade in Kanagawa (website in Japanese). This festival features Halloween decorations, activities such as Jack-O-Lantern carving and face painting, and, most importantly, the spectacular parade, which this year will include 3500 people in costume proceeding down the streets of Kanagawa.

…And Then the Themed Foods!

Recent years have seen many of Japan’s well-known shop brands and food manufacturers joining in on the Halloween festivities with limited edition, Halloween themed foods. Mister Donut, for instance, has released a special Halloween range of pumpkin flavoured, Jack-O-Lantern shaped doughnuts for the past few years, tying their range in with well-known characters such as Snoopy and Hello Kitty. Baskin Robbins has already launched their spectacular range (website in Japanese) of Halloween treats this year, and made all of us in the Japan Centre online hub wish we were in a Japanese Baskin Robbins right now. However, Japan Centre does have ready access to Glico’s “Lovely Halloween” range of Pocky and Pretz flavours, as do all of you Inside Japan Centre readers.

But What About the Scary Stories?

In the Western countries from which Halloween originated, the holiday is understood to traditionally be an occasion to remember the dead and communicate with the spirits of the departed, hence the heavy focus on supernatural creatures and ghost stories during the present-day celebrations. In Japan, however, Halloween does not have that original association and is seen as a fun excuse to wear costumes and eat pumpkin flavoured foods. The scary stories and remembering of the dead happens in mid-August during Obon (お盆); a Buddhist tradition where families honour the spirits of their ancestors. If you are ever looking for a different kind of scary ghost story, ask your Japanese friends to share any stories they know about Yuurei (幽霊); the ghosts of people who died in unfair circumstances and have come back to seek revenge.

So that is Halloween in Japan. Are you ready to celebrate yet? Take a look at Japan Centre’s great range of Halloween snacks, sakes and other party foods.

Thanks to Loran Javler at Flickr for the Disneyland picture
Thanks to Alan at Flickr for the Festival picture
Thanks to Becky at Flickr for the Yuurei picture

If you are a fan of Japanese food and cuisine, or even if you have travelled to Japan, it is pretty certain that you have tried miso soup before. You may have tried instant miso, ready in less than a minute and available in a variety of flavours. Alternatively, you may have prepared “proper” miso, using miso paste. Or you may have been served a bowl along with your Japan Centre lunch. But how familiar are you with how miso is made and the ways in which the different types of miso are used?

What is Miso?

Miso is made by fermenting a selection of soy beans, rice, barley and wheat together to create a thick, textured paste. Although all miso contains some, or all, of these core ingredients, differences in combinations, proportions and quality of ingredients ensure that no two miso pastes are exactly the same.

Although the most common way to enjoy miso is by mixing it with dashi soup stock to make miso soup, it is also used used for sauces and marinades, as well as a method for pickling vegetables and meats.

Miso varies in colour from a pale brown similar to peanut butter, to a deep brownish-red. The darker the colour, the longer the fermentation process and the stronger the taste will be. Most miso can be separated into three categories: white miso, red miso, and a mixture of both called awase miso.

White Miso

White miso is made from soy beans and a high percentage of rice which are fermented to create a light, slightly sweet taste. The smooth flavour of white miso makes it a popular choice in Japan, perfect for soups, dressings and marinades for fish.

Shop White Miso

Red Miso

Red miso is made from soy beans, barley and other grains with a long fermentation process to create a mature taste, rich in umami flavours. The intense, salty flavour of red miso makes it a great choice for hearty soups and marinades for meat and poultry.

Shop Red Miso

Awase Miso

Awase miso is generally a mix of both white and red miso which makes it a versatile ingredient, suitable for all types of Japanese cooking.

Shop Awase Miso

Other Types of Miso

There are many other types of miso from different regions in Japan. Two of the popular alternative varieties are barley miso and miso with added dashi.

Barley Miso – Barley miso is made from soy beans and a high percentage of barley which are fermented to create a thick, wholesome taste. Popular in the southern areas of Japan, the rich flavour of barley miso is ideal for traditional soups or as a seasoning for vegetables.

Miso Paste with Dashi – Some varieties of miso paste, whether white, red or awase, have added dashi stock. This type of miso is usually the easiest way to make authentic miso soup as it is not required to add any extra dashi stock yourself. Simply mix a spoonful of miso paste with hot water, add some sliced spring onion and cubes of tofu and it is ready to eat.

So, why should I eat Miso?

Well, first of all… miso is delicious! It has a rich taste that is rather hard to describe, but can be called salty, savoury, mildly sweet, earthy, soybeany, and has sometimes been called “the taste of mum’s cooking”.

Besides the great taste, miso is also very healthy and has a variety of nutritional benefits. It is high in fibre, protein and minerals, as well as vitamin K and B12 which makes it great for the immune system and digestive tract.

Miso really is one of those so called super foods, but just make sure to be careful when you cook it. As miso is a live food like yoghurt, any of the beneficial bacteria is killed when you boil it.

Right, where can I buy it?

At Japan Centre online, of course! Check out our miso paste, instant miso, or our miso category.

Greetings, Inside Japan Centre Readers!

As has been mentioned in previous blog posts, we in the Japan Centre online hub dedicate a lot of our time to bringing new and exciting Japanese foods, drinks, and other assorted groceries to japancentre.com for your online shopping pleasure. However, we are fully aware that the product page on japancentre.com is not always enough to showcase how great our items are. Therefore we are delighted to introduce Japan Centre Online Tries; a new segment of Inside Japan Centre where we try our newest or most popular items and give you a detailed report on the experience.

To kick things off, this post is dedicated to the most popular of our new Pocky flavours, the Matcha Cookie and Chocolate Pocky Crush (available in this set and this set)

How it Comes

Most Pocky comes in small, flat boxes only about an inch deep, but the chocolate crush range comes in a deeper, hexagonal box (which was exciting for us, as it indicated that there was more Pocky goodness inside). Inside were six little packets, each containing four knobbly, thickly coated Pocky sticks. The first thing we noticed was that the Pocky looks very similar to the picture on the box; a definite point in its favour. The packets are a good size for taking in a long bento box.

How it Tastes

Given the green colour of the box and the emphasis on matcha, we were expecting the matcha to be prominent. We could certainly smell the matcha on the Pocky. However, everybody who tried it agreed that the matcha flavour, while there, was actually quite subtle, adding just a hint of that trademark matcha freshness. The chocolate component was deliciously thick and creamy, and the cookie component of the matcha added an extra bit of crunch, just as we had hoped for. The most surprising feature was the azuki bean flavoured pretzel stick, which added a sophisticated, almost strawberry-like sweetness to the mix. Despite the three dynamic flavours, the balance between them worked very well with no one flavour overpowering the others. It also left us with a subtle matcha aftertaste.

Our Verdict

Opinions across the Japan Centre online hub were mixed. Everybody agreed that the Pocky was tasty and were particularly impressed by the level of crunch and the “mouth feel”, or shokkan (食感) of it. However, some were disappointed by the subtlety of the matcha flavour and had been hoping for it to be more obvious. Others were confused by the azuki flavour and questioned whether or not it had to be there. Others (including this writer) enjoyed the combination of flavours and enjoyed that the matcha flavour in particular was not so strong as to overpower anything else. In conclusion, if you enjoy a really strong matcha flavour this Pocky might leave you feeling a little disappointed. However, if you prefer a subtle hint of matcha along with other flavours, this Pocky cannot be recommended highly enough. The proof, dear readers, is in the picture:

Have you tried our Matcha Cookie and Chocolate Pocky Crush yet? Let us know in the comments below!

Zoom into Japan! Every month, Japan Centre will be profiling locations around Japan, finding out what they’ve got to offer the hungry traveller. So come join us, and feast your eyes on some spectacular places!

First up- it’s Nagasaki.

Picturesque, culturally rich and offering splendid culinary delights, Nagasaki is a charming gem on the southern island of Kyushu.

The history:

Nagasaki was a sleepy fishing village, until the mid 16^th century when the Portugese sailed into town and really livened things up. The arrival of these hirsute Europeans beckoned in a period of international exchange, with many Japanese favourites having originated from this colourful trading time. Did you know that tempura is actually Portugese in its origin? Scandalous!

Christianity flourished as a result of this colonial interaction, a legacy which can be seen today in the regions picturesque churches, something of a rarity in Japan.

Oura Church

Of course, the tragic side of Nagasaki’s history must be mentioned. Shortlisted as a potential target due to its burgeoning shipbuilding and military industry, Nagasaki became the second city to be hit by the atomic bomb, on the 9^th of August 1945. The harrowing repercussions can be felt today with a visit to the Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum, which gives a stark insight into this tumultuous time.

The city now prides itself on its peaceful outlook. The Nagasaki Peace Park is dedicated to the victims of the atomic bomb explosion, allowing visitors to pause and reflect. The handsome chap adorning this blog is the Peace Statue, who points to the sky with one hand to signify the threat of nuclear weapons, whilst laying out his left arm horizontally in a symbol of eternal peace.

Today, Nagasaki is a truly rewarding destination for the traveller, with rolling green hills, a cosmopolitan and unique history and beautiful night views over the city.

The food:

Mention Nagasaki to any Japanese and the word champon is bound to follow. This hearty noodle dish is packed to the brim with seafood , meat and veg, all swimming in a sumptuous salty broth. Fancy trying your hand at this popular winter warmer? Find a link to our recipe here.

A popular treat from this city in the South is castella, another Japanese favourite with Portugese origins. Coming in a veritable rainbow of varieties, we love this moist and versatile cake. Our recipe has a citrusy twist, check it out here.

 Highlights:

• Strolling along the stunning waterside promenade of Dejima wharf.
• Whizzing around on the towns iconic trams.
• Getting the cable car up Mt. Inasa, to ogle at one of Japan’s Top Three night views.

Glittering night views from Mt. Inasa

• Admiring one of the oldest Chinatown districts in Japan, whilst grazing on tasty street food.
• “This is all well and good, but where on Gods green earth are the penguins?” I hear you wail. Never fear! The Nagasaki Penguin Aquarium will delight fans of the feathered everywhere.

Penguin Parade at the Nagasaki Penguin Aquarium (authors’ picture)

Getting there: Nagasaki is easily reached by train or highway bus from Fukuoka, and plans are under way to connect it to the shinkansen bullet train network. Nagasaki airport is located forty minutes outside the city in nearby Omura.

Been to Nagasaki? Share your top tips, favourite places and secret eats in the comments below.

All this chat of champon and castella getting you peckish? Come and peruse our plethora of Japanese goodies at Japan Centre.

Thanks to Jocelyn and Cathy at Flickr for the champon image

Thanks to mks01 at Flickr for the night view image

Thanks to Bunmeido at Flickr for the castella image

Thanks to Kzhr at Wikipedia for the Oura Church image

Sake is delicious with Japanese food, but it’s fantastic with all kinds of food. Find out which classic non-Japanese dishes are simply amazing with sake!

Pairing? That Sounds Difficult!

Whoosh! What’s that? That’s the sound of all our preconceptions going out the window. Unlike wine where the emphasis is on matching strong tastes with flavours from the food, sake’s role in Japanese food has always been to emphasise the existing flavours in a dish. If wine is a picky gourmet, then sake is a gourmand that loves just about everything!

Prosciutto & Melon

No, we haven’t landed in the 70s, but this delicious dish is a classic. Japanese sparkling sake is very much sweeter and less dry than traditional champagne, however the fruity flavours you get in sakes like Suzuki Shuzou La Chamte Sparkling Junmai Sake are a great match for savoury and sweet dishes like prosciutto and melon. Plus, the bubbles add an extra layer of textural fun.

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French Onion Soup

Salty and rich with umami, French onion soup is a great match to dry sake to cut through the flavours. We recommend Ozeki Dry Sake or Kasumitsuru Sake Kasumitsuru Kimoto Dry, which is also fab with mature salty cheeses like pecorino or parmesan.

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Cheesecake

This classic dessert is a perfect pairing for nigori sake. The slightly chunky texture of nigori sake is a great counterpoint to the smooth cheesecake. Nigori sake can be drier or sweeter, but both can make a good match depending on your cheesecake. For a creamy rich cheesecake try Ozeki Unfiltered Sake or for a cheesecake with a tart coulis or fresh berries try Gekkeikan Unfiltered Yuzu Sake to add a little sweetness.

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Ceviche

This classic South American dish is amazing with sweet sake. The tart citrus juice and umami fresh seafood make a perfect match to sake like Ozeki Hana-fuga Peach Sparkling Sake. Other dishes which match well with sweet sakes include lox, gravlax or milder blue cheeses.

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Pork Roast

Succulent and juicy, with crispy crackling top, there can be nothing better than a pork roast for a special occasion. If your usual celebration drink is a white wine, why not swap it for some sake? The rich flavours of the pork demand an equally rich sake, so bust-out your favourite full bodied drinks like Gekkeikan Gensen Sozai Junmai Sake or Gekkeikan Zero Sugar Sake.

Got you inspired? Check out the huge range of sakes available at Japan Centre. We’ve got a sake for every occasion, meal and wallet! Find your new favourite drink or rediscover old holiday favourites in our selection.

Shop Now!

Thanks to Quinn Dombrowski at Flickr for the prosciutto & melon image

Thanks to Mr.TinDC at Flickr for the French onion soup image

Thanks to zingyyellow…! at Flickr for the cheesecake image

Thanks to Kevin Tao at Flickr for the ceviche image

Thanks to Jeremy Jenum at Flickr for the roast pork image

Ahh the hot pot! The quintessential stake for the icy heart of winter. In Japan, one pot dishes, known as nabe, are well loved by wee nippers and toothless grandmas alike (and not just because they require minimal chewing.)

Let Japan Centre introduce you to the wonderful world of nabe!

What is nabe?

Nabe (pronounced nar-bey) refers to a dish that is cooked with one pot, and usually contains an abundance of veg, some kind of protein and a ruddy delicious stock. The varieties are almost endless however, as folk tend to throw in whatever ingredients they have lying around, which changes with the seasons. The process of making nabe is always a sociable one, and the image of the family huddled around, chewing the fat whilst digging into nabe is an evocative one for Japanese, rather akin to a British family enjoying a hearty Sunday roast.

What kind of nabe is out there?

Chankonabe

Are you looking to gain a vast amount of weight? Chankonabe could be the key, for it is the dish responsible for keeping sumo wrestlers rotund, round and robust for many many centuries. The soup is usually dashi or chicken stock based, brimming with powerful protein in the form of chicken, tofu, fish balls and beef. Whilst this alone does not a heffalump make, it is the sheer portions consumed by these big boys that result in their Goliath like figures. They’ve also got some tricks up their chubby sleeves- sumo lads always take a nap after gorging on chankonabe, which means all that energy has nowhere to go and thus becomes fat. That’s science that is.

Yudofu

Simple, clean and elegant, yudofu is a Kyoto classic that elevates tofu to an art form. Favoured by Buddhist monks, yudofu is a nabe dish that combines delicately flavoured broth with cotton tofu. Very zen.

Shabu-Shabu

This lovely sounding variety is one of the most fun and interactive nabe experiences. Diners sit around a pot of boiling broth flavoured with dashi and konbu and stuffed full of vegetables, then use their chopsticks to swish thin slices of beef to and fro until cooked through. The term ‘shabu shabu’ actually refers to the noise of said morsels swishing through the broth. As with other nabe varieties there is a slight drawback- excavating the ‘scum’ that arises from the fat in the meat and sits on top of the broth. Laaaaverly.

One of the wonderful things about nabe is the variety, and ingredients that can make up a smashing nabe include: miso, kimchi, curry, soy, mirin, dashi, tofu and more.

The nabe experience

For many, the kotatsu table is an essential part of the nabe experience. Ingenious contraptions that feature a heating element craftily located under the tables base and then covered with a blanket to trap the heat, Japanese families beat the winter blues by getting toasty under the kotatsu and noshing on nabe.

The heated kotatsu table keeps your trotters toasty whilst you dine.

As we all know, too many cooks spoil the broth. Ever eager to keep their precious broth entirely unspoiled, Japanese families often elect one nabe leader to take charge, christened ‘nabe bugyo,’ who carefully tends to the introduction of new ingredients to the dish.

Why have one stew when you can have two? This nabe pot is ingeniously separated to allow for double nabe delight.

If all this nabe natter has got you needing nourishment, we’ve got our own selection of nabe recipes just waiting to be tried. Do you have what it takes to be the nabe bugyo? There’s only one way to find out.

Try our gyoza nabe hot pot, Korean style kimuchi nabe hot pot or the sumo sensation that is chankonabe recipes.

We’ve got a ton of ingredients for nabe at Japan Centre. Come and have a cheeky browse.

Thanks to pyramis at flickr for the chankonabe image.

Thanks to hightown99 at flickr for the yudofu image.

Thanks to wendywong:p at flickr for the shabu shabu image.

Thanks to Gustavo Verissimo at flickr for the split nabe pot image.

Thanks to bimboAuJapon at flickr for the kotatsu image.

Thanks to MKcompany(heromania) at Vine for the shabu shabu clip.

We’re delighted to have our paws on 7 wonderfully wacky new KitKat flavours. So dare to be a little different, and check out our stupendous selection at Japan Centre.

1. Matcha Green Tea

Since time immemorial, green tea has been the quintessential taste of East Asia. Now this unique and enchanting flavour is captured in KitKat form! Its beautiful green colouring is matcha’d (see what we did there) by the vibrant taste of green tea.

2. Wasabi

Casually start munching on one of these wasabi KitKats and you’re sure to leave your friends dumbfounded. Everyone’s favourite sushi condiment has the potential to knock your socks clean off, but in KitKat form it’s subtle and delicious.

3. Purple Sweet Potato 

Hugely popular in Japan, the sweet potato is loved for its versatility and charming flavour. This zaney purple version is sweet and chic, a colourful KitKat that’s a glorious accompaniment to a nice cuppa tea.

4. Hojicha- Roasted Green Tea

The civilised flavour of roasted hojicha green tea is expertly captured in this sophisticated KitKat. We think of it as the ultimate in KitKat refinement, and thus the KitKat gentleman. 

5. Strawberry

If hojicha KitKat flavour is Stephen Fry, then strawberry is Katy Perry. Fun, flirty and full of flavour, this bubblegum pink KitKat is perfect for those of you with a sweet tooth.

6. Chilli

This fiery bad boy has really got us hot under the collar. Enticing dark chocolate with a chilli kick, this is one KitKat not to give to Nana.

7. Azuki Red Bean Sandwich

This KitKat curveball is bound to get tongues wagging. The azuki red bean is a well loved little character that pops up in all sorts of sweet and savoury Japanese dishes. In its latest incarnation, it’s been popped in a sarny and transmorphed into a KitKat. What does it taste like? Only one way to find out.

 The zany, crazy and magical KitKats at Japan Centre make a wonderful addition to parties and- dare we say it- a cute and eclectic Christmas present. These are available in packs of 12, individually or in charming selection sets.

Shop now!

Mochi mochi mochi! The sticky treat from Japan that’s gaining popularity around the world. Join Japan Centre, as we dive into the gooey, squishy and delicious world of mochi madness.

What in Mungo Jerry’s name is mochi?

Like many of the best things that have heralded from The Land of the Rising Sun, mochi’s origins lie in the humble grain of rice. The greedily named glutinous rice to be precise! This rice is pounded into a paste and subsequently assembled into various different shapes. Manifesting in many forms and popping up in an array of savoury and sweet dishes, mochi is a delight that’s well loved in its homeland and increasingly abroad too.

How is mochi made?

The process of making mochi is startlingly exciting. Firstly, polished glutinous rice is soaked overnight and subsequently cooked (which isn’t very exciting). Then, the whole community gathers round and watches as the mochi makers transform the mulsh into mochi. This involves two people relentlessly and vigorously attacking the cooked rice using wooden mallets (known as kine) and a large mortar (usu). Regularly, one of the mochi makers is assigned the daunting task of flipping the mochi and adding water to it whilst their companion keeps on incessantly striking. This is a dangerous, terrifying and deeply entertaining spectacle. No wonder so many people turn up to watch! Mochi making is undertaken in schools and community centres throughout Japan in the build up to New Year. It brings the community together and transcends age groups. After the madness of the mashing, the resulting mochi is divided into squares (the preferred style in the North of the country) or into rounded shapes (the style approved down South).

What’s the history of mochi?

We spoke to Susan Fogarty, digital marketing wizard and irrepressible Japonophile, for her low down on the history of mochi:

Mochi has been around for thousands of years. Its association with New Years  goes as far back as the  Heian period (794-1185). It was mentioned in the 11^th century novel The Tale of Genji . A folk tale from the Nara Period highlights mochi as a sacred food and tells of a man who tried to use rice cake as target practice. Before his arrow hit the mochi, it turned into a swan and flew away. Then rice crops in the area failed and people starved to death. The moral of this story is that you should respect mochi and not waste it… or use it for target practice.

Mochi was seen as a luxury reserved for the nobility of Japanese society.  It is made from mochi-mai rice. This type of rice has a lower yield than the uruchi-mai that we more commonly eat. This scarcity meant that the rice was more expensive and thus a cake made entirely from mochi-mai was the symbol of happiness and good luck. The importance of mochi can also be seen in the belief that a giant rabbit can be seen on the face of the moon pounding mochi with a giant rabbit sized kine and usu.

Kagami Mochi

Move over angry birds! Kagami mochi the app’s in town.

Cheers Big Suze! Mochi is also particularly popular as a treat around the New Year’s Eve period. It’s even used as decoration, in the form of kagami mochi, where two mochi discs are placed on top of one another and an orange is plonked on the top for good measure. Whilst this practice has been occuring for centuries, in a brilliant modern twist mochi enthusiasts can now download an app which consists of arranging the kagami mochi. Very modern, very tech!

Mochi dishes

There are as many ways to use mochi as there are methods to smash an egg. Here are a few of our favourites:

Ozoni: This soup contains mochi cakes floating in a flavoursome broth. It is said that ozoni has its roots in samurai culture and is the most auspicious of meals eaten on New Year’s Day.

On okonomiyaki: An example of mochi as a wonderful addition to savoury dishes, there’s nothing quite like mochi parcels oozing over a freshly fried Japanese pancake. Try adding to one of our multiple okonomiyaki recipes.

Murderous mochi

Looking at this popular and endearing treat from Nippon, one wouldn’t assume mochi had a dark and sinister underbelly. However, when chowing down on mochi, one should keep one’s wits about…one. It’s sticky. Very, very sticky. Tragically, every year around the New Year’s period, a smattering of senior citizens meet their maker when eating mochi. In 2011, six people died and eighteen were hospitalized in mochi related incidents. The fire services even issue annual warnings, advising folk to cut up their mochi and not to eat it alone. So mochi fans, take heed. Never underestimate the power of mochi!

Mochi at Japan Centre

Even if it can be a killer, we still love mochi with all our hearts! And we want to share it with you too. There’s heaps of mochi options at Japan Centre, both in store and online. We’ve got mochi rice cakes in both square and spherical versions to appease both Northerners and Southerners. We’ve also got mochi rice, chocolate mochi truffles, savoury mochi snacks and mochi mochi more!

We’ve also created a marvellous mochi making kit, with all the bits and pieces you need to make delicious daifuku truffles with chocolate or azuki red bean paste filling. Perfect for the amateur cook and simply wonderful Christmas gift.

In the spirit of Japan, we also have our own mochi making sessions in store! Keep your eyes peeled for dates, as this’ll be a superb event for the whole family to attend.

Do you love mochi? What mochi dish gets you most excited? At Japan Centre, our array of online mochi madness should satisfy the most mammoth mochi cravings.

Thanks to Miyaoka Hitchcok at flickr for the kagami mochi app image.
Thanks to Valerie Kamikubo at flickr for he kagami mochi image.
Thanks to so Sara says at flickr for the mochi hammer image.
Thanks to Eat Me Drink Me at flickr for the black and white mochi image.
Thanks to Deven at Vine for the making mochi video.
Special thanks to Susan Fogarty for her knowledge and expertise on the history of mochi.

Like a bulging Christmas cracker ready to explode, Japan Centre is bursting with dazzling options for your Christmas parties. So do something a little different this year, and bring a flavour of Japan to your Christmas celebrations.

Extra Special Christmas Editions

We’ve got our mittens on some super cute limited edition Japanese treats with Christmas packaging! These kawaii designs are destined to charm kids and adults alike.

Tohato Milk Cocoa Caramel Corn Bites. Every good Santa needs his Rudolph.

Tohato Caramel Corn Bites. Sweet corn puffs with a cheeky moustached Santa-San adorning the front.

Tohato Poteko Gratin Flavour Potato Ring Snacks. Festive snacks that make any dinner table look gloriously Christmassy.

Tohato Nagewa Roast Chicken Potato Ring Snacks. Distinctly wacky and distinctly Japanese- great Christmas party food.

Charming Christmas Confectionery

Sugar and spice and all things nice- this sums up our scintillating supply of Japanese confectionery that will undoubtedly be a hit this Christmas party season.

Nestlé Mini KitKat Ultimate Elegance Selection! Surprise your guests with zany KitKat flavours, including wasabi, matcha, chilli and sweet potato.

Meiji Meltykiss Green Tea Cocoa Chocolate. These elegant treats would be perfect for a sophisticated festive soirée.

Glico Cocoa Dusted Chocolate Covered Almonds. Divine little bites that will have your guests asking for more.

Glico Pocky Cocoa Dusted Chocolate Biscuit Sticks. These chic Pocky sticks would look good on any tabletop this Christmas.

Super Festive Snacks

Superb snacks are essential for any shindig. Our unique Japanese snacks are a stand out selection that would go down a storm at any gathering this Christmas season. Fancy trying your hand at making Japanese canapes? Try our recipe here. 

Kuriyamabeika Star Shaped Salted Rice Crackers

Kuriyamabeika Sesame and Soy Sauce Rice Crackers

Kuriyamabeika Soy Sauce and Powdered Seaweed Rice Crackers

Amanoya Crispy Fried Soy Sauce Crackers

Tempting Yuletide Tipples

No swinging Christmas party is complete without a selection of top notch booze. Luckily, it’s easy for you to get your hands on some classic Japanese beverages from Japan Centre. Consider yourself quite the cocktail connoisseur? Impress your mates with our Japanese Christmas Cocktails.

Asahi Super Dry Beer. A classic beverage adored throughout Japan, sold individually or in party appropriate packs of 24.

Gekkeikan Zipang Sparkling Sake. Luxurious, bubbly sake to spoil your lucky guests with.

Gekkeikan USA Kobai Plum Wine. This delicious umeshu drink is super sweet and perfect for sharing.

Four Person Sake Party Set. The ideal set to bring friends together and appreciate the fine taste of Gekkeikan sake.

Food Kits and Sets

Embarking on a group activity at your festive get-together is sure to be a winner. With one of our cooking kits, you and your friends could be rustling up tempting takoyaki or sensational sushi, or at least trying to! Our sets and kits are designed to make the Christmas party season that little bit easier for you.

Glico Pocky Tea Lovers Set. Don’t whip out that old tin of sad digestives! This posh set will make your hosting skills the talk of the town.

Let’s Cook! Takoyaki Kit. All the bits and pieces you need to make Japan’s favourite street food. Trying to perfect the most spherical octopus ball can be a fun competition with your mates.

Beer & Tsumami Snack Set. Our beer and snack set is perfect for parties, with a combination of booze and salty snacks that’s simply meant to be.

Nigiri Sushi Kit. Gather your chums and see if you can rustle up the best sushi this side of Tokyo.

Now you can see how easy it is to throw the ultimate Japan themed Christmas party. But wait, there’s more! From mochi treats to Pretz sets and beyond, check out our full selection of Christmas party food and drinks at Japan Centre online.