Taiyaki, a popular Japanese pastry designed with the features of a cartoonish fish, are a traditional Japanese snack that has been enjoyed in Japan for over a century. Read on to learn all about taiyaki and why it is one of the top street foods in Japan and abroad!

Okinawan brown sugar is boiled for hours to produce a thick, dark syrup, used for culinary & medicinal purposes.

Yokan, a traditional Japanese jelly candy, is one of Japan’s oldest sweets. This block-shaped, translucent, subtly colored snack is unassuming in appearance but is a sophisticated Japanese dessert with countless variations appealing to modern tastes. This snack uses red bean paste, agar, and sugar, and it is one of the oldest in Japan’s line-up of…

Okinawan food culture is famous for its range of cuisine and the culture of food it supports. It’s also surprisingly different from Japan’s mainland dishes.

Okinawan Obon celebrations are steeped in unique history & traditions.

If you have ever wondered about that yellow powder that covers some of your favorite Japanese snacks, then chances are that you have just wandered into kinako territory.

Shuri Castle was the Ryukyu Kingdom’s seat of power for 450 years.

The purple sweet potato is a staple food of the Okinawan diet. It’s also known as “beni-imo”, and it contributes to one of the longest life expectancies in the world!

Kumiodori is traditional Okinawan storytelling through dance.

Considered friendly & comforting, Okinawan shisa protect people from evil spirits.

Kinako is a popular Japanese topping used to help flavor desserts and snacks.

Warabi mochi is a cool, jelly-like dessert, especially popular during Japan’s humid summer months. It is a kind of wagashi (traditional Japanese sweets), with a history dating back to the Heian era (794-1185).