Dec 30, 2023

What's in your toshikoshi soba?

What do you put in your toshikoshi soba? One year I sauteed some chicken and naganegi to start a broth augmented with tsuyu, cooked the soba separately, and served the broth with kamaboko slices.

0 8

TonetoEdo

Living between the Tone and Edo Rivers in Higashi Katsushika area of Chiba Prefecture.

8 Answers

Best Answer

helloalissa

on Dec 30

Kamaboko sounds like a good idea! I forgot to get some spinach, but that fits well with yuzu neri. This year the plan is yuzu neri, negi, kankoku nori, and now, kamaboko. We use standard bottled mentsuyu. I did consider shrimp tempura but don't want to shop on the 31st or cook it.

0

genkidesu

on Dec 31

My husband likes kamaboko in his, but I'm not a huge kamaboko fan. I prefer vegetable tempura in mine!

0
TonetoEdo

on Dec 31

@genkidesu Vegetable tempura is a good bet. When I was at the supermarket today, every tempura set had some permutation of shrimp which my guy is allergic to.

0
TonetoEdo

on Dec 31

@helloalissa I'm also making mine with prepared hontsuyu. Yuzu neri is now on my menu!

0
JapanRamen

on Jan 15

Instead of soba, I made a cup noodle "chuuka soba" and also cooked some "yakisoba", then put a shrimp tempura on top of each and called it a night. Those are still "soba", right?

0
genkidesu

on Dec 2

What other New Year's Eve/Day dishes is everyone fond of? One of my favorites is kuri kinton, which is also one of the first NY foods I learned to make. The combo of sweet potato and chestnut is the best, I think, and the good fortune meaning behind it doesn't hurt!

0
TonetoEdo

on Dec 2

@genkidesu Ozouni! Toasted mochi in dashi and kombu broth with greens, shiitake, carrots, chicken, naruto. The YouTube channel JapaneseCooking101 has an easy recipe.

1
genkidesu

on Dec 3

@TonetoEdo I love cooking video channels, I hadn't seen this one before I don't think! It looks like they've had a YouTube presence for quite some time though. Going to go down a rabbit hole now and watch some of them to get inspired!

0

Awaiting More Answers

1 Answer

Favorite Japanese artists, past or present

With Yayoi Kusama's passing being covered in the media today, I wanted to know about your favorite Japanese artists, past or present. Obviously Kusama is one of mine, but I always like hearing about other artists that I haven't been introduced to before.

genkidesu

22 hours ago

8 Answers

What do you most associate with Shizuoka?

Today, is also Shizuoka Citizen's Day, so - the same as Fukushima - what first comes to mind / do you most associate with Shizuoka Prefecture?

BigfamJapan

on Aug 21

10 Answers

Car Essentials for a Road Trip?

I feel like this may have been asked before, but I can't find it through a search. Or maybe I thought of asking it and never did! Either way, tell us what things you like to have in your car when you are going on a road trip?

BigfamJapan

on Aug 21

4 Answers

What do you MOST associate with Fukushima Prefecture?

Given that today is Fukushima Prefecture Citizen's Day; what is the FIRST thing that comes to mind when you hear Fukushima? And / or what do you most associate with the prefecture?

BigfamJapan

on Aug 21

3 Answers

Throwback Thursday - Sustainability blogs

@Genkidesu posted about the desire for simpler packaging this week. This reminded me of our blog theme about sustainability back in 2022. A little sleuthing turned up the main link: https://www.city-cost.com/blogs/search/tag/SustainableLife Have you kept up your good habits? In the last few years, what have you observed about how you use resources or reduced waste? Me? The photo is a takeout bento box I will reuse for lunch!

TonetoEdo

on Aug 20

5 Answers

Summer Festival Changes - Yay or Nay?

Earlier I wrote about how my neighborhood's "summer" festival has been moved to autumn. I also wrote a separate post about a summer festival in Kasukabe that has been moved indoors. I know there is a bittersweetness about these changes, but some would argue that something needs to change in the face of rising temperatures. So, I am curious, what would you vote for: 1) Leaving Summer Festivals exactly as they are - same date, same set up etc. 2) Shifting the time of day the festival is on, say for example, from afternoon until after dark 3) Moving the festival from summer to another season or at least to earlier in summer, such as June 4) Moving summer festivals indoors - not really possible for the larger festivals especially those with large floats etc. but maybe they could shift some elements indoors

BigfamJapan

on Aug 3

10 Answers

Favorite Noodles

Chilled noodles because it's summer, hot noodles are also accepted. Is it somen or chukasoba or zarusoba? Reimyun or pasta salad? Chanpon or udon or ramen? Pad Thai or Pho?! This year I made somen for the first time! I'm a soba fan. I used to love ramen and tsukemen but for some reason I'm not as into the rich and oily noodles anymore.

helloalissa

on Jul 30

11 Answers

What are the pros and cons of Japanese Citizenship for you?

Most of the people I know here are foreign residents, have foreign family members, or have foreign coworkers, friends or employees. A handful of those have become Japanese citizens. We've been chatting about things like ethnic identity and Japanese citizenship. I don't plan to become a citizen, but it made me wonder, what are the pros and cons for changing your citizenship? Is it something you've given any thought to? (What might make you consider it?)

helloalissa

on Jul 30

5 Answers

Which movie will you see this summer?

I am not a movie-goer at all, but every year I bring the kids to see a film (and they often go with their friends too) during the summer holidays. There seems to be a good choice this year, including Toy Story 5, the Chiikawa movie, the real live action adaption of Moana and the usual annual Crayon Shinchan movie among others. Which movie are you planning to see this summer? Or have you already been to see one (or more)? If so, which one?

BigfamJapan

on Jul 30

6 Answers

What's your favorite 'kushiyaki'?

Just for fun; what type of skewered food do you like best in Japan? Or, if you feel like sharing, what are your top 3?

BigfamJapan

on Apr 11

2 Answers

Movie locations near you worth visiting?

The live action version of テルマエ・ロマエ Thermae Romae (2012) was shot at Nokogiriyama, Kyonan Town, Chiba Prefecture. It's one of my favourite getaways for hiking, the temple complex, and catching sea breezes. The movie is hilarious and heartwarming. Which Japanese live-action movies do you recommend, and are the filming locations worth a visit? Tell us the original title, English title, the year, and the location.

TonetoEdo

on Mar 23

5 Answers

What are our consumer rights in Japan?

Do you know your consumer rights in Japan? And if so, would you be willing to share anything about them? For example, what is the policy on returns? I am very familiar with my consumer rights in my home country, and they are very widely publicized back home, but information doesn't seem to be as transparent or readily available here. Or is that just me?

BigfamJapan

on Mar 15

What's in your toshikoshi soba?

8 Answers

Best Answer

Awaiting More Answers

Share Your Experience