PODCAST · arts
Japan Eats!
by Heritage Radio Network
What is Japanese food? Sushi, or ramen, or kaiseki? What about Izakaya? Akiko Katayama, a Japanese native, New York-based food writer and director of the New York Japanese Culinary Academy, tells you all about real Japanese food and food culture. With guests ranging from sake producers with generations of experience to American chefs pushing the envelope of Japanese gastronomy, Japanese cuisine is demystified here!
Episodes
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From Vietnam to New York: The Story Behind Pizza 4P’s
Our guest is Kazuya Kubota, who is the Global Brand Director of Pizza 4P’s https://pizza4ps.com/. Pizza 4P's is truly a unique concept. It goes far beyond serving pizza, with the vision of “Make the World Smile for Peace”. Pizza 4P’s was founded in Vietnam in 2011 and it now operates over 40...
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Dokidoki: Innovative Sake & Shochu Cocktails In Japanese Tachinomi Vibes
Our guests are A-K Hada and Christian Suzuki-Orellana, who opened a fascinating cocktail bar Dokidoki https://www.dokidokinyc.com/ in Brooklyn, New York in July 2026. Both A-K and Suzu have highly successful careers as bartenders. A-K served as head bartender at the renowned cocktail bar PDT for...
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Palate Project: Making Japanese Sake More Accessible to Americans
Our guest is Genki Ito, who founded the unique online sake shop Tippsy Sake in 2018. He joined us in Episode #254 in February 2022 and discussed its innovative concept. Tippsy Sake’s business has grown successfully, alongside a community of sake lovers, and in May 2026, Genki renamed it Palate...
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Why Is Japanese Wine So Hot Right Now?
Our guest is Nick Rowan, author of Japanese Wine, a fantastic, comprehensive book on Japanese wine. The Japanese wine industry and culture have been developing very rapidly since the 1990s, and Nick’s book, which came out in 2025, is so timely. The book covers 725 producers and 130 grape...
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Making Waves in the Latte-Driven Matcha Boom: An Italian Woman Introduces Authentic Japanese Tea Culture
Our guest is Silvia Mella who is the owner of Sorate in New York. Sorate is a unique Japanese green tea company, which sells premium Japanese tea through online and operates beautiful tea houses in Manhattan. Japanese tea has been gaining attention in the global markets, fueled by rising health...
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Food Is The Foundation Of Our Mindfulness: Zen Monk Masaki Matsubara
Our guest is Reverend Dr. Masaki Matsubara, who is an eighteenth-generation Zen priest in the Japanese Rinzai tradition. His career is unique and impressive. Following his Zen monastic training in Heirinji Monastery in Japan, he moved to the US in 1999 to study at Cornell University, where he...
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Crafting Shogun-Selected Barrel Aged Soy Sauce For Over 330 Years
Our guest is Hideatsu Shibanuma who is the 18th-generation president of Shibanuma Soy Sauce, which was founded in 1688. Shibanuma Soy Sauce has specialized in producing barrel-aged soy sauce in Ibaraki Prefecture for about 370 years. Its products were so superior that they were served to Shoguns...
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Discovering Real Japan: The Oldest Izakaya, Fermentation Lab And Singing With Japanese Bluegrass Musicians
Our guest is George Padilla who plays a key role in multiple exciting Japanese restaurant and hospitality businesses in New York, including Rule of Thirds (https://www.thirdsbk.com/), Bin Bin Sake (https://linktr.ee/bin.bin.sake) and Teruko (https://hotelchelsea.com/dining-and-bar/teruko) at The...
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Konbini Culture: Unwrapping Japan’s Unique Convenience Stores
Our guest is Gavin Whitelaw https://rijs.fas.harvard.edu/gavin-h-whitelaw who is the Executive Director of Edwin O. Reischauer Institute of Japanese Studies at Harvard University. Gavin has spent over a decade living and teaching in Japan. Before joining the Reischauer Institute in 2016, he was…
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Discover America’s Largest Japanese Whisky Collection at Teruko
Our guest is Brian Evans who is the Director of Bars at Sunday Hospitality Group https://www.sundayhg.com/, which operates 12 popular hospitality concepts in New York and London, including Japanese-inspired restaurants Rule of Thirds https://www.thirdsbk.com/ in Brooklyn and Teruko...
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Chef Tadashi Ono: Serving The Essence of Japanese Cuisine For Three Decades
Our guest is Tadashi Ono who is the executive chef at Teruko https://hotelchelsea.com/dining-and-bar/teruko at The Hotel Chelsea in New York. Tadashi's career has been built through deliberate decisions along with his flexible, lighthearted approach to life. When he arrived in Los Angeles in…
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An American Winemaker's 35-Year Journey Helping To Shape Japanese Wine Culture
Our guest is Bruce Gutlove, who is an American-born winemaker based in Hokkaido, Japan. The Japanese wine industry has been flourishing, particularly in the last two decades or so, thanks to the rapid increase in talented winemakers who are willing to conquer the challenges of the country’s…
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What Makes a Michelin Star Sushi Restaurant?
Our guest is Cheng Lin who is the chef/owner of Shota Omakase https://shotaomakase.com/ in Brooklyn, New York. After nearly three decades of studying and serving sushi at notable restaurants in New York City, including Sushi Seki, Blue Ribbon, and ITO Tribeca, he opened his Omakase-only sushi...
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Teaching Kids How To Cook And Eat Healthy Food (With Fun!)
Our guests are Mayumi Uejima-Carr and Debra Samuels. Mayumi is the President of TABLE FOR TWO USA https://usa.tablefor2.org/ and Debra leads the program content and curriculum development of TABLE FOR TWO USA’s Japanese-inspired food education program. TABLE FOR TWO is a not-for-profit…
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A Humane Catch: How Ikejime Benefits Fish, Flavor And The Planet
Our guest is Andrew Tsui who is the founder and president of The Ike Jime Federation https://ikejimefederation.com/ based in Maryland. Ikejime is a unique, traditional Japanese technique to treat fish right after it is caught. Ikejime dramatically reduces fish’s suffering and extends its…
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Nozomi Mori: A Female Sushi Chef Breaks New Ground In L.A.
Our guest is Nozomi Mori who is the chef/owner of the sushi bar Mori Nozomi https://www.morinozomi.com/ in Los Angeles, which opened in 2024. She got into the world of sushi in 2017, only 8 years ago, and her sushi bar already earned notable accolades, such as a Michelin star and was included in...
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Global Kura: Japanese-American Sake Collaborations
Our guest is Timothy Sullivan who has over 17 years of experience teaching about sake. In 2007, he was awarded the prestigious title of Sake Samurai by the Japan Sake Brewers Association. Since 2013, Tim has served as the Global Brand Ambassador for the 100-year-old Hakkaisan Sake Brewery...
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What Is The Difference Between Japanese Restaurants In Japan And The U.S.?
Our guests are Yusuke Fukuzaki and Ryo Yamazaki, co-owners of SSAW www.ssawbrooklyn.com/ in Brooklyn, New York. The duo opened SSAW in November 2024 to serve “a refined ‘New Japanese’ dining experience, where traditional craftsmanship meets contemporary innovation,” according to its website.…
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Ask The 18th Generation Priest: What Is Zen And How Do You Practice It Daily?
Our guest is Reverend Dr. Masaki Matsubara who is an eighteenth-generation Zen priest in the Japanese Rinzai tradition. His career is unique and impressive. Following his Zen monastic training in Heirinji Monastery in Japan, he moved to the US in 1999 to study at Cornell University where he...
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‘Read The Room’ Mindset: What Makes Japanese Culture Unique?
Our guest is Joshua Walker who is the President and CEO of Japan Society https://japansociety.org/ in New York. Joshua has a very intriguing background. He was raised in Japan and spent his formative years in Hokkaido, northern Japan. Since Joshua left Japan at the age of 18, he has been working…
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Waltz: Japanese Cocktail Culture Expressed in Seasonality
Our guest is Gento Torigata https://gentotorigata.com/ who is the owner and mixologist of Waltz https://waltzbar.uk/ in East London. After diverse culinary and bartending experiences in Japan, Australia and Singapore, Gento moved to London and opened Waltz in April 2024. Waltz is truly a unique...
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Pioneering Sustainable Plant-Based Protein With Koji
My guest today is Tim Fronzek who is a co-founder of Nosh.bio https://www.nosh.bio/ based in Berlin, Germany. Plant-based protein has been gaining attention, particularly since the 2010s for our growing health and environmental concerns. However, various products in the market may not be as ideal...
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Inspiring The World With Japanese Fermentation Culture And Traditions
Our guest is Takashi Sato who is the 8th generation family member of Sanjirushi Jozo in Mie Prefecture and the president of San-J International https://san-j.com/ in the state of Virginia. Sanjirushi Jozo has been making soy sauce and miso since 1804, and in 1978, the company decided to expand…
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The Spirit of Japan: Passing Down The Tradition Of Shochu In The Modern Era
https://yamatozakura.com/ https://www.thespiritofjapan.com/ Our guests are Stephen Lyman and Joseph Overbey who have produced the documentary The Spirit of Japan. It is the story of the Wakamatsu family, who have been making the traditional Japanese distilled spirit, shochu, at their Yamatozakura...
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SingleThread: Weaving Japanese And Californian Ethos Together
Our guest is Kyle Connaughton, who is the chef/owner of SingleThread https://singlethreadfarms.com/ in California. SingleThread is a very unique farm, restaurant, and inn, which has earned numerous accolades since its opening in 2016, including three Michelin stars, three Michelin keys and a...
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From Masa To Nami Nori: A Culinary Journey of Chef Taka Sakaeda
Our guest is Takahiro Sakaeda who is the chef/partner of Nami Nori https://www.naminori.us/. Nami Nori is a unique concept of temaki sushi bar that serves open-style hand rolls on a U-shaped stand. Since its opening in 2019 in New York, Taka has created many fans of his beautifully made, casual…
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A Japanese Toji Dedicated to Making Sake In America For Over 20 Years
Our guest is Takumi Kuwabara who is the toji or brewmaster at SakéOne in Forest Grove, Oregon. SakéOne (https://www.sakeone.com/) is a unique sake brewery. It was founded in 1992 by Momokawa Brewing in Aomori Prefecture, Japan, which was founded in 1889. SakéOne started sake-brewing in 1997 and...
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After Two Michelin Stars In London, A Chef Returns To Japan To Reimagine Kaiseki
Our guest is Yoshinori Ishi who is the executive chef and producer of Auberge TOKITO https://www.aubergetokito.com/en/ in Tachikawa, Tokyo. Chef Ishii’s background is unique and spectacular. He worked at one of the top Kaiseki restaurants in Kyoto called Arashiyama Kiccho as a sous chef and moved...
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Cooking Authentic Kaiseki Cuisine in New York For Two Decades
Our guest is Isao Yamada who is the chef-owner of Yamada https://www.yamadanewyork.com/ in New York. He was classically trained in Kyoto as a Kaiseki chef and opened his own restaurant at the age of 25 in his hometown Fukuoka. He could have successfully built his career in Japan but he decided to...
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Merging French And Japanese Cuisines In Harmony
Our guests are Rahul Saito and Mitsu Nagae. Rahul is the owner and Mitsu is the co-owner and executive chef at l’abeille https://www.labeille.nyc and l’abeille à côté https://www.labeilleacote.nyc/ in Tribeca, New York. The duo opened l’abeille in March 2022 and shortly after, they won a Michelin...
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A Ginza Sushi Chef Who Connects Authenticity And Evolution
Our guest is Takatoshi Kadowaki who is the chef-owner of Sushi Kadowaki https://sushi-kadowaki.jp/eng/ in Tokyo. He started his sushi-chef training at 17 and after his master retired, he moved to the U.S. and developed a global mindset. Now he serves authentic Edomae-style sushi in the Ginza area...
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A Career In Sake: Curating Sake Lists, Collaborating With Breweries And Educating Future Professionals
Our guest is Daniel Bennett who is the sake sommelier at Sushi-san www.sushisanrestaurant.com and The Omakase Room at Sushi-san www.theomakaseroom.com in Chicago. Both are a part of Lettuce Entertain You Restaurants, which is an independent, family-owned restaurant group that owns, manages and...
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Heavensake: Traditional Sake Made In The Style of Champagne
Our guests are Régis Camus and Carl Hirschmann, co-founders of Heavensake https://www.heavensake.com/, which was founded in 2016. Heavensake is truly unique. It is the first sake producer that introduced the blending (assemblage) technique to the traditional sake-making process. The mastermind...
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Hilo Beverly Hills: Earnest Pursuit Of Deliciousness With Hawaiian Hospitality
Our guest is Hilo Mahelona who is the chef and founder of Hilo Beverly Hills https://www.hilobh.com/ in Los Angeles, California. Growing up in Hawaii under Japanese and Hawaiian parents, Hilo has a unique yet authentic sushi-making philosophy. And the moment you step into his restaurant, you will...
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Noma Kyoto 2024 Recap And The Future Of Noma
Our guest is Thomas Frebel who is the creative director at Noma https://noma.dk/. Noma is the famed restaurant in Copenhagen with numerous accolades, including three Michelin stars and The World’s 50 Best Restaurants’ No.1 spot. Since its opening in 2003, Noma’s chef/owner René Redzepi has been...
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How A Bowl Of Ramen Changed The Whole Life Of An American
Our guest today is Tim Anderson who is a chef and food writer based in London. Tim’s early interest in Japanese food led him to global adventures in L.A., Japan and the U.K. A bowl of ramen he encountered in L.A. fueled his passion for studying it and he moved to Fukuoka, Japan. Then he opened…
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The First Sake Brewery In The U.K. Promotes The True Market Value of Japanese Traditions
Our guest is Kumiko Hashimoto who grew up in the family of the 200-year-old sake brewery in Osaka. She now plays a key role at Dojima Sake Brewery https://fordhamabbey.co.uk/ near Cambridge in the U.K., which the family founded in 2018. Dojima Sake Brewery is the first sake brewery in the U.K. It...
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Mandaracha In Kyoto: A Frenchman’s Quest For Japanese Tea
Our guest is Alexander Nicolau who is the founder of Mandaracha https://www.mandaracha.com/ in Kyoto, which opened in 2019. Originally from France, Alex fell in love with Japanese tea while he was working in the fields of food technology and open innovation. Mandaracha is a very special place…
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The Joy Of Making Soy Sauce With A Winery Partner in Bordeaux
And my guest today is Toshio Shinko who is the fifth-generation owner of Marushin Honke in Wakayama Prefecture, Japan. The company was founded in 1881 and since then, it has produced high-quality traditional Japanese food products, such as miso and soy sauce. In 2002, in addition to managing...
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Merging Michelin-style French Cuisine And Japanese Home Cooking Seamlessly
Our guest is Emily Yuen who is the executive chef at Lingo https://www.lingobk.com/, a unique Japanese American restaurant in Brooklyn, New York. Emily has an impressive culinary background. She worked at top French restaurants in the world, including Le Gavroche in London, DB Bistro in Singapore...
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The First Japanese Culinary School Opened In London
Our guest today is Yoshihiko Shida who is the chief Instructor of Tokyo College of Sushi & Washoku London www.sushicollege.uk, which opened in September 2024. The opening is exciting since the school is the first major Japanese culinary school in Europe. Chef Shida has worked as an educator and...
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What Is Ikigai? Restaurant Ikigai Exemplifies The Idea
Our guest is Rafal Maslankiewicz who is the chef at Ikigai www.ikigai.nyc in New York, which opened in July 2024. Ikigai is a very unique concept. First of all, it is a not-for-profit organization, which is highly unusual for a restaurant. Secondly, beyond covering the fundamental costs of…
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Shojin Ryori: Healthy, Sustainable Japanese Plant-based Diet
Our guest is Kakuho Aoe https://www.instagram.com/kakuhoaoe_nakamichi0316/ who is the chief Buddhist priest of the Ryokusenji Temple in Asakusa, Tokyo. Kakuho Aoe joins me to discuss why food is important in the Buddhist practice and beyond, why the Buddhist diet called Shojin Ryori is great diet...
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Japanese Rice: A Culinary Delight And A Symbol Of Spirituality
Our guest is Jun Mattison who is the assistant manager at The Rice Factory New York https://trf-ny.com/. The Rice Factory New York is an importer, wholesaler and retailer of premium rice. The company offers the best taste and flavor possible by fully controlling the quality of rice from farming,...
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Sushi by Scratch: America’s Own Omakase Sushi
Our guest is Phillip Frankland Lee who is the chef/owner of Sushi by Scratch. Sushi by Scratch Restaurants began in Los Angeles and New York marks its tenth location, which opened in September 2024. Phillip is known for innovative omakase-style sushi preparations, while still respecting the…
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Boken Adventures: Connecting Centuries-Old Sake Breweries And American Tables
Our guest is George Kao who is the head of sales at Boken Sake https://www.drinkboken.com/ based in New York. Boken Sake is a unique concept. The company collaborates with authentic Japanese sake breweries and produces sake under the Boken brand. Many sake breweries consider expanding to overseas...
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What Is Anko: The Key Ingredient of Japanese Sweets
Our guest is Ririko Tatsumi who is the founder of Annn based in New York. Annn is truly a unique concept. Traditional Japanese sweets are called Wagashi. One of Wagashi’s key ingredients is An, or Anko, a bean paste made with different kinds of beans from red, and white to green. Not just colors,...
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Tips For Pairing Sake And Non-Japanese Food
Our guest is John Gauntner who is one of the world’s leading non-Japanese sake experts and educators. He has been writing and lecturing about sake since 1994, in various newspapers and magazines in Japan and overseas. He has published six books on sake across two languages, and hundreds of…
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Yama Seafood: Forward-minded Authentic Japanese Seafood Purveyor In America
Our guest is Nobu Yamanashi who is the president of Yama Seafood based in New Jersey. Founded in 1980 by his father Kengo Yamanashi, Yama Seafood has been one of the most reliable sources of high-quality seafood in the U.S. for almost 45 years. Nobu joined us in Episode #245 in November 2021 to...
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A Delicate California Wine Made To Be Paired with Japanese Food
Our guest today Xander Soren who is the founder of Xander Soren Wines https://xandersorenwines.com/ . Xander Soren Wines is a unique boutique California Pinot Noir producer whose mission is to create wines that pair exceptionally well with sushi and other Japanese foods without overpowering them....
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
What is Japanese food? Sushi, or ramen, or kaiseki? What about Izakaya? Akiko Katayama, a Japanese native, New York-based food writer and director of the New York Japanese Culinary Academy, tells you all about real Japanese food and food culture. With guests ranging from sake producers with generations of experience to American chefs pushing the envelope of Japanese gastronomy, Japanese cuisine is demystified here!
HOSTED BY
Heritage Radio Network
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Japan Eats! have?
Japan Eats! currently has 395 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Japan Eats! about?
What is Japanese food? Sushi, or ramen, or kaiseki? What about Izakaya? Akiko Katayama, a Japanese native, New York-based food writer and director of the New York Japanese Culinary Academy, tells you all about real Japanese food and food culture. With guests ranging from sake producers with...
How often does Japan Eats! release new episodes?
Japan Eats! publishes regularly with 395 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.
Where can I listen to Japan Eats!?
You can listen to Japan Eats! on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Japan Eats!?
Japan Eats! is created and hosted by Heritage Radio Network.
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