As most of you know, I am in love with Japanese food. I am always in search of ways to make my Japanese favorites even better. I’m always evolving my recipes. When I realized that springtime was filled with brand new Japanese food cookbooks, I was thrilled!
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Take a look at some of these gorgeous Japanese cookbooks coming out this spring (2021) to get started on an amazing culinary adventure!
Tokyo Cocktails: An Elegant Collection of Over 100 Recipes Inspired by the Eastern Capital
Starting with beverages! The Tokyo Cocktails: An Elegant Collection of Over 100 Recipes Inspired by the Eastern Capital cocktail book is stunning. There are 100 cocktail recipes from some of the greatest bars in Tokyo.
Some examples of these recipes are the Rising Sun drink with beautiful tequila, lime cordial, and gin. Another drink is Camilla Godiva liqueur, cream, and Laphroaig with an orange twist on top!
The chapters and drinks are incredibly fun and give us a glimpse of the nightlife in the big city of Tokyo.
The Book of Tea
I had to include the classic book The Book of Tea to our list. This is a definitive visual edition of the 1906 classic. This isn’t a cookbook, but an essay about Eastern culture and the spirit of tea as a symbol of the Asian soul. This is a piece of art.
It introduces aspects of Japanese life to Western audiences through Teaism.
This particular version is incredibly visual and stunning. We educate ourselves with glorious photos displaying how tea ceremonies are pivotal to Japanese culture.
Sushi Party: Kawaii Sushi Made Easy!
We have talked about Sushi Party: Kawaii Sushi Made Easy! cookbook quite a few times on our blog, because it is just so wonderful!
For those who struggle with making sushi (me included) this is the cookbook for you. I know I’ve always wanted to make adorable sushi rolls, but am very intimidated. This cookbook will make it so easy!
Each chapter is rated either easy, moderate, or hard and utilizes pictures to illustrate how we can create such precious morsels. This breaks down sushi making in an effortless way.
Oishii: The History of Sushi
This is a topic that has always fascinated me. Now we can actually learn the history behind one of the stars in Japanese cuisine – sushi.
With Oishii: The History of Sushi we learn about the origins of sushi, what sushi looked like in the middle ages, cookbooks and streetfood – early modern era, sushi in modern era from snack to delicacy, the global spread of sushi, and sushi tomorrow. I’m interested to see what sushi looks like in ten years. I know we have created sushi burritos, sushi belts, and more!
monk: Light and Shadow on the Philosopher’s Path
If you’re looking for a sophisticated cookbook, look no further. The monk: Light and Shadow on the Philosopher’s Path cookbook shows off Yoshihiro Imai’s beautiful creations he serves at his restaurant near the Philosopher’s Path in Kyoto.
This book is a memoir of Imai’s life and about the beginning of his restaurant. There are also more than eighty contemporary Japanese recipes. They are organized into four chapters based around the seasons. This cookbook is filled with beautiful photos that look like pieces of art.
Oddly, his restaurant offers wood fired pizzas topped with local, seasonal ingredients. I would never have imagined pizza going elegant, but this cookbook has proved me wrong.
Eating Wild Japan: Tracking the Culture of Foraged Foods, with a Guide to Plants and Recipes
Did you know that people in Japan forage for a lot of their food to this day? The cookbook “Eating Wild Japan: Tracking the Culture of Foraged Foods, with a Guide to Plants and Recipes” provided that lesson for me.
Foraging food over growing and farming seems like a far cry in Western society, but maybe this is something we will be doing in our future. This cookbook is appealing to people who enjoy or want to get into foraging, especially if you want to learn about other cultures.
There are recipes throughout this book, but I am sure they use ingredients that won’t be readily available in your hometown grocery store.
This cookbook shares fascinating stories and provides insight into a world that is almost entirely foreign to us. As someone who loves Japan and Japanese food, it is enthralling to know where most of it comes from. Instead of being a farmer, they have foragers.
Water, Wood, and Wild Things: Learning Craft and Cultivation in a Japanese Mountain Town
Another specialty cookbook that talks about Japanese cuisine is Water, Wood, and Wild Things: Learning Craft and Cultivation in a Japanese Mountain Town. I am in love with the idea of spotlighting a small village. What are the differences between big city food and and more rural areas?
There are over twenty recipes that portray some traditional Japanese cooking techniques still used today. In big cities, these tricks have become less and less prevalent: that includes foraging, harvesting rice, and pouring the perfect cup of tea…
Take a journey and get comfortable with Water, Wood, and Wild Things: Learning Craft and Cultivation in a Japanese Mountain Town cookbook. If you’re like me and love Japanese culture and food, this is a must-have for your bookshelf.
Japanese Cooking: A Simple Art
New on Kindle: Japanese Cooking: A Simple Art cookbook is quickly going to become a favorite. This was published over twenty-five years ago and contributed to putting Japanese food on Western tables. Now, Japanese food is everywhere and people love it.
There are 500 illustrations and 230 recipes in this cookbook. Ranging from easy stir-frys and noodle dishes to more complicated dishes involving steamed fish and fried duck.
Inside, we’re presented with an array of Japanese dishes, and also tips on what kind of knives to use, utensils, basic ingredients and much more to get set up in your own home. Learning how to make your own dashi is going to come in handy for a lot of these dishes!
Ramen Made Simple: A Step-by-Step Guide
It only seems like recently that real ramen has become prevalent in some larger cities in the Western world. I am so grateful that more and more people are noticing how delicious ramen is. Now we have cookbooks that specialize in this awesome noodle soup.
The Ramen Made Simple: A Step-by-Step Guide cookbook talks about four basic ramen bases and provides recipes. Along with those, they’ve added uncommon ramen recipes or fusion recipes!
My favorite part of this particular cookbook is how they’ve given us a breakdown of each bowl of ramen. This includes adorable illustrations! The building formula shows what we need for the noodles, broth, tare, and even aromatics! Once you nail the basics, you’ll be able to concoct your own ramen recipes.
Food Cultures of Japan: Recipes, Customs, and Issues (The Global Kitchen)
The Food Cultures of Japan: Recipes, Customs, and Issues (The Global Kitchen) cookbook is a deep dive into the culture, history, and influences of Japanese cuisine. An interesting aspect of this particular cookbook is discussing important issues, such as production, nutrition and health, and sustainability.
There are recipes for every chapter and discussions of some of the deeper questions about Japanese food. There are also sidebars throughout and it’s written in chronological order!
What are some of your favorite Japanese dishes? What are some things you would love to try, but haven’t had the opportunity?
I would love to make some takoyaki! Or gluten-free taiyaki.
~Kaiti
