Season 5

This time, we focus on konnyaku. This jiggly gray ingredient may have subtle flavoring, but it's an essential part of Japanese cuisine, often used in simmered and fried dishes. Konnyaku is high in fiber and low in calor…

This time, we feature turnips. There are over 100 kinds produced all over Japan, but Kyoto Prefecture grows the country's largest and is known for a variety used to make pickled turnips. We visit Kyoto to discover tradi…

From sashimi to sushi to ramen and more, soy sauce is an essential part of Japanese cuisine. With complex, umami-packed flavor and full-bodied aroma, soy sauce is a fermented condiment made possible thanks to microbes. …

This time, we focus on sea cucumbers. When you see one of these bizarre-looking creatures, you may wonder who first thought of eating them! But they're actually considered a delicacy on the level of caviar and foie gras…

Ama-ebi is enjoyed boiled and eaten in sandwiches or salads around the world. As preparing this shrimp raw brings out its rich, sweet texture, it's commonly eaten in the form of sashimi or sushi in Japan. We explore uni…

Miso is a seasoning born of a fermentation process using various bacteria. It's used to make miso soup, a Japanese soul food essential to daily dining. While miso is produced all over Japan, we go to rice-producing Yama…