Chopsticks NY #141 January 2019

Let’s start 2019 with more Japanese and Asian food!

Chopsticks NY’s New Year edition features home-cooking ideas and recipes that you can try at home.

How to Enjoy MOCHI on New Year!

If you know mochi only through mochi ice cream and daifuku, it’s time to step up and go a little further and deeper into the Japanese mochi culture. New Year is the time Japanese people heavily enjoy mochi, and here we introduce various ways to savor mochi from traditional to creative styles.

12 Recipes You Can Try at Home Wanna bring new flavors to your table? Store-bought Japanese seasonings and ingredients will help you expand your cooking repertoire tremendously.

President / Publisher Tetsuji Shintani Editor-in-Chief Noriko Komura Art Director Kazue Yoshida

Writers Victoria Goldenberg Stacy Smith Proofreader Susan Spain Sales Ippei Enjoji

January 2019, #141 Published by Trend Pot NY, LLC 40 Exchange Pl., #1902 New York, NY 10005 TEL: 212-431-9970

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Reproduction without permission is strictly prohibited. Trend Pot NY, LLC is not responsible for any damage due to the contents made available through CHOPSTICKS NY.

Presented by the No.1 Japanese free paper in New York, NY Japion

CHOPSTICKS NY | Vol. 141 | Jan 2019 | www.chopsticksny.com

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[ FEATURES ]

How to Enjoy MOCHI during the New Year’s Holiday!

Mochi is available all year round, but New Year is the time Japanese people enjoy mochi most. Customarily in Japan, each household makes mochi at home at the end of the year, shapes it into kagami-mochi pieces and creates on altar with them inside the house in Japan. Today, buying mochi is more common instead of making it at home, but the custom of making an altar with mochi is still rigidly observed. Here we introduce the New Year’s mochi culture and traditional ways to savor it.

Why mochi on New Year?

Round or Rectangular Mochi?

Kagami-mochi is a two-layered round mochi made for

Mochi can be both round or rectangular. They taste almost

offering to Shinto deities. Its round shape symbolizes a well-

the same, but when grilled the rectangular one browns nicely

rounded/peaceful/happy year, and the layering of two mochi

and gets crispy easily because of the

expresses the desire for the year to bring abundant happiness.

flat surface and corner edges. As

The kagami-mochi is for welcoming

each part of the country has

deities in the New Year. Since it is

its own food culture, there

believed that there are Shinto deities

are regional differences in

that dwell throughout the home,

mochi

people put one piece of kagami-mochi

Western

in an altar in each room, as well as in

regions tend to eat round

the kamidana (miniature home shrine).

mochi, while eastern and

The mochi should be placed in the

northern

altar on Dec. 28.

rectangular shape.

stylistic

choices.

and

southern

ones

How to Prepare Store-Bought Mochi Some Japanese still pound mochi in the traditional way with a wooden mallet and mortar, or the modern way by using an electric mochipounding machine. But storebought mochi is favored in today’s busy society. Pounding mochi at home in the U.S. is not at all practical, so why not try store-bought mochi?

Packaged for single-use, it can be easily prepared by heating it up in the following ways.

for

about

4-5

minutes, depending on the size of mochi.

B. Put mochi into water and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat and cook for 2 minutes.

This method yields

neither a nice brown mark nor crispiness, but a freshly-pounded texture.

C. You can also microwave it. Add water in a microwave-safe bowl and place mochi into it. Microwave for about 1-2 minutes depending on your microwave’s wattage.

2

the

Mochi expands in a few minutes, so keep your eyes on it to not let it explode.

A. Toast in a toaster oven

prefer

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Grilling Mochi on the Stove Back in the olden days every household had a shichirin (portable clay stove), and mochi would usually be grilled on top of it. You can try to simulate this by placing a grilling mesh on your gas stove, but the effect is not exactly the same.

[ FEATURES ]

New Year Soup: Zoni

Typical zoni soup features festive ingredients in clear dashi soup.

Osechi ryori is Japan’s New Year dish, an assortment of small dishes with wishful meanings. But there are a couple of other dishes that are mainly enjoyed on New Year. Zoni or O-zoni (a soup dish with mochi and your choice of various ingredients) is one of them. The style of zoni also has regional differences, but it basically consists of dashi base soup, mochi, protein, and other plant-base ingredients.

Predominantly, the soup is clear, but there are some regions that use cloudy soup with miso. As mentioned on the previous page, mochi can be round or rectangular, and doesn’t matter whether it’s grilled or not before putting it into the soup.

You are free to choose your favorite protein ingredients, but common items are chicken, shrimp, kamoboko fishcake, and tofu. As for other ingredients, people use carrots, spinach, and komatsuna green for color accent, and yuzu rind and

Cloudy soup seasoned with white miso is enjoyed in the Western regions.

mitsuba herb for suikuchi (aromatic accent). People often use left-over ingredients from the osechi ryori as well.

sasaken/Shutterstock.com

oni Build Your Own Z In Japan, each family has its own recipe of zoni. You can build your own style of zoni by using your favorite ingredients.

Styles of Mochi

Protein

Vegetables

Suikuchi (aromatic

Rectangular, grilled

(Traditional)

(Traditional)

accent)

Rectangular, not grilled

Chicken

Carrots

(Traditional)

Round, grilled

Chicken meatball

Satoimo (Japanese

Yuzu

Round, not grilled

Shrimp

yam)

Mitsuba

Salmon

Lotus root

Sansho

Tofu

Shiitake mushrooms

Soup (Traditional)

Dashi broth (bonito, sardine, kombu kelp, shiitake mushrooms, etc.) *You can season the dashi with salt, soy sauce, or miso.

(Unconventional)

Beef Pork Bacon

Burdock root

Ham

(Unconventional)

Spam

Asparagus

Sausage

Broccoli

Cilantro Basil Shiso

Kale Beets

Chicken broth

Tomatoes

Vegetable broth

Orange

Komatsuna green

(Unconventional)

Beef broth

Lemon

Spinach Daikon radish

(Unconventional)

Original zoni using ingredients of sausage asparagus, kale, and tomatoes

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[ FEATURES ]

Easy-to-Make Mochi Dishes As long as you have mochi at home, you can enjoy many dishes from savory to sweet, authentic Japanese to fusion. Introduced here are traditional mochi dishes

Zenzai/O-shiruko

If you use toasted mochi for this dish, you can enjoy a crisp texture and nutty aroma along with sweet bean soup. If you enjoy smoothness, choose non-toasted.

Canned azuki red bean paste comes in different consistencies depending on brands, so you should adjust the thickness to your taste.

Zenzai and o-shiruko are sweet, azuki red bean soup with mochi.

Zenzai is with bean chunks while o-shiruko is smooth with no bean chunks. Whichever you prefer, all you need are simple ingredients of azuki red bean, sugar, and mochi. However, cooking

Variation: You can make azuki paste thick and serve atof mochi, and you’ll have Ankoro-mochi.

azuki red bean into a sweet soup takes time, although the steps are not complicated. So, we suggest you use canned red bean paste. Then you can just dilute it to a soup and add mochi.

Isobe Mochi

Crispiness is one of the keys of this dish, so keep nori in the bag until the very last minute. Once you wrap mochi with nori, dig in right away.

Otherwise the nori will absorb moisture from the mochi and lose its crisp texture.

This savory mochi dish is surprisingly simple to make and super tasty. Toast mochi, dunk it into a soy sauce bath, and wrap it with nori seaweed. Nori brings a briny flavor, giving it its name, “Isobe”, meaning “shore side”. For this dish, you should definitely toast the mochi, otherwise, you cannot enjoy its crispy rice cracker-like texture and aroma.

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You can also reduce the amount of nori if you like. Shred the nori and just garnish it atop mochi dressed with soy sauce.

[ FEATURES ]

Abekawa Mochi

Original Abekawa Mochi is dusted with kinako and topped with white sugar.

Today, more commonly, kinako and sugar are mixed first and then dusted onto mochi. Ratio of kinako to sugar is 2 to 1, but you can always tweak it to your liking.

This mochi, dusted with kinako (soy powder) and sugar, is another popular dish, Abekawa Mochi. It is said that

Traditional Sauces Served with Mochi

the legendary warlord and the founder of Tokugawa

Mitarashi

Shogunate, Ieyasu Tokugawa, fell in love with this dish

Everyone loves sweet and savory tastes!

Mitarashi sauce can be Japan’s traditional peanut butter. Simply made with soy sauce, sugar, water and starch for thickening, it has an addictive umami.

when he ate it at Abekawa in Shizuoka Prefecture, and he named it Abekawa Mochi.

It is recommended to use boiled mochi to enjoy its smooth texture. If you use toasted mochi, you should

Goma-dare

dunk it into hot water for 30 seconds so that the

This pitch-dark sauce is made with black sesame, sugar, mirin, water, and a touch of soy sauce. Grind black sesame, mix it with other ingredients and bring it to a boil. Thicken it to your favorite texture.

mochi has some moisture to capture the kinako-sugar mixture well.

Both sauces are great to top over vanilla ice cream!

“Kagami Biraki” and How to Enjoy Hardened Mochi January 10th is “Kagami Biraki”, the day to take down kagami-mochi. By the time mochi has been in the altar for about two weeks, it becomes quite hard. You can still enjoy it by boiling or cooking it in the microwave as explained on page 2. But there is another fun way to revive hardened mochi. Cut the mochi into small bits (about half-inch cubes) and dry completely*. Then deep-fry it until golden brown. Sprinkle salt on and eat it like a cracker. *You must dry the mochi completely, otherwise it will pop while deep-frying. Be careful not to burn yourself.

CHOPSTICKS NY | Vol. 141 | Jan 2019 | www.chopsticksny.com

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Gomoku Gohan (Japanese Pilaf)

Creamy Lemongrass and Ginger Soup

[Ingredients] (Serves 4) o 1 package House Foods Premium or Organic Tofu Firm, drained and puréed o 1 quart chicken broth o 1 small bag fresh baby spinach, rinsed o 1/2 cup celery, chopped o 1/2 cup onion, chopped o 2 cloves garlic, minced o 1/2 red bell pepper, chopped o 1/2 yellow bell pepper, chopped o 2 tbsp lemongrass, grated o 2 tbsp ginger root, grated o 1/4 cup lime juice o 1/3 cup oyster sauce o Handful of cilantro, chopped o Salt and pepper to taste [Directions] 1. In blender, blend together tofu, broth and spinach.

2. In large sauce pan, add broth mix, celery, onions, garlic, peppers, lemongrass, ginger, lime juice and oyster sauce.

3. Simmer until all ingredients are soft (approximately 30 minutes), but be careful NOT to boil your mixture.

4. Add cilantro and season with salt and pepper.

5. Simmer for an additional 20-30 minutes.

6. Garnish with cilantro and serve with rice.

[Ingredients] (Serves 4) o 3 cups rice, washed and drained o 1/2 piece chicken thigh o 1/4 piece bamboo shoot o 1/4 carrot o 2 shiitake mushrooms o 1 piece aburaage (deep fried tofu) o 6 tbsp Kikkoman Hon Tsuyu o Water to dilute

[Ingredients] (Serves 4) o 6 cups chicken stock o 1/4 cup sake o 3 tbsp soy sauce o 16-20 Day-Lee Pride Umami Gyoza Dumplings o 2 bunches cellophane noodles (50g x 2) o 1/4 head of napa cabbage o 1 bunch scallions o 1/4 head of cabbage o A few carrot slices cut into flower shapes (optional)

[Directions] 1. Cut chicken into bite size pieces.

2. Slice bamboo shoot and shiitake mushrooms. Shred carrot and cut aburaage in half and then shred.

3. Put rice and Kikkoman Hon Tsuyu in a rice cooker, and fill with water until it reaches up to 3 cups on the inner scale of the pot. If you use a regular pot or pan, first mix Kikkoman Hon Tsuyu and water measured 1.2 times the volume of the rice. Put rice in the pot or pan and then add Hon Tsuyu/water mixture.

4. Add toppings from Step 2 to the rice cooker (pot or pan), mix and turn on the heat.

For Dipping sauce: o 1 cup ponzu o 1/4 cup finely chopped scallions o 2 tbsp finely grated ginger

*If you use a rice cooker, you just wait until it’s done.

If you use a pot or pan, first cook at high heat until it’s brought to a boil (about 5 min.), reduce heat and simmer for about 15 min., and turn off the heat and let it rest for about 5-10 min.

5. Once the rice is cooked, mix well and serve.

POINT POINT

To make this soup vegetarian-friendly, use vegetable broth and vegetarian oyster sauce.

Organic Tofu Extra Firm From Soft to Super Firm and everything in between, all of House Foods tofu is made from 100% U.S. Grown, Non-GMO soybeans.

Having two production facilities on both East and West Coasts enables House Foods to provide the freshest tofu on the market. www.house-foods.com

Gyoza Nabe with Winter Greens

You can replace bamboo shoot with gobo (burdock root). Gobo gives an earthy and hearty taste to the pilaf. Use sasagaki cutting technique (making thin slivers by cutting gobo like sharpening a knife) to maximize the texture and flavor of gobo.

Kikkoman Hon Tsuyu Kikkoman Hon Tsuyu is a multipurpose soup & sauce base for use in tempura dipping sauce, broth for noodles, and dipping sauce for noodles. Made from Kikkoman soy sauce blended with four types of katsuobushi (bonito flakes) and kelp to add satisfying umami. Mild yet full-bodied sweetness comes from selected brown sugar. www.kikkoman.com

[Directions] 1. Cut napa cabbage and cabbage into bite size pieces and set them aside.

2. Soak the cellophane noodles in cold water for 10 minutes, drain and cut them into 1/3 length. Set aside.

3. Cut scallions diagonally into bite size pieces.

4. Bring chicken stock to a boil and add sake and soy sauce.

5. Add napa cabbage, cabbage, Day-Lee Foods pork dumplings, cellophane noodles and scallion (and flower carrots for decoration).

6. While all the ingredients are cooking, prepare individual dipping sauce. In a small individual bowl, add ponzu, some chopped scallions and grated ginger.

7. When all the ingredients are cooked, each party should fish out their choice of ingredients, dip them into the prepared dipping sauce, eat and repeat!

POINT

You can replace winter greens with your favorite vegetables such as broccoli, shiitake mushroom, and burdock.

Day-Lee Pride Umami Gyoza Day-Lee Pride’s Umami Gyoza series is an umami enhanced version of their regular Gyoza series with no MSG added. By using umami-rich ingredients such as meat, kombu kelp, Chinese leek, soy sauce, garlic, and shiitake mushrooms*, the Umami Gyoza series is flavorful and savory. The series comes in three flavors of Chicken & Shiitake, Chicken & Leek, and Pork & Leek. *Ingredients vary in each flavor. www.dayleepride.com

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CHOPSTICKS NY | Vol. 141 | Jan 2019 | www.chopsticksny.com

Millefeuille Hot Pot

[Ingredients] (Serves 2) o 12 oz thinly sliced pork o 1/2 head (2 lb) napa cabbage o 2 tbsp HONDASHI® For broth: o 6 cups water o 2 tbsp soy sauce o 1/2 tsp salt o 1 stalk green onion, finely chopped for garnish o 1-inch piece ginger, julienned for garnish [Directions] 1. On a flat surface, layer napa cabbage leaf and pork until you have 4 layers. Repeat this step. Cut layered ingredients into 2-inch width.

2. In a pot, place napa cabbage and pork layers, starting around the edge of the pot with cut-side up.

3. Sprinkle HONDASHI® over the ingredients and add water, soy sauce, and salt. Cover the pot and bring it to a boil.

4. Reduce heat to medium, and simmer for 10 minutes or until fully cooked.

5. Garnish with green onion and ginger.

POINT

After eating all the ingredients, you can enjoy the leftover soup! Add HONDASHI® and udon noodles to the soup, and cook for a couple of minutes*.

Serve in a bowl and top with chopped scallions. It’s a perfect dish for completing your meal. *Cooking time varies depending on the thickness of the udon noodles.

HONDASHI® HONDASHI® is the flagship product at Ajinomoto Foods North America, Inc. Translated as “real broth”, it is made from the highest quality dried bonito and other fine ingredients. HONDASHI® has a mild yet savory flavor that blends well with a variety of ingredients. From miso soup to tempura sauce, you can use the granulated dashi power for almost every dish. Add a small amount of HONDASHI® and see how it enhances the umami of your dish.

Shirataki Noodle Veggie Stir-Fry

[Ingredients] (Serves 2-3) o 3 packages House Foods Traditional Shirataki Noodles o 1 large onion o 4 cups mixed vegetables of choice (2 zucchinis, 2 large carrots, and 1/3 head cabbage are used in this recipe) For sauce: o 3 tbsp soy sauce/tamari o 1 tbsp maple syrup o 1 tbsp sesame oil o 1 tbsp rice vinegar o 3 cloves minced garlic o 1 inch ginger root, minced o 1 tsp red chili flakes [Directions] 1. Chop vegetables and fry with oil/water in a large pan.

2. Meanwhile, whisk together the sauce ingredients in a bowl.

3. Prepare noodles according to package instructions. Set aside.

4. When the veggies are tender, add the sauce and noodles to the frying pan. Toss well until evenly incorporated.

5. Remove the noodles from heat and top with desired garnish. *This recipe was created by Lenny Wu from vegamelon. com.

POINT

Adding crispy tofu makes for a nice boost of protein.

House Foods Traditional Shirataki A traditional Japanese noodle made from konnyaku (or konjac), an Asian yam that contains zero calories, making it the perfect noodle substitute. www.house-foods.com

Shrimp Hors-d’oeuvre Salad

[Ingredients] (Serves 2) o 4 shrimp, shelled and boiled o 1 egg o 4 grape tomatoes o 1/2 bag baby greens o Mizkan Creamy Sesame Dressing to season [Directions] 1. Shell and devein shrimp and boil them. Set aside. (Or you can use store-bought boiled shrimp.)

2. Make a half-boiled egg. Shell it and cut it into 4 pieces.

3. Cut each grape tomato into 4 pieces.

4. In a glass, arrange baby greens and tomato pieces.

5. Top it with shrimp and egg.

6. Finish it by pouring Mizkan Creamy Sesame Dressing over it.

POINT

If you replace shrimp with prosciutto and mozzarella, you can make it an Italian salad.

Tofu and even pork shabu shabu are also great.

Colorful and flavorful, it is ideal for a party appetizer.

Enjoy different kinds of salads by switching around toppings.

Mizkan Creamy Sesame Dressing Mizkan Creamy Sesame Dressing is a creamy, emulsified type dressing made with an abundance of sesame paste. It cannot only be used for salad but also enjoyed as sauce for karaage fried chicken or spread for sandwiches and burgers. www.mizkan.com/JapaneseProducts.aspx

www.AJAsianFoods.com

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Spicy Ponzu Nabe with Sriracha Gyoza Dumplings

Spicy Sesame Ramen (Tan Tan Men)

[Ingredients] (Serves 4) o 5 cups water o 1/2 cup ponzu o 1/2 tsp salt o 1/4 cup sake o 16-20 Day-Lee Pride Sriracha Chicken Gyoza Dumplings o 1 bunch cilantro o 1 bunch scallions o 1 jalapeno pepper, sliced o 2 limes

[Ingredients] (Serves 1) o 1 noodle packet from Sun Noodle Shoyu Ramen Kit o 1 soup base packet from Sun Noodle Shoyu Ramen Kit o 2 tbsp ground sesame o 1 tsp sesame oil o 2 tsp salad oil o 2 tsp vinegar o 2 tsp chili oil o Your favorite toppings

[Directions] 1. Cut scallions diagonally into bite size pieces.

2. Roughly chop cilantro.

3. Cut limes into wedges.

4. Boil water, ponzu, salt and sake in a pot.

5. Add dumplings, scallions, jalapeĂąo pepper slices (adjust to your spice level), and cilantro.

6. When the dumplings are cooked, serve in individual bowls, add more cilantro and squeeze some lime right before eating.

[Directions] 1. Mix together ground sesame, sesame oil, and salad oil in a bowl.

2. Add one package of the Sun Noodle Shoyu Flavor Fresh Ramen soup base in the bowl.

3. Add vinegar and chili oil (to your preference).

4. Boil plenty of water (at least 8 cups) in a large pot; add 1 package of Shoyu Ramen Noodles and cook for 2 to 2 and a half minutes (to your preference).

5. In the bowl prepared earlier, pour 1 and a half cups (300ml) of hot water and stir.

6. Strain the boiled noodles well and place into the bowl of soup.

7. Add toppings of your choice such as chashu, boiled vegetables and scallion.

POINT

You can add some more greens such as spinach, arugula, swiss chard, and kale as well as some mushrooms.

Day-Lee Pride Sriracha Chicken Gyoza (Potstickers) Japanese style potstickers have thinner dough and more filling than Chinese style. Day-Lee Pride Sriracha Chicken Gyoza is a frozen, ready-to-use Japanese style potsticker with a zesty blend of dark meat chicken, cabbage, onions, spices, and sriracha sauce.

It is fully-cooked before frozen, offering a variety of available heating methods, such as pan-fry, deep-fry, steam, microwave, or just adding in soups. With a higher percentage of protein in the filling and no MSG added, the Day-Lee Pride Sriracha Chicken Gyoza is a healthier option for kids and family.

POINT

Adjust seasonings such as the amount of vinegar and chili oil according to your preference. Lightly toast sesame in a pan and its flavor will be enhanced.

Sun Noodle Shoyu Ramen Kit Sun Noodle Ramen Kits make it easy for home cooks to create high-quality ramen at home. Each ramen kit comes with two fresh ramen noodle servings and two soup bases. Simply prepare according to package directions, add your favorite toppings and flavorings, and enjoy! www.sunnoodle. com

www.dayleepride.com

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Stir-Fried Shrimp with Broccoli

[Ingredients] (Serves 4-6) o 12-18 shrimp o 1 stalk broccoli o 1 scallion, minced o 0.35 oz ginger, minced o 1/4 cup hot water o A dash of salt o A dash of sake o 5 tbsp vegetable oil o Salt and pepper to taste (Mix A) o 1 tsp sake o 1 tsp katakuri-ko (potato starch) (Mix B) o 2 tbsp Kikkoman Oyster Sauce Red Label o 2 tbsp water o 1/2 tsp sugar o 1 tsp sesame oil o 1 katakuri-ko (potato starch) [Directions] 1. Shell and devein shrimp, and coat with mix A. 2. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a frying pan and stir-fry broccoli with a dash of salt and hot water. Once it’s done, set aside.

3. Heat 3 tablespoons of oil, stir-fry ginger and scallion until they release an aroma.

4. Add shrimp, sprinkle sake over it and stir-fry until shrimp turns red.

5. Add broccoli and pour Mix B over it. Season with salt and pepper as you like.

POINT

To enjoy plump shrimp and crisp broccoli textures, stir-fry them at high heat quickly.

Kikkoman Oyster Sauce One of the great building blocks of Asian flavor, oyster sauce is ideal for Chinese, Thai and Vietnamese dishes, as well as all kinds of creative Asian foods, like rice bowls, wraps, sandwiches and salads. Rich, thick Kikkoman Oyster Sauce is made from the natural liquor extracted from fresh oysters. Its savory flavor is balanced with a touch of sweetness, and it is thickened to add body and an attractive sheen. There are no harsh or fishy flavors, like you might find in some oyster sauces. www.kikkomanusa.com

Tempura

[Ingredients] (Serves 4) o 8 shrimp with shells o 4 kisu (smelt whiting) o 2 eggplants o 8 shishito peppers o 1 lotus root o Vegetable oil to fry For tempura batter: o 1 cup Kikkoman Tempura Batter Mix o 3/4 cup cold water For dipping sauce: o 1/2 cup Kikkoman Hon Tsuyu o 1 cup water [Directions] 1. Devein and shell shrimp, leaving tails. Make 2 or 3 slices on the belly side to remove water from inside the shrimp tails.

2. Cut kisu from belly side and open it.

3. Halve eggplants lengthwise and make 1/5 inch thick cuts leaving the stem.

4. Cut shishito peppers 1/5 inch thick.

5. Mix Kikkoman Tempura Batter Mix and cold water to make the batter.

6. Mix Kikkoman Hon Tsuyu and water, bring it to a boil and remove from heat.

7. Coat ingredients with batter and fry in high heat oil.

8. Serve tempura with warm dipping sauce on the side.

POINT

Dissolve Kikkoman Hon Tsuyu in water at 1 to 2 ratio for a flavorful dipping sauce. You can serve it with grated daikon radish or momiji oroshi (grated daikon radish with red pepper) if you like.

Kikkoman Tempura Batter Mix Kikkoman Tempura Batter Mix is the secret to better batter. Not just for tempura, its outstanding appearance, flavor, texture and holding power make it ideal for all kinds of fried foods from appetizers to desserts. It’s easy to use too: Just add ice water to create a rich, smooth batter that gives seafood, vegetables and poultry a delicate, crispy coating. www.kikkoman.com

Yaki Gyoza

Tomato and Onion Salad

[Ingredients] (Serves 4) o 1 onion o 4 tomatoes o Parsley leaves to garnish o Kikkoman Ponzu or Kikkoman Lime Ponzu to serve [Directions] 1. Slice onion and soak in water to remove bitterness.

2. Make a shallow crosscut on the bottom of tomatoes and blanch them.

3. Peel the skin off of the tomatoes and make a deep crosscut on top.

4. Mince parsley leaves.

5. Serve each tomato on a plate, top with onion and sprinkle on parsley.

6 . Pour as much Kikkoman Ponzu on as you like.

[Ingredients] (Serves 2) o 12 pieces AJINOMOTO® Gyoza For dipping sauce: o 2 tbsp soy sauce o 1 tbsp vinegar o A few drops of ra-yu (spicy sesame oil) as desired [Directions] 1. Preheat non-stick frying pan until warm.

2. Carefully place twelve pieces of AJINOMOTO® Gyoza on heated pan, flat side down.

3. Slowly pour 2 ounces of water into the pan and cover.

No oil needed.

4. Heat on medium for about 5 minutes.

5. Remove cover and continue to heat until all the water has evaporated and the bottom side is golden brown.

Refrain from shaking the pan or moving the gyoza.

6. Turn off heat and serve.

Directions for Dipping Sauce: Add the 2 tablespoons of soy sauce, 1 tablespoon of vinegar and drops of ra-yu into a small bowl and mix.

POINT

You can be creative about serving styles.

You can cut tomatoes into small pieces, toss with onion and dress with ponzu, for example. The ponzu has no oil content, so it is a healthy substitute for dressings. If you want more full-bodied flavor, you are free to add oil. Sesame oil makes it a Chinese style dish while olive oil adds Mediterranean flavor. The citrus flavor of Kikkoman Ponzu arouses your appetite.

Kikkoman Ponzu (Left) Kikkoman Lime Ponzu (Right) This citrus seasoned soy sauce and dressing has been popular in Japan for years. Ponzu can be used right from the bottle as a dipping sauce or as an ingredient in a variety of delicious recipes. Whisked together with a small amount of oil it becomes flavorful dressing for refreshing Cold Noodle Salad. Or, try using it to flavor soups such as Hot & Sour Noodle Soup or entrees such as Steamed Fish with Ponzu.

a

POINT

Line each gyoza up neatly and tightly before pan-frying them. This allows them to cook

evenly.

AJINOMOTO® Gyoza Dumplings AJINOMOTO® Frozen Gyoza series allows you to cook crispy and juicy gyoza dumplings without using oil. The simple preparation makes it enjoyable to cook gyoza at home. It can be a perfect appetizer, ideal for bento, and great for home parties.

The series comes in five flavors; Pork & Chicken, Seafood, Beef, Chicken, and Vegetable. www.AJAsianFoods.com

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Kikkoman Seasonings Kick Up Gluten-Free American Comfort Foods Kikkoman’s cooking products are known for making Japanese and Asian foods, but it is also helpful in enhancing umami and adding accent to other cuisines. Here we introduce ideas on how to kick up your favorite American comfort foods with Kikkoman seasonings. And all of them are gluten free!

Mac & Cheese

[Ingredients] (Serves 2) o 2 tbsp Kikkoman Gluten-Free Panko o 2 tsp Kikkoman Sweet Soy Sauce o 4.5 oz gluten-free macaroni o 2 tsp gluten-free flour o 1/4 small onion, sliced o 4 mushrooms o 2 oz shredded mixed cheese

o 2 oz shredded cheddar cheese o 2 tbsp salted butter o 3.5 oz milk o 3.5 oz your choice of soup stock o A pinch of julienned Italian parsley (Can be substituted with dried Italian parsley) 1 tsp paprika powder

[Directions] 1. Slice mushrooms and stir-fry with 1/2 tablespoon of butter on medium heat. Add Kikkoman Sweet Soy Sauce and stir-fry another 1 minute or so. Remove and set aside.

2. Cook gluten-free macaroni according to the directions on the package, and drain well. Set aside.

3. In the pan you cooked mushrooms, stir-fry sliced onion with 1/2 tablespoon of butter on medium heat.

4. While stirring, add in milk, gluten-free flour, and soup stock to make white sauce.

5. Pour the white sauce over the cooked macaroni in a pot, and mix well.

6. Put the pot of macaroni and white sauce over low heat, add mixed cheese and mix well.

7. Transfer the mixed macaroni and cheese into a baking dish, and sprinkle cheddar cheese and fried mushrooms on top. Then sprinkle on Kikkoman Gluten Free Panko and paprika powder.

8. Broil for 3-5 minutes until golden brown.

9. Sprinkle Italian parsley on it to serve.

Soy Flavored Pulled Pork

[Ingredients] (Serves 2) o 1lb pork loin o 2 cups vegetable soup stock For Marinade: o 2 tbsp Kikkoman Tamari Soy Sauce o 1 tbsp sugar o 1/2 tsp chili pepper o 2 garlic cloves [Directions] 1. Mix soy sauce, sugar, chili pepper and ground garlic to make the marinade.

2. Cut pork into 8 equal portions, and marinate it in the refrigerator for one hour.

3. Saute the marinated pork until surface turns crispy.

4. Place the browned pork into a pressure cooker, pour vegetable soup stock in and cook for at least 15 to 20 minutes until the soup reduces.

5. Release the pressure and allow the pork to rest for about 30 minutes.

6. On medium heat, simmer pork until it softens. If necessary, add water.

7. Simmer until the moisture runs dry.

8. Shred the pork apart.

9. Serve with your choice of vegetables and mustard.

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[Ingredients] (Serves 2) o 10-12 chicken wings and drumsticks* o 3 tbsp Kikkoman Hoisin Sauce o 1/2 tsp chili pepper o 3 tbsp Kikkoman Teriyaki Sauce o 2 tbsp Kikkoman Sweet Chili Sauce *You can use only wings or drums to your preference.

Baked Chicken Wings (Hoisin and Teriyaki Flavors)

[Directions] 1. Mix Kikkoman Hoisin Sauce and chili pepper to make marinade.

2. Marinate half of the chicken wings and drums in the marinade for 30 minutes.

3. Marinate another half of the wings and drums in Kikkoman Teriyaki Sauce for 30 minutes.

4. Line a baking pan with aluminum foil, place marinated wings and drums, and glaze them with the Hoisin base marinating sauce and Teriyaki Sauce, respectively.

5. Bake for 20 minutes in 325áľ’F preheated oven.

6. Flip wings and drums, glaze again and bake 10 more minutes.

7. Flip again, and glaze Hoisin flavor chicken with the marinade and Teriyaki flavor chicken with Kikkoman Sweet Chili Sauce.

8. Broil until golden brown.

9. Serve with your choice of vegetables.

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In this home-cooking section, we introduce a seasonal izakaya dish and a sake or shochu best paired with the dish. This month, in celebration of the New Year, we introduce a festive-looking cold appetizer. A powerful kick from daikon radish and ikura is embraced by Shintaro Junmai from Hamakawa Shoten.

Best Pairing of the Month

New Year’s Grated Daikon with Salmon Roe (Ikura) Shintaro Junmai Recipe by Misako Sassa @MisakoSassa food_i_eat_cook Pairing by Toshiyuki Koizumi, Wasan Brooklyn @wasanbrooklyn wasan_brooklyn www.wasan-nyc.com

Shintaro Junmai from Hamakawa Shoten in Kochi Prefecture is a light, dry sake with grassy freshness. Mr. Koizumi picked this sake for pairing with this salad because it balances out the vinegary dressing, fresh and sharp daikon radish flavor, and dense umami from ikura. Perfect way to start fresh in the new year! Also, it should be noted that the sake is created with the inspiration of a legendary samurai and Kochi local hero, Shintaro Nakaoka.

Info: w w w.wineofjapan.com/por tfolio/product / shintaro-junmai Distributed by Wine of Japan www.wineofjapan.com Hamakawa Shoten Co., Ltd www.bijofu.jp

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Ingredients: Serves 4 q 1 cup of grated daikon radish (drained) q 3 tbsp salmon roe (ikura) q 3-4 shiso leaves q 1/2 mini or Persian cucumber (For rice vinegar mixture) 1 tbsp sugar 1/4 tsp salt 3 tbsp rice vinegar

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Directions:

1

Mix all the ingredients for rice vinegar mixture in a bowl and set aside.

2

Finely dice cucumbers (ideally, take out the seeds from, the center of the cucumber).

4

3 Julienne shiso leaves into thin strips 4

In a bowl, put grated and drained daikon radish.

5

Add ikura, diced cucumber and shiso leaves to grated daikon. Gently mix all with spoon or chopsticks

6 Pour in the vinegar mixture and mix well.

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7 Serve it in an individual small bowl or plate.

Tip You can substitute ikura with finely chopped smoked salmon. Happy New Year!

Namasu: Japanese New Year Salad Japanese new year dish, Osechi Ryori, contains lots of small items, and each item embodies some wishful meaning, such as longevity, healthfulness, and luck.

Namasu, the inspiration for this month’s recipe, is salad with daikon radish and carrots. The dish means a life grounded in one place because both daikon and carrots grow deep into the ground.

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[ WHAT’S NEW ]

One-Stop Shop That Enhances Your Beauty

Newly released Lucia Lash brand items: Eyelash extensions (left) and eyelash serum (right)

Microblading treatment (semi-permanent eyebrow makeup) creates natural lines of eyebrow.

After the treatment, your facial expression becomes more lively and articulated.

It was merely three years ago when Lucia Lash opened its doors as an eyelash extension specialty salon in Greenwich Village. Its meticulous, high-quality service has attracted beauty-conscious customers including super models and actresses, and it has grown to become more sought after by customers from wider areas. This November, Lucia Lash finally moved to new ground, the heart of Midtown. Conveniently located near both Grand Central Station and Times Square, the new location has more space with three rooms and a total of eight treatment stations.

Spearheaded by Japanese aesthetician, Ms. Tomoe Moore, their menu now includes not only eyelash extensions, but also permanent make-up and facial treatments. “Whatever the menu is, we are particular about the quality of products we use. We source the best eyelash materials mainly from Japan but not limited to there. Also, we keep our eyes open for new beauty methods all over the world and are avid about introducing them,” says Ms. Moore. One of the recently introduced facial treatments is Peach Fuzz Facial, which shaves off baby hair and dead skin on the surface. After the aesthetician gently and carefully scrapes off a layer of dead skin, your skin feels softened and brightened, and crow’s feet look diminished.

Until the end of February, Lucia Lash offers 40% off eyelash extension and facial treatment services and 20% off semi-permanent make-up for Chopsticks NY readers as a Midtown location opening promotion. ©Lucia Lash

“We have beauticians with multi-cultural backgrounds so that we can cater to customers of any ethnicity,” adds Ms. Moore. Lucia Lash’s expansion seems unstoppable, and they have just launched their retail brand. “We aim for a one-stop shop for beauty, including eyelashes and eyelash serum.”

The main treatment room with 6 stations is coordinated with a color palette of pale pink, white and gold.

Lucia Lash 36 W. 44th St., Suite 1018, (bet. 5th & 6th Aves.), New York, NY 10036 | TEL: 646-838-7426 | www.lucialash.com

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[ WHAT’S NEW ]

FOOD

Authentic Ramen and Yakisoba at Home in Minutes Ramen and yakisoba (stir-fried noodles) are Japanese comfort dishes that are also popular in the U.S. But cooking these dishes at home is a bit of a hassle, especially if you aim for restaurant quality. Now, thanks to Ajinomoto Foods North America’s FROZEN RAMEN and YAKISOBA series, you can have a bowl of ramen or a plate of yakisoba with all the necessary toppings, just like you enjoy at restaurants, in a few minutes.

The series, consisting of three flavors of ramen bowls (Shoyu, Miso and Tonkotsu) and one yakisoba, is pre-cooked with carefully sourced ingredients and flash-frozen to capture the flavor.

Open the package, add water (hot or cold) and microwave it, then you have a scrumptious dish

right in front of you.

Each flavor was developed with authenticity in mind, so it tastes as close as the one Japanese people enjoy. AJINOMOTO ® SHOYU RAMEN is light yet full of umami, MISO RAMEN boasts a rich body, and TONKOTSU RAMEN is smooth and creamy. YAKISOBA is glazed with powerful and flavorful sauce that is addictive. No cooking experience is needed to cook the products, but you need to mix really well before digging in! AJINOMOTO ®’s Frozen RAMEN and YAKISOBA is now available at Japanese and Asian grocery stores.

AJINOMOTO®’s Frozen RAMEN and YAKISOBA series is an all-in-one, pre-cooked, frozen noodle dish. (From left to right: SHOYU RAMEN, MISO RAMEN, TONKOTSU RAMEN and YAKISOBA)

Info: www.AJAsianFoods.com

Add cold or hot water and microwave it. After removing it from the microwave, mix well before eating.

BEAUTY

BOOK

Anti-Aging Bian Stone Therapy Roller

Distant Islands: Early History of Japanese Immigrants to New York

Originated in Shandon, China, bian stone therapy is known to be one of the oldest medical practices. The bian stone contains up to 40 trace minerals beneficial to the human body and has thermal conductivity and heat-storing capabilities. GingerChi’s Bian Chi Roller is made by utilizing this stone to get its benefits, such as enhancing skin elasticity, tightening and toning facial muscles, reducing puffiness and dark circles around eyes, helping to relieve facial tension, and discouraging fine lines and wrinkles. Massaging with the the Bian Chi Roller also aids in lymphatic drainage and elimination of toxins, reduces stress and inflammation, and improves sinus conditions and congestion. GingerChi suggests heating the roller by soaking in hot water before use, as heat helps to release the trace minerals in the stone. After the warming massage, in accordance with the principles of yin and yang, you can follow the process by rolling with a cold Bian or Jade Roller that has been refrigerated or immersed in ice water. This warm and cold effect helps balance. The Bian Chi Roller can be used for all skin types and on the body as well.

GingerChi 54 Henry St., (bet. Market & Catherine Sts.), New York, NY 10002 TEL: 646-882-0389 | www.gingerchi.com

A 14 hour flight from the East Coast to Japan is quite long for most travelers today, but it took much longer 150 years ago when the first Japanese immigrants started settling in New York. The community of Nikkei-jin (Japanese immigrants, also known as the short form Nikkei) in the East Coast, though outnumbered by those of the West Coast, has its own fascinating history.

Distant Islands: The Japanese American Community in New York City, 18761930s by Daniel H. Inouye, professor of the Department of History at Columbia University, presents the first full exploration of the subject and a unique and nuanced historical account of an American ethnic community.

The book reveals that the New York Nikkei community at the turn of the century was composed of several micro communities divided along status, class, geographic, and religious lines. Through oral histories, newspapers, government documents, photographs and more, Prof.

Inouye further explores the stories of pioneering Japanese, including Jokichi Takamine, founder of The Nippon Club, and the Katagiri family that established the current Katagiri Grocery Store.

Those who enjoy Japanese cuisine and culture in New York City now will be thrilled with the rarely told life stories of Japanese in New York a century ago.

Info: University Press of Colorado and Utah State University Press www.upcolorado.com/utah-state-university-press CHOPSTICKS NY | Vol. 141 | Jan 2019 | www.chopsticksny.com

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Sakagura Omakase Course (9 course, $100) features Sakagura East Village’s popular dishes as well as seasonal specialties. Sake pairings are available for $55 (Regular) and $80 (Premium).

Sake and Food that Celebrate Seasonality and Regionality Sakagura East Village 231 E. 9th St., (bet. 2nd & 3rd Aves.), New York, NY 10003 TEL: 212-979-9678 | www.sakaguraeastvillage.com Tue-Thu: 6-10:45 pm, Fri & Sat: 6-11:45 pm

Pioneer izakaya Sakagura is a beloved Midtown institution, and you can now enjoy its offerings downtown as well. Sakagura East Village, which opened in late September, maintains the same tradition of premium ingredients and delicious sake as well as caters dining experiences curated with a different mission. While the Midtown Sakagura is upscale and has a vibrant izakaya atmosphere with over 250 sakes and pairing dishes, the East Village boasts a more cozy, intimate and relaxing atmosphere along with 80-100 types of sake selected

by Mr. Ryoma Miki, sake sommelier and one of the managers.

Sakagura East Village currently offers Unaju, grilled eel over rice, made by using premium eel from Kagoshima Prefecture. A limited number is available per day. Also featured in this season is Kouro Junmai Ginjo, which you cannot fi nd elsewhere than Sakagura East Village as of December 2018.

According to manager, Mr. Ryuichi Shimakura, Sakagura’s focus is sake, rice and miso, and regional spotlights, which you can now experience in the Niigata Fair that offers specialties from Niigata Prefecture. As for the best way to appreciate Sakagura EV’s taste, try Sakagura Omakase Course, which features standout dishes like Hot Stone Grilled Premium A5 Wagyu Beef and Kamameshi, rice cooked with scallops, snow crab, and salmon roe in “kama” iron pot, as well as seasonally changing dishes.

Sake pairings are available with the omakase course, but you can always ask Sakagura’s sommelier to fi nd the best sake for what you

Mini Osechi in New Year To celebrate the new year, Sakagura East Village will serve a mini osechi (assortment of appetizers) from January 1-5. Don’t miss the chance to experience foods from traditional Japanese O-shogatsu!

At the counter, you can easily ask sake sommelier to pair the best sake with your food. There is a dining room and private space in the back.

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Playful Japanese and Asian in Curry Hill wagamama NEW! Murray Hill 605 3rd Ae., (bet. 39th & 40th Sts.), New York, NY 10158 www.wagamama.us Sun-Mon: 11 am-11 pm, Fri & Sat: 11 am-Midnight

@ Danielle Adams

[ JAPANESE RESTAURANT REVIEW ]

Unique Intersection of Sushi, Ramen and Thai DOCK Asian Eatery 22 Wyckoff Ave., (bet. Troutman & Starr Sts.), Brooklyn, NY 11237 TEL: 718-821-3900 | www.dock22restaurant.com Tue-Thu & Sun: 12 pm-3:30 pm, 5-10:30 pm, Fri & Sat: 12 pm-3:30 pm, 5-11 pm, |

DOCK Asian Eatery is a new addition to the Bushwick food scene, and it brings three cuisines to one spacious location. Chef Takatsugu Kishikawa is at the helm of the Japanese kitchen, Chef Shogo Kishikawa serves up ramen, and Chef Amornrat Aksaranan is in charge of Thai food. Each experienced Gem-like sushi by Chef Taka is actually made with vegetables!

chefs’ talents meld into one and the container-themed décor reflecting the restaurant’s name creates a unique dining experience. Chef Taka spent 30 years as a sushi chef, and he uses his expertise to create reasonably priced,

Chiang Mai Noodles by Chef Amounrat is a northern Thai specialty noodle dish.

Featuring egg noodles in a curry chicken broth, it boasts an enjoyable harmony of different textures and a medley of umami.

authentic dishes. Aside from sushi and sashimi, standouts are the hearty teppanyaki dishes of tuna steak on garlic rice or grilled beef on egg with rice, as well as the yakitori and kushiyaki combo featuring six different types. Chef Amornrat, who is also responsible for Thai staple Chai Thai Home Kitchen, brings authentic flavors prepared

with

traditional

family

recipe.

Fukuoka-born Chef Shogo specializes in his Chef Shogo’s tonkotsu broth base Spicy Miso Ramen has an authentic Fukuoka flavor with twists.

hometown specialty, tonkotsu ramen. The Berkshire pork bone used to make the broth is cooked for 20 hours, and his signature Spicy Miso Ramen incorporates four kinds of miso. With a mixologist on hand, original cocktails are available to accompany all of these delectable offerings.

In Japanese, “wagamama” means selfishness, and UK-based

The décor of the restaurant is created with an inspiration of a dock where many things come and go from all over the world, aiming to be the intersection of cosmopolitan food cultures.

Chicken Katsu Curry is a Japanese comfort food. wagamama’s version of Chicken Katsu Curry is hugely popular and was ordered 3.5 million times a year in the U.K. alone.

worldwide restaurant chain, wagamama, has satisfied any selfish or hard-to-please customers by serving Japanese and Asian-inspired dishes created with “Bowl to Soul” philosophy.

Whether it’s hearty ramen, sizzling teppanyaki, or plentiful donburi, their dishes are all prepared with the best quality ingredients available, maintaining their reputation and attracting their fans. The restaurant chain is opening NY’s third location in Murray Hill in early February. The newest wagamama highlights vegan menu options and an updated bar program that extends its playful interpretations of

@ Danielle Adams

classic cocktails, sake range and Asian craft beers. To celebrate this opening, wagamama Murray Hill features a special Hot Katsu Curry dish—homage to the Curry Hill neighborhood, just for one month. This is a fiery version of the chain’s iconic Chicken Katsu Curry. wagamama’s eclectic Japanese-Asian flavors will amuse your palate and its lively ambience will color your New Year’s celebration.

Mouthwatering Beef Teppanyaki is a spin on Korean barbecue, bulgogi.

@ Danielle Adams

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Cafés and Bakeries that Serve Matcha/Green Tea Specialty Desserts or Drinks The information presented here was updated on December 15, 2018.

Made by pulverizing specially grown green tea leaves, matcha has been enjoyed in Japan for centuries mainly at tea ceremonies.

Today, this high-quality green tea is used for creative desserts and drinks. Here are cafés and bakeries where you can enjoy matcha desserts or matcha specialty drinks.

Matcha Cheesecake at Patisserie Tomoko

Besfren 315 5th Ave., New York, NY 10016 203 Grand St., New York, NY 10013 www.bestren.com/cafe

Bonsai Kakigori 263A Canal St., (Inside Canal Street Market), New York, NY 10013 www.bonsaikakigori.com

Bibble & Sip 253 W. 51st St., New York, NY 10019 www.bibbleandsip.com

Café Usagi 163 Plymouth St., Brooklyn, NY 11201 www.usaginy.com

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Cafe Zaiya 18 E. 41st St., New York, NY 10017 1073 6th Ave., (Kinokuniya Bookstore), New York, NY 10018 www.zaiyany.com Cha-An Teahouse 230 E. 9th St., New York, NY 10003 www.chaanteahouse.com

Cha Cha Matcha 1158 Broadway, New York, NY 10001 373 Broome St., New York, NY 10013 327 Laffayette St., New York, NY 10012 www.chachamatcha.com

ennju 20 E. 17th St., New York, NY 10003 www.ennju.com Greecologies 379 Broome St., New York , NY 10013 www.greecologies.com

Chalait 299 W. Houston St. New York, NY 10014 1216 Broadway New York, NY 10001 75 9th Ave., (Chelsea Market) New York, NY 10011 www.chalait.com

Matcha White Chocolate Bark at Chalait

HARBS 198 9th Ave., New York, NY 10011 1374 3rd Ave., New York, NY 10075 465 W. Broadway, New York, NY 10012 www.harbsnyc.com Ippodo Tea Co. 125 E. 39th St., New York, NY 10016 www.ippodo-tea.co.jp/en

Chikalicious 203 E. 10th St., New York, NY 10003 204 E. 10th St., New York, NY 10003 www.chikalicious.com www.thedessertclub.com

Keki Modern Cakes 79 Mott St., New York, NY 10013 315 5th Ave., New York, NY 10016 www.kekinyc.com

Dominique Ansel Bakery 189 Spring St., New York, NY 10012 www.dominiqueansel.com Matcha Mousse at ennju

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Kulu Desserts 86-55 Broadway, Elmhurst, NY 11373 37-06 Prince St., Flushing, NY 11354 806 62nd St., Brooklyn, NY 11220 www.kuludesserts.com Lady M 1178 Broadway, New York, NY 10001 36 W. 40th St., New York, NY 10018 30 Rockefeller Plaza, Suite U, New York, NY 10112 1 W. 59th St., New York, NY 10019 101 Liberty St., #1415, New York, NY 10006 41 E. 78th St., New York, NY 10075 www.ladym.com

Matchaful Cafe 25 Jay St., Brooklyn, NY 11201 www.matchaful.com

Setsugekka East Village 74 E. 7th St., New York, NY 10003 www.setsugekkany.com

Matcha N’ More 177 Hester St., New York, NY 10013 www.matchanmore.com

Spot Dessert Bar 13 St. Marks Pl., New York, NY 10003 5 St. Marks Pl., New York, NY 10003 11 W. 32nd St. 2nd Fl., New York, NY 10001 39-16 Prince St., Flushing NY 11354 www.spotdessertbar.com

Nohohon Tea 9 St. Marks Pl., New York, NY 10003 www.nohohontea.com

Takahachi Bakery 25 Murray St., New York, NY 10007 www.takahachibakery.com The Little One NYC 150 East Broadway, New York, NY 10002

Mamacha 312 Bowery, New York, NY 10012 www.mamacha.nyc

Pan Ya 8 Stuyvesant St., New York, NY 10003 www.panyabakerynyc.com

MatchaBar 256 W. 15th St., New York, NY 10011 70 Prince St., New York, NY 10012 www.matchabarnyc.com

Patisserie Fouet 15 E. 13th St., New York, NY 10003 Matcha Affogato at Setsugekka

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What is Matcha?

Taiyaki Ice Cream at Taiyaki NYC

Patisserie Tomoko 568 Union Ave., Brooklyn, NY 11211 www.patisserietomoko.com Silk Cakes 98-14 Metropolitan Ave. Forest Hills, NY 11375 www.silkcakes.com Taiyaki NYC 119 Baxter St., New York, NY 10013 294 Bedford Ave., Brooklyn, NY 11249 www.taiyakinyc.com 29b Teahouse 29 Avenue B, New York, NY 10009 www.tea-dealers.com/pages/29b

Matcha is powdered green tea, but it’s not powder from regular green tea that you drink by brewing. The green tea leaves used for matcha are grown while being covered to prevent the green tea plants from being exposed to strong, direct sunlight. By growing matcha with such special care, it is said to have more umami components as a result. And only the first crop will become matcha, unlike with regular green tea.

Harvested tea leaves for matcha are simply steamed and dried, unlike regular green tea leaves that are steamed and dried while kneading. The dried matcha green tea is then stone-ground slowly. If ground at a faster speed, the grinder heats up, ultimately changing the flavor of the matcha. Therefore, slow-grinding is very important in order to retain the tea's fresh flavor.

Matcha green tea has differences in taste depending on production origin, how it’s processed, how finely it’s pulverized, and some other factors.

The highest quality matcha green tea used in the tea ceremony has a bright green color, as well as a refreshing aroma and sweetness.

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Restaurants where You Can Enjoy ODEN Right Now The information presented here was updated on December 15, 2018.

Oden is a type of hot pot enjoyed in Japan.

Ingredients like fishcakes, egg, konnyaku (konjac), daikon radish, kombu kelp, etc. are simmered in dashi and soy sauce-base broth.

In Japan, oden is available all year round but in NY, it is mostly enjoyed in cold seasons when people crave piping hot dishes.

Izakaya Juraku 121 Ludlow St., New York, NY 10002 TEL: 212-477-0100 | www.izakayajuraku.com Izakaya MEW 53 W. 35th St., New York, NY 10001 TEL: 646-368-9384 | www.mewnyc.com Izakaya NoMad 13 W. 26th St., New York, NY 10010 TEL: 212-213-6258 | www.izakayanomad.com

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KENKA 25 St. Marks Pl., New York, NY 10003 TEL: 212-254-6363 | www.kenkanyc.com Kokage 125 E. 39th St., New York, NY 10016 TEL: 212-228-4873 | www.kokagenyc.com NONONO 118 Madison Ave., New York, NY 10016 TEL: 646-707-3227 | www.nonononyc.com Shochu and Tapas-AYA 247 E. 50th St., New York, NY 10022 TEL: 212-715-0770 | www.aya-nyc.com Soba Noodle Azuma 251 W. 55th St., New York, NY 10019 TEL: 917-262-0540 www.sobaazuma55.com

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Yakitori Tora 72 Kenmare St., New York, NY 10012 TEL: 212-966-1100 | https://tora.soh.bz Yakitori Totto 251 W. 55th St., 2nd Fl., New York, NY 10019 TEL: 212-245-4555 | www.tottonyc.com Yopparai 151 Rivington St., New York, NY 10002 TEL: 212-777-7253 | www.yopparainyc.com

Warm Yourself from the Core with Nabe Hot Pot The information presented here was updated on December 15, 2018.

Savoring piping hot nabe is a winter staple for Japanes people. With a variety of ingredients simmered in one big pot, it’s nutritiously well-balanced, and perfect to enjoy with a group of people in this party season. Here are the restaurants that are serving hot pot dishes now.

Azasu 49 Clinton St., New York, NY 10002 TEL: 212-777-7069 | www.azasunyc.com Hakata Tonton 61 Grove St., New York, NY 10014 TEL: 212-242-3699 | www.tontonnyc.com Hakata Zen Hot Pot 31 St. Marks Pl., New York, NY 10003 TEL: 212-598-1188 | www.hakatazenny.com

Izakaya MEW 53 W. 35th St., New York, NY 10001 TEL: 646-368-9384 | www.mewnyc.com Jukai 237 E. 53rd St., New York, NY 10022 TEL: 212 588 9788 | www.jukainyc.com Lucky Cat 232 E. 53rd St., New York, NY 10022 TEL: 212-838-5333 Momokawa Upper East Side 1466 1st Ave., New York, NY 10075 TEL: 212-256-0403 www.momokawanyc.com OOTOYA 8 W. 18th St., New York, NY 10011 TEL: 212-255-0018 41 E. 11th St., New York, NY 10003

TEL: 212-473-4300 41 W. 41st St., New York, NY 10036 TEL: 212-704-0833 www.ootoya.us Shaba-Tatsu East Village 216 E. 10th St., New York, NY 10003 TEL: 212-477-2972 | www.shabutatsu.com Shochu and Tapas-AYA 247 E. 50th St., New York, NY 10022 TEL: 212-715-0770 | www.aya-nyc.com Tsuru Ton Tan Midtown 64 W. 48th St., New York, NY 10036 TEL: 212-575-2828 www.tsurutontan.com/midtown

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PICK UP DISHES OF THE MONTH ennju

Salmon Skin Don $12

Union Square West 20 E. 17th St., (bet. Broadway & 5th Ave.), New York, NY 10003 TEL: 646-336-7004 | www.ennju.com |

This is one of ennju’s long-selling donburi bowls, with a generous topping of grilled salmon, thinly sliced grilled salmon skin, and ikura (salmon roe) over an abundance of sushi rice. $12 is a steal for this volume and quality.

Rabbit House Lower East Side

Trapped Rabbit $24

76 Forsyth St., (bet. Hester & Grand Sts.), New York, NY 10002 TEL: 212-343-4200 | www.rabbithouse.nyc |

This rabbit involtini is a signature of this cozy hideout bar. Rolled rabbit meat is wrapped in caul fat, and then braised and served with exquisite sauce. Great with sakes and wines handpicked by the owner/chef herself.

Limited number available per day.

Katsu Curry (Medium) $9.55

GO! GO! CURRY! Times Square Stadium Midtown West 273 W. 38th St., (bet. 7th & 8th Aves.), New York, NY 10018 TEL: 212-730-5555 | www.gogocurryamerica.com |

Japanese curry is known to have thick curry sauce, but GO! GO! CURRY!’s is particularly thick and umami-rich.

Layers of premium rice, curry sauce, katsu (cutlet), and tonkatsu sauce create a magical harmony that pump up your energy.

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Afternoon Tea Set

Cha-An Teahouse East Village

$48

230 E. 9th St. 2nd Fl., (bet. 2nd & 3rd Aves.), New York, NY 10003 TEL: 212-228-8030 | www.chaanteahouse.com |

This set has a wonderful array of sweets, both Japanese and Western styles. Enjoy special version of Cha-An’s popular desserts, two mini-size desserts, sandwiches, and your choice of tea. *Items are subject to change seasonally.

Bow Ramen Midtown East

Tonkotsu Ramen $13

212 E. 45th St., (bet. 2nd & 3rd Aves.), New York, NY 10017 TEL: 917-261-4868 |

This tonkotsu broth ramen from newly opened ramen house, Bow Ramen authentically reproduces the flavor from Hakata, home of tonkotsu. An abundance of toppings features a huge sheet of nori seaweed and chashu made from premium Mugijuji brand pork.

OMAKASE by Teisui

Kulu Desserts

NoMad

Flushing / Elmhurst / Borough Park

246 5th Ave., (entrance on 28th St. bet. 5th Ave. & Broadway)

37-06 Prince St., (at 37th Ave.), Flushing, NY 11354

New York, NY 10001

TEL: 718-751-9898 | www.kuludesserts.com |

TEL: 917-388-3596 | https://teisui.nyc/ |

*For more locations, check out their website.

Perfect for tasting Teisui’s offerings, this omakase course includes two kinds of appetizers, 10 pieces of sushi, and 1 roll.

Their sushi is made in Edomae-style and features seasonal ingredients. They also serve Omakase Lunch, starting at $22.

Offered during wintertime only, the dish features Kulu’s original bubble waffle made with black sesame and plant-based charcoal, and dressed with Thai tea dressing. The plentiful plate also comes with milk pudding and sesame ice cream.

Chef’s Omakase (Regular) $60

Sesame Charcoal Waffle $14.95

*Items are subject to change seasonally.

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Ramen Shops that Serve VEGETABLE RAMEN (Manhattan) The information presented here was updated on December 15th, 2018.

Hudson Heights, Harlem Jin Ramen West Harlem 3183 Broadway, New York, NY 10027 TEL: 646-559-2862 www.jinramen.com/west-harlem-menu Rai Rai Ken Uptown 1467 Amsterdam Ave., New York, NY 10027 TEL: 917-639-3342 | www.rairaiken-ny.com

New York offers health-conscious, vegeta-

ROKC 3452 Broadway, New York, NY 10031 www.rokcnyc.com

ble-centric ramen bowls. Listed here are the ramen shops in Manhattan, which serve vegetable ramen*, vegetarian ramen and vegan ramen. *Vegetable ramen may contain animal-based broth although toppings are vegetarian.

30

Tampopo Ramen 1 Bennett Ave., New York, NY 10033 TEL: 212-923-0575 www.tampoporamennyc.com Upper East Side Churutto Ramen & Poke 1534 3rd Ave., New York, NY 10128

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TEL: 212-828-8809 www.churuttoramenpoke.com Mei Jin Ramen 1574 2nd Ave., New York, NY 10028 TEL: 212-327-2800 | www.meijinramen.net Milk and Hops Ramen Bar 1159 1st Ave., New York, NY 10065 TEL: 212-758-5588 | www.milkandhops.com Naruto Ramen 1596 3rd Ave., New York, NY 10128 TEL: 212-289-7803 www.narutoramenex.com Peng’s Noodle Folk 1659 1st Ave., New York, NY 10028 TEL: 212-348-2878 www.facebook.com/pengsnoodlefolk/

)

Upper West Side Jin Ramen Upper West Side 462 Amsterdam Ave., New York, NY 10024 TEL: 646-657-0755 www.jinramen.com/uws_menu Naruto Ramen Upper West Side 2634 Broadway, New York, NY 10025 TEL: 212-222-0229 www.narutoramenex.com Zurutto Ramen & Gyoza Bar 142 W. 72nd St., New York, NY 10023 TEL: 212-498-0022 | www.zurutto.com Midtown East Brooklyn Ramen 120 E. 41st St., (inside Katagiri grocery store), New York, NY 10168 www.brooklynramen.nyc Hide-Chan Ramen Midtown East 248 E. 52nd St., 2nd Fl., New York, NY 10022 TEL: 212-813-1800 www.hidechanramen.nyc Kuro-Obi at UrbanSpace 570 Lex 570 Lexington Ave., New York, NY 10022 www.kuroobi.nyc Kuro-Obi at UrbanSpace Vanderbilt 230 Park Ave., New York, NY 10169 www.kuroobi.nyc Menya Jiro Midtown 156 E. 45th St., New York, NY 10017 www.menyajiro-ny.com Momosan Ramen & Sake 342 Lexington Ave., New York, NY 10016

TEL: 646-201-5529 www.momosanramen.com Nishida Sho-ten 302 E. 49th St., New York, NY 10017 TEL: 212-308-0791 www.nishidasho-ten.com Ramen Takumi 517 3rd Ave., New York, NY 10016 TEL: 212-679-2752

Menkui Tei 58 W. 56th St., New York, NY 10019 TEL: 212-707-8702 www.menkuitei.com/m Ivan Ramen Slurp Shop 600 11th Ave., New York, NY 10036 TEL: 212-582-7942 | www.ivanramen.com Kuro-Obi at City Kitchen 700 8th Ave., (inside Row NYC Hotel), New York, NY 10036 | www.kuroobi.nyc

Shinshi Ramen 235 E. 53rd St., New York, NY 10022 TEL: 646-669-7812 www.shinshiramenny.com

Mentoku 744 9th Ave., New York, NY 10019 TEL: 212-956-1784 | www.mentoku-ny.com

Teppen Ramen 159 E. 55th St., New York, NY 10022 TEL: 212-355-2974 www.teppenramen.com

Tabata Ramen 557 8th Ave., New York, NY 10018 TEL: 212-465-2418 www.tabatanewyork.com

Totto Ramen Midtown East 248 E. 52nd St., New York, NY 10022 TEL: 212-421-0052 | www.tottoramen.com

Tabata Ramen 2 540 9th Ave., New York, NY 10018 TEL: 212-290-7691 www.tabatanewyork.com

Midtown West Hide-Chan Ramen Hell’s Kitchen 314 W. 53rd St., New York, NY 10019 TEL: 212-969-0066 www.hidechanramen.nyc Ippudo Westside 321 W. 51st St., New York, NY 10019 TEL: 212-974-2500 | www.ippudony.com Ippudo 5th Avenue 24 W. 46th St., New York, NY 10036 TEL: 212-354-1111 www.ippudony.com

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31

Terakawa Ramen 885 9th Ave., New York, NY 10019 TEL: 212-307-0170 www.terakawaramenny.com

Jun-Men Ramen Bar 249 9th Ave., New York, NY 10001 TEL: 646-852-6787 www.junmenramen.com

Tonchin New York 13 W. 36th St., New York, NY 10018 TEL: 646-692-9912 www.tonchinnewyork.com

Koku Ramen 2 W. 32nd St., New York, NY 10001 TEL: 212-643-8488 www.kokuramen.com

Totto Ramen Hell’s Kitchen 464 W. 51st. St., New York, NY 10019 TEL: 646-596-9056 | www.tottoramen.com

Mokbar 75 9th Ave., (Inside Chelsea Market) New York, NY 10011 TEL: 646-775-1169 | www.mokbar.com

Totto Ramen Midtown West 366 W. 52nd St., New York, NY 10019 TEL: 212-582-0052 | www.tottoramen.com Yama Ramen 60 W. 48th St., New York, NY 10036 TEL: 212-832-2288 www.yamaramen.com Zen Ramen & Sushi 150 W. 36th St., New York, NY 10018 TEL: 646-870-7509 www.zenramensushi.com NoMad & Chelsea Ajisen 136 W. 28th St., New York, NY 10001 TEL: 646-638-0888 www.ajisenramennyc.com

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Oramen 575 6th Ave., New York, NY 10011 TEL: 646-998-554 wagamama 210 5th Ave., New York, NY 10010 TEL: 212-920-6233 | www.wagamama.us Greenwich Village & East Village Dojo Ramen Bar 14 W. 4th St., New York, NY 10012 TEL: 212-505-8934 www.dojorestaurant.com E.A.K. Ramen 469 6th Ave., New York, NY 100011 TEL: 646-863-2027 www.eakramen.net

CHOPSTICKS NY | Vol. 141 | Jan 2019 | www.chopsticksny.com

Ichiba Ramen 125 University Pl., New York, NY 10003 TEL: 212-777-2495 Ippudo East Village 65 4th Ave., New York, NY 10003 TEL: 212-388-0088 | www.ippudony.com Karakatta 230 Thompson St., New York, NY 10012 TEL: 917-261-6297 | www.karakatta.com Minca 536 E. 5th St., New York, NY 10009 TEL: 212-505-8001 www.newyorkramen.com/minca/ Momofuku Noodle Bar 171 1st Ave., New York, NY 10003 TEL: 212-777-7773 www.momofukunoodlebar.com Rai Rai Ken 218 E. 10th St., New York, NY 10003 TEL: 212-477-7030 | www.rairaiken-ny.com Ramen Misoya 129 2nd Ave., New York, NY 10003 TEL: 212-677-4825 | www.misoyanyc.com Ramen Takumi 1 University Pl., New York, NY 10003 TEL: 212-229-2752

ramen-ya Samurai Edition 133 W. 3rd St., New York, NY 10012 TEL: 212-254-8828 | www.ramenya.nyc ramen-ya 181 W. 4th St., New York, NY 10014 TEL: 212-989-5440 | www.ramenya.nyc Ramen Thukpa 70 7th Ave. S., New York, NY 10014 TEL: 212-929-2088

Lower Manhattan Ajisen Chinatown 14 Mott St., New York, NY 10013 TEL: 212-267-9680 www.ajisenramennyc.com Bassanova Ramen 76 Mott St., New York, NY 10013 TEL: 212-334-2100 www.bassanova-ramen.com

Setagaya 34 St. Marks Pl., New York, NY 10003 TEL: 212-387-7959

Ivan Ramen 25 Clinton St., New York, NY 10022 TEL: 646-678-3859 www.ivanramen.com

Tatsu Ramen 167 1st Ave., New York, NY 10003 TEL: 929-284-7088 www.tatsuramen.com

Kuro-Obi at Canal Street Market 265 Canal St., New York, NY 10013 www.kuroobi.nyc

wagamama 55 3rd Ave., New York, NY 10003 TEL: 917-636-6030 | www.wagamama.us

Kuu Ramen 20 John St., New York, NY 10038 TEL: 212-571-7177 www.kuuramen.com

Zen 6 328 E. 6th St., New York, NY 10003 TEL: 646-429-8471 www.trashpandany.com

Lanzhou Ramen 107 E. Broadway, New York, NY 10002 TEL: 646-998-3175

Zundo-ya 84 E. 10th St., New York, NY 10003 TEL: 917-639-3549 | www.zundo-ya.com

Menya Jiro FIDI 123 William St., New York, NY 10038 TEL: 646-946-1616 www.menyajiro-ny.com

Mr. Taka 170 Allen St., New York, NY 10002 TEL: 212-254-1508 www.mrtakaramen.webs.com Nakamura 172 Delancey St., New York, NY 10002 TEL: 212-614-1810 Ramen Ishida 122 Ludlow St., New York, NY 10002 TEL: 646-590-3276 www.ramenishida.com Ramen Ramen 9 Broadway, New York, NY 10004 TEL: 212-785-5688 Shinka Ramen 93 Bowery, New York, NY 10002 TEL: 212-343-8111 www.shinkaramen.com Yokoya 201 Allen St., New York, NY 10002 TEL: 212-388-1388 www.yokoyaramen.com Zest Ramen 112 Eldridge St., New York, NY 10002 TEL: 212-226-2801 https://zestramen.business.site

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[ BEAUTY ]

Beauty & Health Tricks VOL. 17: COLD DEFYING SOUP DUNGAN STYLE Every culture has its own natural remedy for defying cold, flu-stricken seasons. To learn how to make a soup that is enjoyed in Central Asia for the cold, we headed for Lagman House, NY’s first Dungan cuisine specialty restaurant, located in Sheepshead Bay. First of all, Dungan cuisine refers to a food culture observed among Dungan people, Muslim people of Chinese origin spreading throughout Central Asia including Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and part of Russia, Mongolia and China. Most of these countries are landlocked, and naturally their food is meat, vegetable-centric and people predominantly enjoy noodles. They have a variety of noodle soup dishes, and according to Chef Gulshat Azimova of Lagman House, Manpar is good in the flu season and easy to cook at home.

Manpar has an abundance of vegetables, tastefulness of beef, and energy-boosting square dough (square-cut, pasta-like wheat noodles). To make Manpar, stirfry bite-size beef in oil, season with salt, add chopped onion, and keep stir-frying

All the goodness from vegetables and beef are embraced in one in Manpar, giving you power to fight a cold. Even if you already have a cold and you don’t have much of an appetite, it’s easy to have.

Authentic Manpar needs to have square dough, but the wheat noodles are not easy to get. So, Chef Azimova suggests substituting with macaroni.

Also recommended to add beaten egg at the end for a protein boost.

until golden brown. Add either tomato paste (1 tablespoon) or fresh, ripe tomato (2 pieces) and add radish (optional). Once all the ingredients are incorporated, add water, and bring it to a boil and simmer. Then add square dough (or your choice of macaroni). To finish, you can sprinkle red pepper on for a kick and vegetables like celery and cilantro for an accent.

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Lagman House 2612 E. 14th St., (bet. Voorhies Ave. & Sheepshead Bay Rd.), Brooklyn, NY 11235 TEL: 718-872-5979 www.lagmanhouse.com

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Midtown East

Morledge Medical

150 E. 58th St., 18 Fl. (bet. 3rd & Lexington Ave.) 212-583-2830

Chelsea

Haruna Miyamoto SW

364 W. 18th St., #3C (bet. 8th & 9th Ave.) 347-403-3508

Gramercy

Social Worker

Heritage Wellness

110 E. 23rd St. (bet. Lexington & Park Ave.) 888-982-8328

Gramercy

Clinic

Medicine

Upper East

Cucci Chiropractic

131 E. 61st St. (bet. Lexington & Park Ave.) 212-980-9332

Midtown East

$100/visit

Harada Chiropractic

15 E. 40th St., #901 (bet. Madison & 5th Ave.) 212-360-6031

$120/first visit

Waterside Dental Care*

10 Waterside Plaza, Lobby Level (bet. 25th & 26th St.) Dentist 212-683-6260

Midtown West Manhattan Wellness Medical Care

East Village

15 W. 44th St.,10 Fl. (bet. 5th & 6th Ave.) 212-575-8910

53 W. 11th St., Ste. G (bet. 5th & 6th Ave.) 212-254-0800

$100 & up

Astor Smile Dental

Midtown West Vital Balance Healing Center

Queens

241 W. 37th St., #405 (bet. 7th & 8th Ave.) 212-470-3258

30-16 30th Dr., 2 Fl., Astoria, NY 11102 888-982-8328

Midtown East

$95 /60min

Amy Nature Center

137 E. 47th St., 1 Fl. (bet. 3rd & Lexington Ave.) $80 /visit 212-317-2720

Midtown East

Cornerstone Acupuncture

30 E. 40th St. PH SE (bet. Park & Madison Ave.) 212-448-9898

Midtown East

Chelsea

Herbal Healing Traditions Chinese Medicine

Edgewater Family Care Center

725 River Rd., #202, Edgewater, NJ 07020 201-943-4040

New Jersey

$180 /120min

New Jersey

General Clinic

Upper West

Gaia Holistic Health

20 W. 64th St., #24E (bet. Central Park W. & B’way) 212-799-9711

Midtown East

Pilai Thai Massage

211 E. 43rd St. (bet. 2nd & 3rd Ave.) 347-806-4896

Upstate

$110 /60min

Body By Chizuru

40 Memorial Hwy., New Rochelle, NY 10801 917-699-9670

PersonalTrainer

Japanese Women’s Center

870 Palisade Ave., #305, Teaneck, NJ 07666 201-747-2284

Love & Compassion

124 E. 40th St., 12 Fl. (bet. Lexington & Park Ave.) 212-242-8701

New Jersey

Dentist

OBGYN

New Jersey Clinic

2231 Lemoine Ave., Fort Lee, NJ 07024 201-944-1008

OBGYN Gastro

Mitchell Wolf Acupuncture and Shiatsu

1 Union Sq. W., #715 (at E.14th St.) 917-608-7837

Upper West

Your True Self

501 Seminary Row (at Amsterdam Ave.) 212-678-4251

Chelsea $75 /60min

Midtown West Salon de Tokyo* 200 W. 57th St., #1308 (at 7th Ave.) 212-757-2187

Midtown East

ease NY LLC

16 E. 41st St., #2 (bet. Madison & 5th Ave.) 212-661-5151

Midtown East

iDo Holistic Center*

22 E. 49th St., 3rd Fl. (bet. Madison & 5th Ave.) 212-599-5300

Midtown East

Dr. Hong

6135 Bergenline Ave., 2 F., #3, West, NJ 07093 201-854-8488

$55 /60min

Endo Seitai Shiatsu NJ

23 Kingsland St., 2 Fl., Nutley, NJ 07110 973-951-2939

Upper East

$70 /30min

FOR MORE INFORMATION enjoji@trendpot.com 212-431-9970 ex.129(Enjoji)

Charles K. Loving Jr

17 E. 84th St. (bet. 5th & Madison Ave.) 212-861-7373 36 W. 44th St., #303 (bet. 5th & 6th Ave.) 212-730-9010 15 W. 44th St., 10 Fl. (bet. 5th & 6th Ave.) 212-575-8910

Midtown East $48 /60min

Whole Health Wellness Center & Med Spa

34 Howard St., 2 Fl. (bet. B’way & Crosby St.) 212-625-8966

New Jersey

New Jersey

PROMOTE YOUR BUSINESS IN CHOPSTICK NY!

Cosmetic Surgery General Clinic

Midtown West Manhattan Wellness Medical Care $45 /60min

Health Trail CO.

23 Pell St., 2 Fl. (bet. Mott & Doyers St.) 212-608-2212

Lower Mhn

Kimura Acupuncture

99 Hillside Ave., Ste. K, Williston Park, NY 11596 $80/acu $40/ear 516-882-1292

Midtown West Anshin Medical Health Care $50 /30min

Keisy

229 E. 9th St., 2 Fl. (bet. 2nd & 3rd Ave.) 212-253-6171

Lower Mhn

Couples Massage

Cowlicks Japan*

137 W. 19th St. (bet. 6th & 7th Ave.) 212-367-2123

East Village

$60 /45min

$90 /60min

Madison Healing Arts

280 Madison Ave., Suite 508, New York, NY 10016 866-758-2889

Chelsea

$50-

Chen Gui

133-47 Sanford Ave., #1G, Flushing, NY 11355 718-961-7222

Long Island

$75 & up

Kenkodo

211 E. 53rd St. (bet. 2nd & 3rd Ave.) 212-980-0088

Midtown East

$80 /60min

$90 /visit

Mushin Acupuncture

50 Greene St., 2 Fl. (bet. Broome & Grand St.) 347-625-7242

Queens $90/50min $70/50min

Herbal Fairy Wellness Spa

333 E. 49th St., Lobby O (bet.1st & 2nd Ave.) 212-268-3688

Midtown East

Soho $80 /60min

SuHu Natural Health

19 W. 21st St. (bet. 6th & 5th Ave.) 212-691-8281

$100 /60min

Haruyo Fujiwaki PhD

117 E.37th St., #1A (bet. Lex. & Park Ave.) 212-288-2627

Midtown East

General Clinic

Midtown Dental Group

155 E. 55th St., #301 (bet. 3rd & Lexington Ave.) 212-759-5595

Midtown East

Herbal Medicine

Japanese Medical Practice

55 E. 34th St., 2 Fl. (bet. Park & Madison Ave.) 212-889-2119

Midtown East

Psychologist

iDo Holistic Center*

22 E. 49th St., 3 Fl. (bet. Madison & 5th Ave.) 212-599-5300

Midtown East

General Clinic

Dentist

Mika Hayashi, DPM, PC

350 Lexington Ave., #501 (at 40th St.) 212-682-0043

Foot&Ankle Podiatry

CHOPSTICKS NY | Vol. 141 | Jan 2019 | www.chopsticksny.com

37

[ LEARNING ]

Japanese CROSSWORD

2019 Japanese Zodiac

Boar

(inoshishi))

Across

Down

1. Used in _____-mode (the first visit to a shrine in the New Year) and _____ hinode (the sunrise on New Year’s day), the word_____ can add the meaning of “the first.”

1 . Although it’s still cold in January, Japanese traditionally consider it the beginning of _____ (spring).

4. Dictionary form of a verb meaning “to sell” 5. Every _____ (rose) has its thorn.

7. Hemp and linen are both called ____ in Japanese.

8. _____is the dictionary form of a verb meaning “to roll.”

Hint: Makimono (a sushi roll) is derived from this verb”.

2. There is a custom of eating ____ (buckwheat noodles) on New Year’s Eve in Japan.

3. This i-adjective means “happy,” “pleased,” and “glad.”

6. ____ is a Japanese style of wrestling that has been enjoyed for over 1,000 years.

8. “Gate” in Japanese

9. This chewy, gooey food made with rice is customarily eaten in the New Year in Japan.

©Chopsticks NY / Myles Mellor

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CHOPSTICKS NY | Vol. 141 | Jan 2019 | www.chopsticksny.com

Borrn: 2 Born: B 2019, 2007, 1995, 1983, 1971, 1959, 1947, 1935, 1923

Long Island

Long Island Japanese Culture Center*

2 Heaven Ave., Ste. 236 & Studio LL-1, Port Washington Japanese 516-551-4907

Westchester

Keio Academy

3 College Rd., Purchase, NY 10577 914-701-3454

New Jersey

New Jersey

Japanese-American Society of New Jersey*

304 Main St. 2nd Fl. Fort Lee, NJ 07024 201-461-5133

New Jersey

Japanese

R/Lingo Learning Center*

2460 Lemoine Ave., #103-105, Fort Lee, NJ 201-947-4707

Upper West

Japanese

Japanese

Seikou Shodo

315 W. 61th St., #7S (at West End Ave.) 212-247-2589

Calligraphy

Friends Academy

Soho

310 W. 103rd St. (bet. Westend Ave. & Riverside Dr.) Japanese 212-935-8535

Upper West

Ikebana

Kimono House

131 Thompson St. (bet. Prince & Houston St.) 212-505-0232

Japan ICU Foundation

Midtown East

ibec language institute, inc.*

369 Lexington Ave., 19th Fl. (bet. 40th & 41st St.) Japanese 212-867-2000

Midtown East

Japan Society

333 E. 47th St. (bet. 1st & 2nd Ave.) 212-715-1256

Chelsea

ABC Language Exchange*

146 W. 29th St., #6E (bet. 6th & 7th Ave.) 212-563-7580

Chelsea

Tenri

43A W. 13th St. (bet. 5th & 6th Ave.) 212-645-2800

West Village

Upper West

Long Island Japanese

21 Beacon Hill Rd., Port Washington, NY 11050 Japanese 516-883-5745

25-38 Parsons Blvd.

347-746-1037

Upper West

Kokushi Budo Institute

332 Riverside Dr. (bet. 105th & 106th St.) 646-828-7954

Judo

Shorinryu Matsubayashi*

131 W. 72nd St., #2R (bet. Columbus & Amsterdam Ave.) Karate 212-875-8826

Shotokan Karate-Do NY

248 W. 60th St. (bet. Amsterdam & 10th Ave.) Karate 212-799-5500

Upper West

UWS Kenshikai Karate

928 Columbus Ave. (bet. 105th & 106th St.) 212-222-1172

Karate

Karate

Rukasu Budo Dojo Mix

Midtown West Shinkyokushinkai NY

Queens

475 Onderdonk Ave., Ridgewood, NY 11385 917-449-7035

Karate

School of Taijutsu Mix

Midtown West Shorinji Kempo Midtown

Long Island

500 8th Ave., 12 Fl. (bet. 35th & 36th St.) 646-752-4488

939 Port Washington Blvd, 2Fl. Port Washington, NY Karate 516-330-2369

Karate

Katayanagi Shotokan Karate NY San Ten Karate

Midtown West World Oyama Karate

Long Island

35 W. 31st St., 6 Fl. (bet. 5th Ave. & B’way) 212-629-7709

1370A Majors Path, Southampton, NY 11968 631-996-4220

Midtown East

Karate

Shido Gakuin

Jiu Jitsu

Judo

Kokushikai Judo*

24-28 Fair Lawn Ave., Fair Lawn, NJ 07410 201-797-8988

Judo

KYOKUSHIN KARATE NJ Branch

360 Old River Rd., 2 Fl., Edgewater, NJ 07020 Karate 212-947-3334

Ridgewood Karate School

30 Cottage Pl., Ridgewood, NJ 07450 201-447-2272

New Jersey

Karate

Yoshitsune Jujutsu Kai

1055 Broadway, Bayonne, NJ 07002 201-725-9019

Jiu Jitsu

N.Y. Shorin Ryu Karate Karate

New York Aikikai

142 W. 18th St., 2 Fl. (bet. 6th & 7th Ave.) 212-242-6246

Aikido

U.S. Budo Kai-Kan

110 W. 14th St., 2 Fl. (bet. 6th & 7th Ave.) 212-807-7336

Mix

Ueshiro Karate Dojo

107 Chambers St. (bet.Church St. & W. B’way) Karate 646-745-6172

World Seido Karate

61 W. 23rd St., 2 Fl. (bet. 5th & 6th Ave.) 212-924-0511

Gramercy

New Jersey

Karate

Judo & Jujitsu Dojo

3902 Amboy Rd., Staten Island, NY 10308 718-619-0150

New Jersey Aikido

Eizanryu Jujitsu Biwako

37 W. 26th St., 9 Fl. (bet. 6th Ave. & B’way) 212-490-9600

Chelsea

Staten Island

New Jersey Kendo

Bond Street Dojo

161 E. 106th St. (bet. 3rd & Lexington Ave.) 212-477-0899

Chelsea

Karate

KYOKUSHIN KARATE

265 Madison Ave., 5 Fl (bet. 39th & 40th St.) 630-414-6644

Chelsea

Karate

Kenshikaikan Karate

265 Madison Ave., 5 Fl (at 39th St.) 212-947-3334

Chelsea Karate

Kendo

Oishi Judo Club

520 8th Ave., 16 Fl. (bet. 36th & 37th St.) 646-235-0293

Chelsea

D-Dojo

1841 Broadway, #205 (bet. 60th & 61st St.) 212-537-6441

Upper West Japanese

Aikido Up Here

3 Henshaw St. (bet. Riverside Dr. & Dyckman St.) Aikido 646-483-8700

Upper West Japanese

NYU-SCPS

7 E.12th St. (bet. University Pl. & 5th Ave.) 212-998-7150

Long Island

Japanese

Queens

214 W. 29th St., 3 Fl. (bet. 7th & 8th Ave.) 212-260-0927

Upper West Japanese

Midtown West Shinjinbukan New York

Chelsea

475 Riverside Dr., #439 (bet.119th & 120th St.) Japanese 212-870-3386

Kendo

939 8th Ave., #307 (bet. 55th & 56th St.) 917-400-9183

Upper East Kimono

Ken Zen Institute

54 Thomas St. (bet. Church St. & W. B’way) 212-406-9104

547 Greenwich St. (bet. Vandam & Charlton St.) Judo 212-966-6850

Midtown East

Ikenobo Ikebana School

185 Park Row, Suite 19-D (at St. James Pl.) 212-349-6563

Tribeca

Tribeca

Midtown East

Lower Mhn

Karate Honma Dojo

58 E. 11th St., 5 Fl. (bet. Broadway & University) Karate 212-505-3656

500 8th Ave., 12 Fl. (bet. 35th & 36th St.) 917-821-1460

YMCA 224 E. 47th St. (bet. 2nd & 3rd Ave.) 212-756-9600

Sado

Karate

East Village

Midtown West New York Budokai

5 W. 30th St., 3 Fl. (bet. 5th Ave. & Broadway) Pottery 212-268-1711 145 W. 57th St. (bet. 6th & 7th Ave.) 212-581-2223

Karate

WTKO Honbu Dojo

206 E. 63rd St. (bet. 2nd & 3rd Ave.) 212-207-1907

Midtown West N.Y. Togei Kyoshitsu School*

Midtown West The Nippon Club

Upper West

NEMMAA Kaizen Karate

1786 3rd Ave. (at 99th St.) 212-828-5678

Upper East Japanese

Iroha Nihongo*

8 West Bayview Ave., Englewood Cliffs, NJ 201-947-4832

Upper East

Karate

World Kanreikai Karate

4 W. 18th St., 3 Fl. (bet. 5th & 6th Ave.) 212-677-7228

Karate

Upper West

Columbia Univ

2960 Broadway (at 116th St.) 212-854-7403

Upper East

National Academy

1083 5th Ave. (at 89th St.) 212-369-4880

Upper East

Music

Other School

Saori Weaving Arts

227 E. 87th St. (bet. 2nd & 3rd Ave.) 212-722-2686

Other School

Midtown West Hariyama Ballet 4 W. 43rd St. (bet. 5th & 6th Ave.) 347-451-1801

Dance

Midtown West Mud, Sweat & Tears 654 10th Ave. (at 46th St.) 212-974-9121

Pottery

Midtown West The Nippon Club 145 W. 57th St. (bet. 6th & 7th Ave.) 212-581-2223

Dance

Midtown West The School for Strings 419 W. 54th St. (bet. 9th & 10th Ave.) 212-315-0915

Music

Midtown West Toho Shoji N.Y.* 990 6th Ave. (bet. 36th & 37th St.) 212-868-7465

Midtown East

The DOJO

265 Madison Ave., 5 Fl. (at 39th St.) 212-947-3334

Chelsea

Other School

COBU

69 W.14th St., 3 Fl. (bet. 5th & 6th Ave.) 917-304-2722

Chelsea

Jewelry Making

Japanese Drum

Sachiyo Ito & Dance Co.

405 W. 23rd St., #4G (at 9th Ave.) 212-627-0265

Dance

CHOPSTICKS NY | Vol. 141 | Jan 2019 | www.chopsticksny.com

39

[ PRODUCT REVIEW ]

MONO-logue Vol. 89

“Mono” means “thing,” “object,” or “product” in Japanese, but it also implies that the thing has quality. In this corner, we introduce “mono” that characterize Japan’s spirit of constant quality improvement.

Ceramic Tableware by ZERO JAPAN case as well as soap dispenser and soap dish.

One of the attractive features of ZERO JAPAN products is the varieties of color, with about 30 colors available for teapots, for example. Literally, it fits anyone’s preference and any styles of kitchen and table. “ZERO JAPAN products are ZERO JAPAN products are available at santokunyc.com as well as select shops.

really versatile. We have orders from cafes, restaurants, and hotels as well as retailers. White is the most popular color, but we also have a lot of orders for reddish and bluish tones,” says Mr. Semimo-

ZERO JAPAN’s mugs are ergonomically designed. Its handle is nice to hold, and the mouth touches your lips gently.

You might have seen a sleek, white ce-

to. There are not only regular colors, but

ramic canister with a stainless latch or

also different textures, such as the gelato

a series of colorful ceramic teapots with

series that has a matte surface, the an-

stainless lids in the kitchen/tableware

tique series with a rough textured sur-

aisle in houseware shops, but not so

face, the crackle series that has small

many people are aware that those prod-

crack patterns on the glaze, and the arti-

ucts are made in Japan. Formerly known

san series that has large crack patterns.

as Bee House in the U.S., the series of ta-

The latest hit, according to Mr. Semimo-

bleware is crafted by ZERO JAPAN, a Mi-

to, is the Jeans Blue, that has shades of

no-yaki ceramic company in Gifu Prefec-

indigo. Modern, traditional, cool, elegant,

ture, mecca of ceramic production.

kawaii,

perky—whatever

atmosphere

you like to bring, ZERO JAPAN’s tableWhen developing the series of tableware,

ware perfectly meets your needs.

ZERO JAPAN kept an American lifestyle in mind instead of Japanese so you can easily incorporate the ZERO JAPAN items to your kitchen and table. Also important to mention is that they are simple, high The coffee dripper fits right on top of a mug.

Perfect for your desk as well.

One of the most popular colors, Carrot, will brighten your tea time!

quality, stylish yet timeless, and safe to use. According to Mr. Atsushi Semimo-

Each part of ZERO JAPAN products fit together nicely and can be disassembled easily for washing.

Well-designed and well-made in Japanese craftsmanship!

to of Focus America Corp., exclusive U.S. distributor of ZERO JAPAN products, it is hard to match ceramics and stainless parts because ceramics shrink once fired. It is meticulously calculated and made with Japanese craftsmanship to create the perfect fit. The series lineup includes canister, teapot and teacup, coffee dripper, mug, salt box, and butter

40

CHOPSTICKS NY | Vol. 141 | Jan 2019 | www.chopsticksny.com

Info: Focus America Corp.

31 South St., Suite 3N-2, Mt. Vernon, NY 10550 TEL: 914-667-1891 | www.focuscorp.us

New Jersey

UNIQLO Bridgewater

400 Commons Way, Bridgewater, NJ 08807 877-486-4756

New Jersey

New Jersey

Upper East

Upper East

Accessories

Accessories

Upper East

49 W. 45th St. (bet. 5th & 6th Ave.) 212-685-1410 28 W. 37th St., #30A (bet. 5th & 6th Ave.) 212-631-0966

Midtown West UNIQLO 5th Ave

Zero Halliburton

300 Madison Ave. (bet. 41st & 42nd St.) 646-640-3600

Chelsea

East Village

Tokyo Joe

334 E. 11th St. (bet. 1st & 2nd Ave.) 212-473-0724

Tribeca

Mika Inatome

93 Reade St. 2 Fl. (bet. 8th & 9th Ave.) 212-966-7777

Soho

Bradelis New York

211 Elizabeth St. (bet. Prince & Spring St.) 212-941-5629

Soho

Lingerie

Mieko Mintz

Soho

R by 45rpm

169 Mercer St. (bet. Prince & Houston St.) 917-237-0045

Soho

UNIQLO SoHo

546 Broadway (bet. Prince & Spring St.) 917-237-8800

Brooklyn

Queens

Clothing

Bradelis New York

135-20 39th Ave., #HL 219 Flushing, NY 11354 Lingerie 718-353-1345

Long Island

UNIQLO Roosevelt Field

630 Old Country Rd., Garden City, NY 11530 877-486-4756

Westchester

Clothing

UNIQLO Ridge Hill

118 Market St., Yonkers, NY 10710 877-486-4756

Clothing

JHU Comic Books

32 E. 32nd St. (bet. Park & Madison Ave.) 212-268-7088

Midtown East

Manga

J Goods

Mars New York

595 River Rd., Edgewater, NJ 07020 201-945-1134

Pennsylvania

General

Japan Square

www.japansquare.com -----

Video Rental

Toy

Toy

Sunrise Mart, Soho

494 Broome St. (bet. W. B’way & Wooster St.) Video Rental 212-219-0033

Po’An

521 W. 26th St. (bet.10th & 11th Ave.) 212-967-4899

Lower Mhn

kidrobot

118 Prince St. (bet. Greene & Wooster St.) 212-966-6688

General

Korin*

57 Warren St. (bet. Church St. & W. B’way) 212-587-7021

MUJI SoHo

455 Broadway (bet. Grand & Howard St.) 212-334-2002

Asian American Arts Ctr

111 Norfolk St. (bet. Rivington & Delancy St.) 212-233-2154

Lower Mhn

Gallery

General

MUJI to GO General

Seito New York*

4126 27th St., Long Island City, NY 11101 718-472-5413

New Jersey Gallery

General

MUJI Williamsburg

JFK International Airport, Terminal 5 718-917-8989

Queens Gallery

General

MUJI Cooper Square

52 Cooper Square 212-358-8693

Tribeca

General

MUJI Chelsea

16 W. 19th St. (bet. 5th & 6th Ave.) 212-414-9024

Queens Gallery

Onishi Gallery

521 W. 26th St. (bet. 10th & 11th Ave.) 212-695-8035

Chelsea

Toy Tokyo

91 2nd Ave. (bet. 5th & 6th St.) 212-673-5424

Ronin Gallery*

425 Madison Ave. (at 49th St.) 212-688-0188

Chelsea

Sunrise Mart

4 Stuyvesant St. (bet. 3rd Ave. & 9th St.) 212-598-3040

MUJI 5th Avenue

200 Wythe Ave., Brooklyn 11249 718-599-1920

Midtown East Manga

Japanese Culinary Center

475 5th Ave. (bet. 40th & 41st St.) 212-447-1690

Brooklyn Toy

St. Marks Comics

11 St. Marks Pl. (bet. 2nd & 3rd Ave.) 212-598-9439

Midtown East

Soho General

General

711 3rd Ave. (at 45th St.) 212-661-3333

East Village General

Morihata International

428 N. 13th St., #2C, Philadelphia, PA 19123 215-238-1328

620 8th Ave. (at 40th St.) 212-382-2300

Chelsea Kimono

Forbidden Planet

832 Broadway (bet. 12th & 13th St.) 212-473-1576

Kitchenware Central

1635 Lemoine Ave., Fort Lee, NJ 07024 201-886-0003

New Jersey

MUJI Garden State Plaza

1 Garden State Plz. Blvd., Paramus, NJ 07652 201-843-3154

General

gallery onetwentyeight

128 Rivington St. (bet. Norfolk & Essex St.) 212-674-0244

Gallery

Anime Castle*

35-32 Union St. Flushing, NY 11354 347-438-1296

New Jersey

New Jersey

Japan

AC Gears

69 E. 8th St. (bet. Broadway & University Pl.) 212-260-2269

East Village

Manga

Midtown Comics*

459 Lexington Ave. (at 45th St.) 212-302-8192

Queens Clothing

UNIQLO Atlantic Terminal

139 Flatbush Ave., Brooklyn, NY 11217 877-486-4756

131 Thompson St. (bet. Prince & Houston St.) 212-505-0232

Soho Clothing

Kimono House

Soho

Manga

Sara Japanese Pottery*

950 Lexington Ave. (bet. 69th & 70th St.) 212-772-3243

Midtown East Antique/ General

Minamoto Kitchoan

200 W. 40th St. (at 7th Ave.) 212-302-8192

Soho

30 Vandam St., #4B (bet. 6th Ave. & Varick St.) Clothing 212-627-1524

Book

Midtown West Midtown Comics*

East Village Clothing

Makari

97 3rd Ave. (bet. 12th & 13th St.) 212-995-5888

Upper East

Midtown West MUJI Times Square General

185 Greenwich St., B1 (at Westfield World Trade Center) Confectionery 212-602-9910

East Village Clothing

KYOTOYA

23 W. 19th St. (bet. 5th & 6th Ave.) 212-414-0720

East Village Anime

Confectionery

Lower Mhn

East Village Clothing

Chelsea Book

Minamoto Kitchoan*

509 Madison Ave. (bet. 52nd & 53rd St.) 212-489-3747

1073 6th Ave. (bet. 40th & 41st St.) 212-869-1700

West Village Clothing

Tokio 7

83 E. 7th St. (bet. 1st & 2nd Ave.) 212-353-8443

East Village

Lingerie

Local Clothing

328 E. 9th St. (bet. 1st & 2nd Ave.) 212-777-3850

Other Goods

Kimono

Midtown West Kinokuniya Bookstore

Midtown East Clothing

Bradelis New York

66 Madison Ave. (bet. 27th & 28th St.) 212-599-2223

East Village

Accessories

Junko Yoshioka

224 5th Ave. 2 Fl. (bet. 25th & 26th St.) 212-206-9302

Gramercy

Clothing

Toy

Midtown West Book Off*

Midtown West Image Anime*

Clothing

Midtown East

Ebisu Gift Shop

351 82nd St. (bet. 1st & 2nd Ave.) 646-287-7162

31 W. 34th St. (bet. 5th & 6th Ave.) 877-486-4756

Midtown East

LUPICIA Fresh Tea

www.lupiciausa.com 866-574-4832 1410 Broadway, #2618 (bet. 38th & 39th St.) 212-869-8700

Midtown West UNIQLO 34th Street

666 5th Ave. (at 53rd St.) 877-486-4756

Other Goods

Midtown West Kimono New York

SEIGO NECKWEAR

1248 Madison Ave. (bet. 89th & 90th St.) 212-987-0191

Online

Other Goods

IKI Japan

www.ikijapan.com 650-588-5764

Clothing

Clothing

Seigo Accessories

1242 Madison Ave. (bet. 89th & 90th St.) 212-534-6275

Online

Clothing

Bit’z Kids*

410 Columbus Ave. (bet. 79th & 80th St.) 212-724-1415

The Mandarin’s Tea Room

21 Howard St., #201 (bet. Lafayette & B’way) 917-767-1091

UNIQLO Willowbrook

1400 Willowbrook Mall, Wayne, NJ 07470 877-486-4756

Upper West

Lower Mhn

Clothing

UNIQLO Menlo Park

55 Parsonage Rd., Edison, NJ 08837 877-486-4756

McNulty’s Tea & Coffee*

109 Christopher St. (bet. Hudson & Bleecker St.) Other Goods 212-242-5351

UNIQLO Jersey Gardens

651 Kapkowski Rd., Elizabeth, NJ 07201 877-486-4756

New Jersey

West Village

Clothing

Anime

Gundam Planet

544 10th St., 1st Fl., Palisades Park, NJ 07650 Toy 201-944-5305

Midtown West Toho Shoji N.Y.* 990 6th Ave. (bet. 36th & 37th St.) 212-868-7465

Jewelry Supply

Midtown West ZIPANGU Showroom 1410 Broadway, #2618 (bet. 38th & 39th St.) 212-869-0500

Midtown East

IPPODO TEA

125 E. 39th St. (bet. Lexington & Park Ave.) 212-370-0609

Gramercy

Other Goods

Other Goods

Hannari

20-24 E. 20th St. (bet. Park Ave. & B’way) 212-475-7484

Other Goods

CHOPSTICKS NY | Vol. 141 | Jan 2019 | www.chopsticksny.com

41

att.JAPAN x

Things to Enjoy in Yamaguchi Prefecture Chopsticks NY republishes articles from att.JAPAN, a multilingual travel magazine for foreign visitors to Japan.

This month, we introduce Yamaguchi Prefecture, located on the westernmost edge of Honshu (main island). West of Hiroshima Prefecture, which attracts many foreign visitors, Yamaguchi is not yet well-known to many; however, it offers plenty to see and experience from beaches (it is surrounded by the sea on three of its sides) to mountains (and their abundant bounty) to onsen hot springs. Here are 7 things you should do while in Yamaguchi.

OSAKA

TOKYO

Strolling in Kimono Kimono Week in Hagi Premium (Hagi City) In Hagi, a castle town that has retained Edo Period (1603-1867) atmosphere, you will have the opportunity to rent a kimono, wear it and walk around town during Kimono Week from October 1-14, 2019 (The schedule is subject to change). Along your way, volunteer photographers will take your picture amid the scenery of a castle town, free of charge.

Yamaguchi City “Saikotei” Kimono Experience Yamaguchi City’s tourist center, “Yamaguchishi Saikotei,” also offers a kimono rental service (reservations are required). Wearing a kimono (or samurai clothes are also available), you can walk around and take pictures at historical spots near the Ichinosaka River. We recommend the five-storied pagoda (National Treasure) of Ruriko-ji Temple. Its grounds are perfect for experiencing each season’s particular flavor and charm.

Handmade Souvenirs Ouchi-nuri Lacquerware Chopsticks Experience (Yamaguchi City) The technique for creating lacquerware objects called urushi-nuri is one of Japan’s traditional crafts, and among them Yamaguchi’s “Ouchi-nuri” stands out. Try your hand at creating a pair of chopsticks that you can take with you at Yamaguchi Furusato Heritage Center. And don’t forget to check out the “Ouchi-ningyo” dolls, much beloved symbols of a happy marriage. (For the Ouchi-nuri workshop/ experience, reservations are required.)

Make Your Own Goldfish Chochin Paper Lantern (Yanai City) The unique goldfish-shaped chochin (paper lantern) is a trademark of the city of Yanai and one of its traditional crafts. You will see them swaying gently against the white walls of old storehouses built during the Edo Period.

You can make your own original chochin at “Yanai Nishigura.”

Travel to Japan

Take Pictures at Great Spots Motonosumi Inari-jinja Shrine (Nagato City) The 123 bright red torii gates meandering up the steep seaside rock create a breathtaking view. CNN included this in its list of “Japan’s 31 Most Beautiful Places”. Also worth mentioning is the offertory box at the top of the tall torii of five-meters high, considered to be the hardest in Japan to throw money into – perhaps because it will grant your wish if you actually succeed in your toss?

Tsunoshima-ohashi Great Bridge (Shimonoseki City) Connecting Honshu and Tsunoshima Island, this 1,780-meter bridge is quite photogenic! Frequently appearing in commercial ads, films, and TV programs, it can be crossed either by car or by bus from JR Kottoi Station. There are limited bus services taking on this route, so be sure to check the time schedule in advance.

This Yamaguchi story previously appeared in att.JAPAN. The information was updated on December 5th, 2018, but further changes are possible.

att.JAPAN x

Experience the Mysteries of Nature Akiyoshidai Plateau Area (Mine City) This is Japan’s biggest karst, a landscape formed from the dissolution of limestone. Somewhere in the depths of time, this was a coral reef, but the changes to the earth’s crust made it rise to 200-400 meters. In this grass-covered plateau, countless limestone stand one next to the other, creating awe-inspiring shapes. Furthermore, 100 meters beneath the plateau, there is the huge Akiyoshido cavern, created from the same limestone.

Try Unique Local Dishes

Kawara-soba (Enjoyed throughout the prefecture, especially in Shimonoseki City) This noodle dish is unique in the way it is served on a kawara (a tile used on roofs). It is believed that the style originated from the samurai custom of cooking meals on kawara in the battlefield. The modern version is made with green tea noodles, slightly sautéed and topped with thinly sliced omelet, sweet and savory grilled beef, and other ingredients.

People enjoy the green tea noodles served on warmed kawara by dipping them into warm sauce.

Mandarin Oranges Hot Pot (Suo-Oshima Island) The Inland Sea’s Suo-Oshima is famous for its mikan mandarin oranges.

Locals use them in a rather unique way: in a hot pot with fish! The fruit takes away the fishy smell and embraces umami from all the ingredients.

Since the mikan are used unpeeled, the dish’s nutritional value is also enhanced.

Yamaguchi Local Sake Sake brewing is one of Yamaguchi Prefecture’s prospering businesses. “Dassai” is its most famous brand, but each area has its own, and if you are looking for something that complements perfectly the region’s cuisine, you should definitely give the local sakes a try!

Travel to Japan

Walk Undersea to Kyushu Kanmon Pedestrian Tunnel (Shimonoseki City) Honshu’s westernmost spot, Shimonoseki, and Kyushu’s northernmost spot, Kitakyushu, are separated by a rather narrow stretch of water called Kanmon Straits. And underneath it, connecting the two prefectures is the Kanmon Tunnel, through which trains, road traffic and, in what is a rarity in the world, foot traffic also passes. If you are looking for a unique experience, you can walk from one side of the underwater tunnel to the other. Shimonoseki is rich in fish and seafood with most prominent being fugu, or blowfish. Karato Fish Market facing the Kanmon Straits is open to travelers and allows them to see from up close the treasures of these seas on your plate as in sushi, kaisen-don (seafood donburi bowl), etc. Our recommendation is to have a hearty lunch at the market and then walk it off by going to Kyushu!

About att.JAPAN The magazine att.JAPAN is for non-Japanese visiting from overseas and those residing in Japan.

This quarterly magazine written in English, Mandarin, and Korean offers a wide range of information about Japan––from travel and sightseeing to various aspects of traditional culture and the latest trends. The magazine is distributed at major airports, hotels, and tourist information centers throughout Japan. http://att-japan.net/en/ att.JAPAN att.japan www.youtube.com/user/attJAPAN

Trace the Footsteps of Historical Figures Shoka Sonjuku Private Academy (Hagi City) Choshu-han, the domain in Edo Period and the current Yamaguchi Prefecture, has played an important role in the history of Japan’s modernization. Many of the prominent figures who contributed to the modernization were from the domain. Visitors can enjoy historical landmarks in the castle town, Hagi.

The most famous historical destination is the Shoka Sonjuku private academy where intellectual, Yoshida Shoin taught persons who would become politicians, leaders of industry and other key figures who devoted themselves to the creation of modern Japan in the Meiji Period (1868-1912). The academy is one of Hagi’s five sites that have been included in UNESCO’s World Heritage lists as “Sites of Japan’s Meiji Industrial Revolution.”

Masuda

Yamaguchi Prefecture Map Kimono Week in Hagi Premium

Motonosumi Inari-jinja Shrine Tsunoshima-ohashi Great Bridge

3

3

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Shimonoseki

2

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Kyushu Shinkansen

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Hiroshima Expwy

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Hiroshima Airport

San-yo Ex

pwy

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JR Yamaguchi Line

Hiroshima

1

Nishikigawa Tetsudou

Yamaguchi City Saikotei

JR Ku

re Line

Shin-Iwakuni

Iwakuni Iwakuni Kintaikyo Airport

Yamaguchi

Asa

San-yo Expwy

o ug

Ouchi-nuri lacquerware chopsticks experience

JR Mine Line

ku

ku

Shoka Sonjuku Private Academy

Hagi

Hiroshima Pref.

JR Sanin Line

Mine ugo

Fukuoka Pref.

7

Nagatoshi

5 Ch

Shin-Shimonoseki

1

Akiyoshidai Plateau Area

Kottoi

Shimane Pref.

Hagi Iwami Airport

ShinYamaguchi

Hofu

JR Ube Line

Yamaguchi Ube Airport

-yo

San

Tokuyama Hikari

n

anse

hink

yo S

San-

wy

Exp

2

Make your own goldfish chochin paper lantern

Yanai

JR San-yo Line

5

Mandarin oranges hot pot Suo-Oshima Island

Ehime Pref.

This Yamaguchi story previously appeared in att.JAPAN. The information was updated on December 5th, 2018, but further changes are possible.

[ FOCUS ]

Anisong Brings the World Together Though anime music might seem like a niche scene from the outside, the Anisong World Matsuri concert held November 16 and 17 at the Hammerstein Ballroom brought together a diverse cast of performers and even broader range of fans.

The concert series, which celebrates the loose genre of anime music known as “anisong” and the culture surrounding it, began in 2016 and has taken place all over the world, including Los Angeles and Washington DC. Anisong has captured the hearts of fans worldwide who love reliving the memories associated

Morning Musume。’18 makes their return to New York City for the fi rst time in 4 years, to the happiness of their dedicated fans.

with their favorite shows’ music, of which many songs

Hiroshi Kitadani excites the crowd during his fi rst-ever performance in New York City.

have become classics and karaoke staples in their own right. In conjunction with the convention, Anime NYC that same weekend, Anisong World Matsuri made its first stop in New York for 2 nights. November 16 was a homecoming for rocker, nano (Arpeggio of Blue Steel), who was born and raised in New York City. TRUE (Violet Evergarden) switched to anisong in 2014 but had been a successful R&B singer in the 2000s; I was a fan of her back then, so it was lovely to see her live. Meanwhile, Konomi Suzuki (Re:Zero) and singer-model Luna Haruna (Fate/Zero) have been anisong artists from the start.

As is typical of Anisong World Matsuri, the artists all sang a mix of solo sets and collaborations. I laughed when nano contrasted the difference between Haruna’s and her personas after their duet. “So cute,” she said of Haruna’s girly attire, then, of her own leather jacket, “so black.”

November 17 featured veteran anisong performers and fellow JAM Project bandmates Hironobu Kageyama (Dragon Ball Z), and Hiroshi Kitadani (One Piece), actress Shoko Nakagawa (Pokémon), and long-running girl group Morning

From left to right: TRUE, nano, Luna Haruna, and Konomi Suzuki pose after their performance on Friday night

Musume。(PreCure All Stars). My favorite performance was when Kageyama joined in on Morning Musume。’s 1999 smash hit “Love Machine,” gamely trying the choreography despite having warned the audience, “I can’t dance.”

Both nights, hundreds of audience members came with high-end glowsticks that supported a rainbow of colors. From my vantage point on the balcony, it was mesmerizing to watch people—some in anime cosplay, others in Morning Musume。gear—chant and wave the glowsticks in sync, as well as change the color to match the stage lights, mood of the song, or the official color of their favorite performer onstage.

For the November 17 finale, all the performers sang JAM Project’s “The Hero,” opening theme to One-Punch Man. Watching generations of singers from different backgrounds join together on this exuberant song perfectly capped off the magic of Anisong World Matsuri for me.

— Reported by Victoria Goldenberg Info: www.anisongworldmatsuri.com

46

CHOPSTICKS NY | Vol. 141 | Jan 2019 | www.chopsticksny.com

Rare duet performance

by Hironobu Kageyama (left) and Shoko Nakagawa (right)

CHOPSTICKS NY | Vol. 141 | Jan 2019 | www.chopsticksny.com

47

[ ASIAN RESTAURANT REVIEW ] You can enjoy their khao man gai with exquisite home-crafted sauces.

Refining Asian Street Food in New York

Eat’s Khao Man Gai is Manhattan’s first khao man gai (Hainanese chicken rice) specialty restaurant. Originally from Hainan Province in China, this street food is hugely popular throughout Southeast Asian countries, and Eat’s features Thai-style, free-range chicken dishes. Chef Mukda Sakulclanuwat, formerly of Kittichai and Indocine, seasons her creations with a variety of spices like ginger, herbs and garlic. All chicken is deboned, boiled and served over rice cooked with chicken stock.

48

Another excellent choice is the Swimming Pra Ram, poached chicken breast and steamed water spinach with jasmine rice, topped with peanut curry. Along with chicken dishes, Eat’s has a vegan version, which features tofu and uses turmeric and Thai saffron for the rice.

Their set meals are reasonably priced, and all come with rice, winter melon soup and a drink. Enjoy relaxing in Eat’s chicken themed interior while listening to Thai music and savoring this comfort food.

CHOPSTICKS NY | Vol. 141 | Jan 2019 | www.chopsticksny.com

Drink options include Thai ice tea (left) and 12-hour cold brewed Thai coffee with cream on top and condensed milk on the bottom (right).

Thailand-born Chef Sakulclanuwat has lengthy experience in high-end restaurants in New York. Her cooking technique upgrades this Asian street food to a quality treat.

Eat’s Khao Man Gai 518 E. 6th St., (bet. 1st Ave. & Ave. A), New York, NY 10009 TEL: 646-922-8212 | www.eatkhaomangai.com |

[ ASIAN TRAVEL ]

Nanning, China Nanning is the city housing most of China’s largest minority group, the Zhuang ethnic group. This city is the capital of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, and it is about three and a half hours from Singapore by plane. Nanning has a variety of sightseeing spots. One is the world cultural heritage “Zuojiang Huashan Rock Art Cultural Landscape,” which features extensive large-scale rock art sketched on karst cliff faces that are over 700 years old. Another is the “Friendship Pass,” the current border between China and Vietnam that was used as an invasion route by the People’s Liberation Army. There is also Ban Gioc-Detian Falls, a waterfall that straddles the border between China and Vietnam and whose height of 60 meters and width of 208 meters makes it Asia’s largest and the world’s second largest waterfall. Nanning is a large city in the southernmost part of China, and because of its proximity to Vietnam it serves as an important hub for exchange with this country. A peaceful air flows through this region where you can experience the atmosphere of Southeast Asia. In Nanning you can also enjoy the flavor of China’s diverse racial composition, as it is home to many other ethnic groups besides the Zhuang such as the Han Chinese, the Miao people, the Yao people, the Kam people and the Mulao people.

This charming city that is a harmonious blend of China and Vietnam is recently becoming a famous tourist destination.

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Exhibition Ongoing through January 6 Japanese Arms and Armor from the Collection of Etsuko and John Morris The Metropolitan Museum of Art This yearlong exhibition will end very soon. Presenting a wide array of samurai armor, blades, and accoutrements dating from the fifteenth to the nineteenth century, this exhibition celebrates the promised gift of thirty-seven objects from the collection of Etsuko and John Morris, as well as other important gifts made by Mr. and Mrs. Morris to The Met’s Department of Arms and Armor. Maintained with care and beautifully restored works include a rare complete armor (gusoku) by Bamen Tomotsugu (active eighteenth century); a blade attributed to Fusamune of Soshu (active late fifteenth–early sixteenth century) with mounting; and a helmet (kawari-kabuto) in the shape of a wave (seventeenth century, restored 2015).

Location: 1000 Fifth Ave., New York, NY 10028 TEL: 212-535-7710 | www.metmuseum.org -----------------------------------------------------------

January 31-February 27 FREE “Kasama Pottery with Free Style” – Living National Treasure Kosei Matsui and Modern Ceramic Artists The Nippon Gallery In this exhibition, six major pottery works will be displayed featuring the renowned ceramic artist Kosei Matsui, and three modern artists Hiroyuki Onuki, Koji Toda and Akio Nukaga. Considered a living

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national treasure in Japan for influencing ceramic art in Kasama, Ibaraki, Mr. Matsui is known for his “neriage” (kneading) technique. All the works in this exhibit will be free to touch.

Location: 145 W. 57th St., (bet. 6th & 7th Aves.)

New York, NY 10019 TEL: 212-581-2223 | www.nipponclub.org -----------------------------------------------------------

Workshop/Film Screening/Event January 13 Winter Kaiseki in New York City The Chef’s Collective Hosted by The Chef’s Collective, chefs D a v i d Israelow and Yuuki Tanaka will be guest-featured in a presentation on the historical background and significance of kaiseki cuisine while serving a seasonal kaiseki course menu. New York City based-chef Isrealow won the 2018 World Washoku Challenge, held in Tokyo. Chef Tanaka is a Tokyo-based owner of Ise Sueyoshi, which is renowned for serving traditional kappo kaiseki cuisine. On a side note, these two chefs will be teaching how to prepare sashimi on Jan. 9, exclusive to International Culinary Center students.

Location: 199 E. 3rd St., (bet. Avenue A & B), New York, NY 10009 www.thechefscollective.live -----------------------------------------------------------

January 23 & 24

Gluten-Free Gâteau au Chocolat Baking Class Chakura At Chakura, the private space on the third floor of Cha-an Teahouse, the Head Pastry Chef Norie Ue-

CHOPSTICKS NY | Vol. 141 | Jan 2019 | www.chopsticksny.com

matsu will be teaching a workshop on how to bake a Gâteau au Chocolat using gluten-free ingredients from scratch.

Gâteau au Chocolat is a French chocolate cake flavored with melted chocolate and cocoa powder, which is also very popular in Japan. To make a reservation, check the link below. Attending this workshop ($70 + tax) includes materials, one take-home box, and a Japanese meal.

Location: 230 E. 9th St., (bet. 2nd & 3rd Aves.)

New York, NY 10003 TEL: 212-228 8030 www.chakuranyc.com -----------------------------------------------------------

January 27

“Kakizome” Calligraphy Workshop Friends Academy of Japanese Children’s Society At the Friends Academy of Japanese Children’s Society, where children and adults can learn about the Japanese language and culture, a calligraphy workshop will be held. Participants will have the chance to try “kakizome”, the first calligraphy of the year, and learn more about the tradition that has been observed in Japan for centuries. Anyone interested in Japanese culture, from four years old to adult, is warmly invited to join. Reservations are required in advance via telephone or email.

Location: 310 W. 103rd St., (bet. West End Ave. & Riverside Dr.), New York, NY 10025 TEL: 212-935-8535 www.japanesechool.org -----------------------------------------------------------

ENTERTAINMENT / EVENT / LEISURE January 28 & 31

Early Tickets to A Silent Voice Screening Eleven Arts Anime Studio Naoko Yamada’s animated masterpiece, “A Silent Voice”, is coming back in US cinemas for two days only. The moving coming-of-age drama depicts the struggles of adolescence through its memorable characters and beautiful animation and would be sure to move your heart. Subscribers of Eleven Arts are allowed early access to tickets.

Locations: Regal Battery Park 11 (102 North End Ave., New York, NY 10282) Regal Court Street 12 (106 Court St., Brooklyn, NY 11201) Regal Sheepshead Bay 14 (3907 Shore Parkway, Brooklyn, NY 11235) www.elevenarts.net -----------------------------------------------------------

February 7 & 10 Japanese Anime Screening of I want to eat your pancreas

Fathom Events and Aniplex of America B a s e d on Yoru Sumino’s bestselling novel Kimi no Suizo wo Tabetai, ©YS/F ©YPAFP the coming-of-age tale has captivated the hearts of millions. Following a nameless protagonist, he finds a diary kept by his very popular classmate, Sakura Yamauchi, who is revealed to be secretly suffering from a pancreatic illness. Swearing to protect her secret, the two seek to find the true meaning of compassion while trying to find happiness. Presented by Fathom Events and Aniplex of America, the movie comes to more than 400 U.S. cinemas, subtitled on Feb. 7 and English-dubbed on Feb. 10.

Locations: Regal Battery Park 11 (102 North End Ave., New York, NY 10282) Regal Court Street 12 (106 Court St., Brooklyn, NY 11201) Regal Sheepshead Bay 14 (3907 Shore Parkway, Brooklyn, NY 11235) FathomEvents.com/pancreas -----------------------------------------------------------

Happenings Winter DASSAI Sake Festival Soba Noodle Azuma Soba Noodle Azuma located in Midtown, is now

hosting the DASSAI Sake Festival for customers to enjoy sake made by DASSAI starting from December until the end of winter. There are two menus to choose from: the Dassai Junmai Daiginjo Flight ($12) consists of Dassai 23, Dassai 39 and Dassai 50, and the Dassai 50 Junmai Daiginjo Flight ($9) comes with Dassai 50, Dassai 50 Sparkling and Dassai 50 Nigori. Each of the flight sake glasses holds 1 ounce. Azuma has also revamped their hot pot menu to include oden, which is limited to the winter season only.

Location: 251 W. 55th St. (bet. Broadway & 8th Ave.), New York, NY 10019 TEL: 917-262-0540 | www.sobaazuma55.com -----------------------------------------------------------

January Promotion: 10% Off Haircut and Treatment GARDEN NEW YORK The Japanese hair salon, GARDEN NEW YORK in the West Village will be offering a 10% discount on haircut and treatment for first-time customers on the weekdays of January.

“For the new year, why not change your vibe with a new hairstyle? By just cutting your hair or adding a treatment, it would change up your appearance!” says Takashi, stylist at GARDEN. Mention Chopsticks NY to receive this offer.

Location: 323 W. 11th St., (bet. Greenwich & Washington Sts.), New York, NY 10014 TEL: 212-647-9303 | www.garden-nyc.com -----------------------------------------------------------

Free Dental Check-Up with Cleaning Service Waterside Dental Care At Waterside Dental Care, they insist upon personalized dental care for each and every patient with his or her well-being in mind. For the entire month of January, Waterside Dental Care will provide a free dental checkup for patients who receive a cleaning.

Location: 10 Waterside Plz., (at 25th St.), New York, NY 10010 TEL: 212-683-6260

New Opening Campaign: Up to 40 % Off Beauty Treatments Lucia Lush Recently relocated to Midtown, Lucia Lash specializes in eyelash extension, semi-permanent makeup, and facial treatment services. To celebrate the new opening, they are offering a big discount for Chopsticks NY readers. Eyelash extension and semi-permanent makeup will be 40% off and all facials will be 20% off. The offer ends on Feb. 28, and don’t forget mentioning Chopsticks NY when making an appointment.

Location: 36 W. 44th St., (bet. 5th & 6th Aves.), New York, NY 10035 TEL: 646-838-7426 www.lucialash.com -----------------------------------------------------------

DEAL OF THE MONTH Yoseka Stationery Set Giveaway Yoseka Stationery, originally founded in Taiwan in 1981, opened a Sunnyside branch in 2018 to share with the US curated stationery from Japan, Taiwan and around the world. During the month of January, they are holding a sweepstakes to promote their favorite products. One lucky entrant will have the chance to win one notepad, three ballpoint pens, one washi tape, one pre-cut washi tape, one sticker sheet, and one pencil pouch. To enter the sweepstakes, follow both @chopsticks_ny and @yoseka.stationary on Instagram. Then, comment to tag two friends in the Instagram Giveaway Post on Instagram. Entry deadline is Jan. 31, and the winner will be notified on Instagram.

Location: 48-06 41st St., (bet. 48th & 50th Aves.)Queens, NY 11104 TEL: 917-525-8654 www.yosekastationery.com

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[ WHAT ON EARTH? ]

年賀状 & お年玉

NENGA - J ō & OTOSHIDAMA

W

elcoming the new year is the most important holiday activity and celebratory event for the Japanese. Although many things are Westernized in modern Japanese society, they still observe the new year custom in the traditional way: eating osechi ry ri (new year dishes), going to hatsumōde (the first shrine visit), and decorating houses with conventional ornaments like kadomatsu (pine tree decoration), shimenawa (a rope made with rice straw), and kagami-mochi (round rice cakes to offer to the gods).

These are just some of the many things they do only during this period.

Reading nenga-jō (new year’s postcards) is another activity the Japanese enjoy on New Year’s Day. The Japanese customarily send New Year’s postcards to their friends, relatives, co-workers, and business clients. This is similar to the Western custom of sending cards during the winter holiday season, but in Japan people consider it important that nenga-j are delivered exactly on January 1st.

Naturally, this day is the busiest day of the year for Japan Post because they have to meet everybody’s expectations to get their nenga-j delivered on time. In order to achieve this mission, they even hire part-time workers to help deliver all the nenga-j . Although E-cards have become increasingly popular, Japanese people still keep the custom of sending New Year’s greetings via snail mail.

Nenga-j usually have a new year’s message illustrated with graphics symbolizing the new year such as the sunrise, a plum tree, kadomatsu and kagami-mochi.

They are also commonly decorated with one of the 12 eto animals: mouse, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse,

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CHOPSTICKS NY | Vol. 141 | Jan 2019 | www.chopsticksny.com

sheep, monkey, rooster, dog, and boar. Every year is represented by a specific animal, and the eto for 2019 is the boar.

Among the many oshougatsu activities, otoshidama is the most exciting one for children. Otoshidama was originally a gift to celebrate the new year, but today it refers to money given to children from older people during the holiday.

The Japan Post issues its own version of otoshidama in the form of nenga-j with a lottery number at the bottom of the postcard. At the end of January, Japan Post discloses the winning numbers, and the winners can exchange their nenga-jo for premium items like an HD TV monitor, a computer, a digital camera, regional delicacies and memorial stamps.