Kumagai Kokushuu Sake Set
This stunning sake set is done in the Kyo-yaki style distinctive of Kyoto, Japan. It’s lovely for either hot or cold sake and features an elongated carafe that’s tapered at the top and is made from earthenware and finished with a brassy sheen. Available with a set of two cups.
Kumagai Nanban Sake set
This stunning sake set is done in the Kyo-yaki style distinctive of Kyoto, Japan. It’s lovely for either hot or cold sake and features a rounder, open-topped sake pot with a lovely pourable spout. This set also is finished with a lovely pewter color, with pops of natural clay peeking through. Available with a set of two cups.
Kumagai Kokushuu Tea Set
This beautiful, bronze-hued Japanese tea set is crafted from earthenware and speaks to centuries of tradition. In the 16th century, tea ceremonies became more commonplace and there was an increased demand for artisans to craft tea sets. We love this one’s minimalist shape and built in strainer that holds back loose tea leaves as you pour.
Pingto Bamboo Chopstick Sets
Chopsticks come in all shapes, sizes and materials, These vibrantly colored, durably fashioned chopsticks from Japan are just the right length and width for most anything. We use them beyond the dinner table for stirring drinks, stirring batters and frying delicate items. Take note: The chopsticks come in a six-piece set.
Kinto CAST Iced Tea Glasses — Set of 4
It's hard to find glassware that is both sturdy and delicate. We like the simple, appealing design of Kinto's iced tea glasses, which are heat-resistant and sturdier than traditional glass. The subtle lip on the rims of the glasses emphasize their sleek tapered shape and also make for easier drinking. Established in 1972 in Shiga, Japan, Kinto incorporates Japanese principles of simplicity and subtle elegance into its tableware designs.
Kotobuki Trading Company Clay Rice Cooker (Donabe)
A traditional piece of Japanese cooking equipment, a donabe is made from earthenware clay and maintains a gentle, even heat thanks to its thickness and the porous nature of the material. We love this one’s rich tenmoku finish (a classic pottery glazing style that dates to the 14th century), as well as its extra-heavy lid, which increases pressure to decrease cook time and ensure the rice steams properly. The vessel is often used to make rice dishes or other filling one-pot meals—for example, koge (scorched rice), in which the bits of rice in contact with the surface of the pot become crunchy and nutty as they overcook, which is difficult to make in a typical electric rice cooker.
Kotobuki Trading Company Terra Green Rice Bowls (Set of 4)
These deep, minimalist bowls are ideal for rice, noodles or anything, really. They’re made from Japanese stoneware, a popular material for functional yet elegant tabletop items—as it falls somewhere between the utility of clay and the delicacy of porcelain. These bowls feature some hand-done glaze work and come in a lovely, earthy green hue with accents of the material’s natural brown peeking through. Comes in a set of four bowls.
Sukoyaka Brown Genmai Rice
If you are tired of tasteless white rice, let me introduce you to Genmai Rice. When I first tasted genmai two years ago, my first thought was that this rice was a miracle—it cooks quickly, just like white rice, but has the rich, earthy flavor and satisfying chewiness of great brown rice. Once you taste Sukoyaka Genmai, you will never go back. How is this possible? It is an American-grown short-grain brown rice that has had a portion of the outer bran layer is scrubbed away, allowing the grains to hydrate faster while retaining most of their nutritional properties. The nutty, earthy-tasting grains are distinct and just a touch sticky, making the rice perfect for accompanying stir-fries, curries, soups and stews, although I make it two or three times a week as a starter, for any sort of topping from steamed vegetables to quickly grilled chicken or steak. Matt, Card, our food editor, also swears by it for fried rice. He keeps a batch frozen in the freezer for a quick batch: Just defrost on the countertop, and it's ready to go for a virtually instant meal. Buy as much as you can afford, since genmai will become your go-to rice after the first bite.
Iio Jozo Pure Rice Vinegar
Bright, clear-tasting rice vinegar is the primary vinegar in Japanese cooking and this is one of the best we’ve tasted. We like its neutral, clean flavor and how well it pairs with delicate flavors that might otherwise be overwhelmed by stronger vinegars. Try blending it with lemon or lime juice in vinaigrettes, where it boosts the citrus acidity without calling attention to itself.
Inomata Japanese Plastic Rice Washing Bowl
It is a standing joke around the office that I LOVE this rice washer. It is just the right size, so storing it is not a pain (it’s small enough to keep it on my drain board at all times), it’s lightweight, it’s well-designed, and—if you like—it also washes rice. Why do we all have huge colanders, anyway? This 2.5-quart colander is the perfect size for 95 percent of your kitchen draining jobs. With rice, the device allows one to cover the rice with water and swish it around; there are tiny drain holes in the bottom and larger holes near the spout. You can use this simple bowl for washing any sort of produce, including berries—a simple but brilliant concept. As for cooking rice, I use a ceramic Japanese rice cooker (the Kamado-San Double-Lid Donabe Rice Cooker—available in our store) and use slightly less water than rice.
Namikura Kyoto-Style White Miso
Savory, sweet and flavor-dense, white miso is an absolutely essential pantry item. Winey-sweet, buttery and deeply rich, this organic version from Japanese family producer Namikura Miso Co. is more complex and less salty than other brands, which means it can be used more freely with soy sauce without dishes tasting overly seasoned.
Bachan's Original Japanese Barbecue Sauce
Unlike grocery-store teriyaki sauces that include artificial preservatives or sweeteners, Bachan's uses only fresh, natural ingredients in its Original Japanese Barbecue Sauce. Authentic Japanese shoyu—soy sauce made with wheat—provides an umami flavor base, while cane sugar and mirin add the signature complementary sweetness. Bachan's also layers green onion, ginger and garlic, which add aromatic complexity and ground the sauce in earthy, savory notes. In a nod to Western barbecue sauce, the secret recipe also includes tomato paste, which adds a nuanced, natural fruitiness and thickens the sauce. Unlike grocery-store teriyaki sauces that include artificial preservatives or sweeteners, Bachan's uses only fresh, natural ingredients in its Original Japanese Barbecue Sauce. Authentic Japanese shoyu—soy sauce made with wheat—provides an umami flavor base, while cane sugar and mirin add the signature complementary sweetness. Bachan's also layers green onion, ginger and garlic, which add aromatic complexity and ground the sauce in earthy, savory notes. In a nod to Western barbecue sauce, the secret recipe also includes tomato paste, which adds a nuanced, natural fruitiness and thickens the sauce. Plus, this umami-packed sauce is now available gluten free.
Yakami Orchard Yuzu Marmalade
Juicy, flavorful and wonderfully textured Yakami Orchards Yuzu Marmalade is made with fresh, local yuzu from a collective of family farms in Japan’s Miyazaki prefecture. Balanced out with honey and sugar, this yuzu marmalade is bright, tart and warmly sweet with every bite. Just by opening a jar of Yakami Orchards’ product, you’ll be able to smell the bright and subtly floral aroma of yuzu. We love the plentiful chunks of yuzu rind, which are thinly sliced and add texture without making the marmalade clumpy. The yuzu pieces contribute a pop of piney bitterness that is a pleasant counterbalance for the overall sweet spread.
Namikura Red Miso
Red Miso is stronger, saltier and more assertively flavored than yellow or white miso due to its six-month aging process and has a higher proportion of soybeans for a richer taste. This particularly interesting version has sweet flavors reminiscent of sherry and milk chocolate that are perfect for pairing with red meat and other robust dishes.
Ohsawa Organic Mirin
Mirin, an essential element of Japanese cuisine, is a sweet rice wine with less alcohol and a more pronounced natural sweetness than sake. While many grocery-store brands are actually mostly corn syrup, we love Ohsawa Organic Genuine Mirin because it is the real stuff, made using traditional methods by the Kankyo Brewery since 1862. Subtly sweet, mellow and full of umami, this authentic mirin is made by fermenting sweet rice and sake with a special Japanese rice mold for 60 to 90 days then aging the raw product for a full nine months. This condiment both seasons and sweetens, balancing out the salinity of soy-based dishes and adding a lustrous sheen to all of our favorite Asian dishes. And unlike perishable wine or vermouth, mirin can be stored at room temperature in your pantry. Ohsawa Organic Genuine Mirin will add silky sweetness and umami to all sorts of Asian dishes. Try it in our Chicken Teriyaki Donburi or Soy-Steamed Japanese-Style Rice with Mushrooms and Tofu, both of which use mirin in classic Japanese style as a mellow counterpoint to soy sauce. You can also bring out the sweet notes of the Korean chili paste gochujang in our Gochujang-Glazed Potatoes (Gamja Jorim) or Korean Chicken-Vegetable Soup with Noodles. Mirin adds crucial body to the dressing of our Eventide Green Salad with Nori Vinaigrette; the dressing is also great tossed with cold soba noodles for a quick noodle salad or drizzled over poached salmon or shrimp. You can also use mirin as a base for pan sauces: After browning steaks, chops or chicken broths, deglaze the pan with 2 to 3 tablespoons mirin, simmer down by half, and whisk in butter and herbs to taste. For an all-purpose dipping sauce for noodles or dumplings, make mentsuyu: Simply combine ½ cup each mirin and sake and ¼ cup soy sauce (and if you have either, ½ cup of bonito flakes and 3-inch piece of kombu seaweed). Bring to a simmer, then cool (and strain if adding bonito or knob); it’ll store indefinitely in the refrigerator. This sauce can also be blended with miso and diluted to serve as a soup base or boiled to concentrate into a teriyaki glaze.
