The Japanese marry great design and functionality with cast iron to create truly unique pieces. There is nothing like it coming out of America, at least not yet. These moderately sized pans (7½ inches and 10 inches) are surprisingly thin and beautifully proportioned. The effective flat handles are easy to hold while cooking or transporting to the table. We use the larger one for everything from browning grilled cheese and searing steaks to roasting vegetables or baking pasta. We also use it to braise chicken parts or for a simple fricassee. The smaller pan is just right for toasting nuts, for cooking for two, or for gratins and small casseroles. We also love these pans because they can be used for serving at the table.

If you eat as much rice as we do, its worthwhile owning a proper rice cooker. There’s convenience to an electric cooker, but we much prefer the remarkably moist, fluffy grains of rice produced by clay donabe-style rice cookers. The unique design of these age-old pots features two lids—the inset lid allows some moisture to escape to control the rate at which the rice cooks and lightly pressurizes the pot. This particularly thick-bottomed, durable pot is made from a uniquely porous clay, which heats evenly and maintains a steady heat for very uniform cooking. Beyond rice, the pot can also be used for small batches of soups and stews, like a quick miso soup. We love the thick rustic glaze and the way the pot patinas with use. It looks good enough to come right to the table.

• Size: 9.5” x 12”x 7” high (24 cm x 30 cm x 18 cm high) – including handles and lid
• Capacity: 1.5 qt (1,500 ml)
• Able to cook up to 3 cups (about 2 ¼ US cups =540 ml) of uncooked rice
• Weight: 8 lbs (3.6 kg) 

This small, gorgeous cast-iron griddle set from Japan is just the pan to sear scallops, a few jumbo shrimp, filet mignon or asparagus. The thin yet sturdy construction heats up quickly—over any burner or grill--and holds its heat well. The textured surface prevents foodstuffs from sticking. With its hardwood base, the griddle can easily be brought to the table and used as much as a hot plate as a cooking pan. We’ll heat it and fill it with appetizers like warm, spiced nuts or baked feta drizzled with fruity olive oil, herbs and pepper flakes. The ingenious handle removes easily for serving and storage.

• Slim - .5" H x 9.5" L x 5" W
• Standard - .6" H X 9.6" L X 6" W
• Made in Japan
• Cast iron grill pan, detachable cast iron handle and a cedar trivet included

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.

This inky black, syrupy “molasses” is made from concentrated black garlic, which is garlic fermented long enough to render the cloves tender, mellow, earthy-sweet and utterly addictive. It's reminiscent of concentrated balsamic vinegar, without the acidic tang.

Yuzu Kosho is a Japanese condiment prepared from fermented yuzu, chilies, kombu and salt. This spicy, briny paste combines chili heat with yuzu, the best-tasting citrus fruit you’ve never heard of that is used broadly in Japanese cooking as an accent note. We like this kosho's fruity, bright red bell pepper aroma and subtle sweetness.

This bourbon barrel-aged fish sauce is mellowed by seven months of sitting in oak, so the earthy, meaty funk that one expects from any fermented fish product is beautifully balanced by a complementary sweetness. BLiS's product is also rounded out with soft notes imparted by the seven-month aging process: warming spices, vanilla, and fruit woods, as well as a subtle smoky depth.

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.

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.   

With deeply aromatic, rich, and toasty undertones, this sesame condiment can be used in both sweet and savory applications. It is ideal for adding some earthy depth to dishes, with a subtle pleasant bitterness that you can't get with white sesame seeds. Many Asian cultures use black sesame for desserts, with good reason—its slight bitterness cuts through rich dairy and balances bitter with sweet like no other. We like to substitute black sesame paste for tahini in our Tahini Swirl Brownies—if you like the bittersweetness of dark chocolate, you'll love the roasted element black sesame paste brings to this dessert. Or simply drizzle Wadaman's Black Sesame Paste over vanilla ice cream for a visually stunning Japanese-inspired dessert. On the savory side, try a drizzle of the paste over our Sumac-Spiced Chicken (Musakhan) for visual contrast and an earthy counterpoint to sumac's citrusy tartness. Or add it to our Chinese Chili and Scallion Noodles to complement the sesame oil and add another dimension of flavor. Or substitute black sesame paste for tahini to make a roasty, earthier version of our Pita and Chickpea Salad with Yogurt and Mint (Fatteh).

There is no such thing as just “soy sauce” in Asian cuisine — there are different brews for different purposes. A good example is Japanese white (shiro) soy sauce, which is light amber in color and clearer and thinner than dark soy sauce. Made from coarsely milled roasted wheat that is mixed with steamed soybeans and inoculated with a special type of rice mold called koji, this soy sauce has a subtle flavor that can be used in salad dressings and marinades.

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.

Haku Matsutake Shoyu from Japan is made by infusing matsutake mushroom stems into shiro shoyu—a light, subtly sweet variety of soy sauce with a higher wheat content and mellow golden color—so the mushroom flavor really stands out. The resulting shoyu is earthy, balanced and lightly woody, with a strong mushroom flavor.

It may not look like much, but umami-rich konbu seaweed is a fundamental flavoring agent in Japanese cooking. It adds depth to elemental broths, like dashi (konbu and bonito flakes), which is essential to all manner of Japanese sauces, soups and stews.

Spicy and citrus-bright, this yuzu-laced spice blend is perfect for dishes that need a punch of bright flavor. We like to sprinkle it over roast salmon, shrimp or scallops and add a pinch or three to miso butter (equal parts white miso and softened butter), which we melt over rice and tender soba noodles. Or try a pinch on your next batch of devilled eggs to punch up the flavor.

Japanese shichimi togarashi spice blend brings more than just heat. A blend of chilies, seaweed, sesame and more, it’s a terrific addition to miso soup, fried noodles, sautéed shrimp or roast salmon. And it can turn a simple fried egg and bowl of rice into a meal.

This organic sesame oil, pressed by one of Japan’s top sesame growers, is without equal—earthy, clear, bold and strong. We consider sesame oil a pantry staple and use it in innumerous dishes like our Hot Oil Chard, easy and rib-sticking Sesame Stir-fried Pork with Shiitakes or sesame sauce for noodles.

Note that while tamari is often used as a term for gluten-free soy sauce, Nitto Jozo’s White Tamari is actually all wheat-based. (In Japan, tamari simply refers to a liquid that is pressed out of another substance—in this case, wheat.) This sauce is malty-sweet and slightly tangy, a great choice for those who want the umami flavor of soy sauce with less saltiness.