If you plan on strutting around in nothing more than a tightly pack mawashi (sumo g-sling) this summer take some dietary advice from the dudes who make their living as male bikini models. There is a lot of social and professional pressure for rikishi (sumo wrestlers) to maintain a certain girth. But what if you aren’t hungry or don’t feel like eating?

Sometimes even the Yokozuna (top sumo champion) needs a little appetite booster to get the appetite juices flowing. More

Here's a really fun and easy DIY project to do with kids this summer - hand-rolled vegetable maki sushi rolls! The ingredients you'll need are cheap and easy to find. Making your own maki sushi rolls is a very simple skill that kids can pick up quickly, and since it's all done with the hands, kids can actually "play" with their food for a change! Plus, it's an easy way to introduce sushi to kids; picky eaters are often more willing to try something new if they've participated in its preparation from start to finish. More

Here's a great question from Erin. Can you help her?

I'm about to move to an area where decent Japanese food is a long way away, and was wondering if the readers had any suggestions for a Japanese home-style cooking cookbook. We already make sushi at home (mostly with non-raw ingredients), but I'm not able to concoct the rest of the menu at home. With other cuisines, I can cook by feel, and usually end up with something good, but my knowledge of Japanese ingredients is pretty slim and I'd like something to teach me the basics. Any suggestions?

In Kyoto, there is a market hall with beautiful stained glass ceilings that stretches on for six city blocks. Called the Nishiki Market, this place is a food lovers' paradise; row after row of the freshest Japanese produce, seafoods, meats, dried, bulk, and prepared foods you can find. Plus, there are pubs (izakaya) where you can have a few beers and pub snacks, takoyaki (fried octopus balls) stands, and so much more. More

While on a trip in Japan and browsing the local markets, I came across this green, watery root many times. It's fresh wasabi root - yes, the same nasal-clearing green paste we mix with soy sauce and dip sushi in. What exactly is this root, where can you find it, and how do you prepare it? Read on ... More

While reading the March issue of Martha Stewart Living, we came across a recipe for basic steamed edamame (familiar) sprinkled with gomashio (not so much). What is this crunchy condiment? We've also seen a container of it in this Kitchen Tour: Zachary and Family. But it's easy to make your own. More

Check this out! At a recent International Next-Generation Robot Fair in Osaka, Japan, Yaskawa Electric demonstrated a robot called the Motoman SDA10 that can cook okonomiyaki, among other things. You remember okonomiyaki - that savory Japanese pizza-pancake that we wrote about a few months ago. More

Oden is a hearty Japanese stew that is cooked over several days and commonly served during cold winter months. It's pretty easy to make and most ingredients can be found online or in Japanese supermarkets. It's got a wonderful, savory flavor and contains an odd melange of ingredients like yam, taro, fish cake, hard boiled eggs, and mushrooms. Even though those food combinations might seem odd to Westerners, oden is a delicious dish that should be tried. More

We love this dish of kabocha squash simmered in dashi, sugar, and soy sauce. It's very easy to make, uses minimal ingredients, and packs well in lunches. More

Kabocha is a Japanese pumpkin that is extremely sweet and is used in many Japanese dishes such as oden and tempura. It's also used in cakes and other sweets. More