washoku

Hello, my name is Ray. I am a food tour guide at Arigato Travel in Japan. I recently visited the Washoku: Nature and Culture in Japanese Cuisine 2023-2024 exhibition, a special event that showcases the nature and culture of Japanese cuisine. I was amazed by the […]

In Japan, it’s not rare to see a street attendant working past retirement, or a kind 80-year-old woman still running her family soba restaurant. It’s a widely known fact that this country has some of the oldest people in the world, falling only behind Hong Kong in life expectancy. Why is this? Could it be the fantastic healthcare system, the high regard that seniors receive, or the fact that many of them remain active, getting up at 6 AM for their daily exercises? Of course these are all contributing factors, but we are missing a pretty important one: food.