Most of the books that I introduce here are written in Japanese. But I still believe that it’s worth sharing them, because I was desperate for a starting point when i researched Kaiseki and the cultural environment around it. Japan is also still very much a paper society so there aren’t a lot of online ressources.. So hopefully these recommendations will help some of you! And obviously all the recipes that I share are in English as well, so you get to enjoy Kaiseki Cuisine whether you speak Japanese or not! Most of the books that I shared have lots of pictures, so it might be worth checking out even if you can’t read the text (google translate can be surprisingly helpful as well). I just hope that it will be able to lift some of the mystery and lead to a better understanding of this amazing Cuisine.
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HANAIKE NO KANDOKORO – Ikebana Tips
If you want to look at some really inspiring pictures of Ikebana this is the book for you! I personally like it because it breaks down not only how to choose flowers and vases, but it also explains how you can make the arrangement look natural by fine tuning the lighting. And it has a Read more
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KOJU NO RYORI SAIJIKI Koju’s seasonal dishes
Technically speaking “Saijiki” is the word used for an almanac of seasonal words for writing Haiku Poems. In this case it is used to mean that it is a collection of dishes that signify certain seasons. One of the main aspects of Japanese Cuisine in general and Kaiseki in particular is seasonality! The original Japanese Read more
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KOJU NO MORITSUKE About plating
This book is a pretty epic guide on the plating philiosophy of the head chef of “Ginza Koju” a 2 Michelin Star Restaurant in Tokyo.There are lots of easy to understand pictures of dishes and different plates, just know that the recipes are minimal at best. If you know how to make Kaiseki already though it’s Read more
Check out the recipe collection
Easily get to know Kaiseki Cuisine without needing to learn Japanese
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