Hiro

Hiro is originally from Hokkaido and is currently based in Tokyo, Japan. Hiro began working at a fresh fish shop at the age of 17, learning the fundamentals of seasonal seafood, fish quality, handling, and preparation. At 22, while also working at an izakaya, Hiro entered the field of traditional Japanese cuisine and gained practical experience with Japanese ingredients, cooking techniques, and dining culture. At 25, Hiro became fascinated by the depth of yakitori—one of Japan’s most familiar and enduring food traditions. Hiro worked at yakitori restaurants until the age of 39, developing practical knowledge of chicken cuts, texture, skewering, charcoal grilling, heat control, and the use of shio and tare. Hiro later became a sushi chef, drawn by the seasonality of Japanese seafood and the way sushi expresses the changing flavors of fish throughout the year. At Japan Food Compass, Hiro draws on professional experience in fresh seafood, Japanese cuisine, yakitori, and sushi to explain Japanese food and culinary culture clearly and accurately for readers around the world.

Yuzu in Japanese Cooking: Aroma, Varieties, and Uses

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Fresh yellow yuzu fruits, including one cut open, with aromatic peel and yuzu juice

Yuzu is a highly aromatic citrus fruit used throughout Japanese cooking. Its juice is sharply tart, while its peel has a floral fragrance that can transform a clear soup, grilled fish, sauce, dessert, or drink with only a small amount. Unlike oranges and mandarins, fresh yuzu is rarely eaten by itself. The fruit contains relatively … Read more

Ponzu Explained: Citrus, Soy Sauce, and Practical Uses

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Ponzu sauce with Japanese citrus and cold shabu-shabu vegetables

Ponzu is a Japanese citrus seasoning known for refreshing acidity and aroma. The version most commonly sold outside Japan is a dark, soy-based sauce used with hot pot, sashimi, dumplings, cold meat dishes, vegetables, and salads. However, the word ponzu does not always describe exactly the same product. In a narrow sense, ponzu is a light citrus … Read more

Katsuobushi: How Bonito Flakes Build Japanese Dashi

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Katsuobushi block, wooden shaving tool, bonito flakes, and Japanese dashi

Katsuobushi is dried, smoked, and sometimes mold-matured fish shaved into the delicate pieces called bonito flakes. The flakes flavor Japanese dashi and are also eaten on tofu, rice, vegetables, noodles, and savory pancakes. Similar-looking packages may contain smoky arabushi, refined karebushi, or mixed flakes made with other fish. Shaving thickness also changes how the product … Read more

Kombu: The Kelp Behind Dashi and Umami

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Dried Japanese kombu seaweed beside a bowl of pale golden kombu dashi

Kombu is the thick, dried kelp that gives many Japanese dishes a deep but unobtrusive savory flavor. It is best known as an ingredient in dashi, but it is also simmered, wrapped around fish, cut into fine shavings, and used to season rice and vegetables. Major growing areas produce varieties with different thicknesses, textures, and … Read more

Nori Guide: Types, Quality, and Uses in Japanese Food

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Roasted Japanese nori sheets with onigiri, maki sushi, and shredded nori

Nori is the thin, dark seaweed most closely associated with sushi rolls and onigiri. When it is fresh and dry, it can be crisp, delicate, and aromatic, with a mild ocean flavor and noticeable umami. However, the word nori can describe several products. Some sheets are dried, some are roasted, and others are seasoned with … Read more