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.

Japanese Soy Sauce: Shoyu Types, Flavor, and Uses

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Japanese soy sauce in ceramic bowls with soybeans, toasted wheat, and koji

Japanese soy sauce, called shoyu in Japanese, is a fermented liquid seasoning used both at the table and during cooking. It adds saltiness, aroma, color, and savory depth to foods ranging from tofu and vegetables to ramen and other noodles, grilled fish, sushi, and simmered dishes. The familiar dark reddish-brown all-purpose sauce is only one variety. Japan … Read more

Japanese Rice: Varieties, Texture, and How to Choose It

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Bowl of steamed Japanese rice with uncooked short-grain rice and a wooden rice paddle

Japanese rice usually refers to short-grain varieties of Japonica rice used in everyday Japanese cooking. When properly cooked, the grains are plump, tender, slightly glossy, and cohesive enough to pick up with chopsticks. It is served plain with meals and also forms the base of sushi, onigiri, donburi, rice bowls, and many regional dishes. However, ordinary … Read more

7 Japanese Kitchen Tools Actually Worth Buying for Beginners

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Japanese kitchen tools for beginners, including a rice cooker, gyuto knife, donabe, tamagoyaki pan, mandoline, ceramic grater, and sushi mat

The best Japanese kitchen tools for beginners are practical items that make everyday cooking easier—not specialty gadgets that spend most of their time in a drawer. I am involved in sushi restaurant operations in Japan, where useful equipment earns its place by improving consistency, saving time, or making an important technique easier. A home kitchen … Read more

Real Wasabi: Flavor, Grating, and How to Recognize It

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Fresh Japanese wasabi rhizome with grated wasabi and a sharkskin grater

What is wasabi? Real wasabi is a Japanese plant whose thickened stem is grated into a fresh green condiment. It has a clean herbal aroma and a brief, nose-tingling pungency. It is best known as an accompaniment to sushi and sashimi, but it is also served with noodles, tofu, meat, and other dishes. The bright green … Read more

Edomae Sushi: The Tokyo Techniques Behind Every Piece

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Traditional Edomae sushi including marinated tuna, kohada, and anago

Edomae sushi is the traditional Tokyo style of sushi that helped shape the nigiri enjoyed around the world today. It developed in Edo, the former name of Tokyo, as a quick meal made with vinegared rice and seafood from nearby waters. Edomae sushi is not simply raw fish placed on rice. A chef may cure … Read more