About Hi, I’m Nao.
I live in Yokohama and write about what we eat, the tools I've used for years, and the parts of Japanese traditions that fit into my days.
About 
Tools That Last Kai Select 100 T-Peeler: A Japanese-Brand Peeler I’ve Used for Over 10 Years
I’ve used the Kai Select 100 T-Peeler for over 10 years. Why it still peels well, why peels don’t get stuck, and where to find it in the US.
Japanese Home Cooking How to Make Japanese Dried Persimmons at Home: My Grandmother’s Way
My grandmother’s way to make Japanese dried persimmons (hoshigaki) on a balcony: peel, dip in boiling water, tie, hang, and check on them now and then. Plus what to do if yours have no stems.
Japanese Home Cooking Easy Frozen Udon Soup With Shiro Dashi (19 Minutes)
On a rushed day in Japan, I made udon in 19 minutes with just shiro dashi for seasoning and mushrooms from my freezer. Here’s how.
Japanese Home Cooking Two Quick Japanese Side Dishes With Few Ingredients
Two side dishes from a home dinner in Japan: carrot shirishiri and sesame miso cucumber, made with a few ingredients and served in glass containers.
Japanese Home Cooking Chestnut Rice and the Shears That Make Peeling Easy
Kuri gohan, Japanese chestnut rice, from my grandmother’s chestnuts: how I boil them, peel them with chestnut shears, cook the rice and freeze the rest.
Japanese Home Cooking Easy Japanese Lunch With Frozen Gyoza and a Microwave Salad
Frozen gyoza in one pan, a broccoli and tuna salad in a microwave steamer, and leftovers from the fridge: a real weekday lunch at home in Japan.
Around the House Magnetic Storage: How to Check Your Home Before You Buy
Before buying a magnetic rack, test the surface with a magnet you already own, then check there’s a free spot near where you’ll use it.
Tools That Last Iwaki Glass Food Containers: What 8 Years of Daily Use Looks Like
After eight years of daily use, here’s what iwaki’s Pack and Range glass containers are like — sizes, oven and microwave rules, lid colors, and where to buy them in the US.
Around the House Towel Racks for Small Bathrooms: 5 Japanese Ways to Give Wet Towels a Place
No room for wet towels? Five Japanese towel racks for small bathrooms, sorted by where they go: floor, towel bar, wall, ceiling or washer.
Around the House How I Dry Laundry Without a Working Dryer: 3 Spots in My Japanese Apartment
My dryer’s been broken for years. Here’s how laundry gets dry in my Japanese apartment, using the balcony, the bathing room and a rod above the washer.