Blog

Craft Beer Market in Tokyo
February 27, 2015
People in Japan are cuckoo for beer. It remains the most popular alcoholic beverage in...
Meet Masako Ikegami of Bar Shake (Ginza)
November 10, 2014
We met the gracious Masako Ikegami in 2010, before we opened our shop in Oakland,...
The Ramen Shaman: Menya Musashi (Shinjuku)
September 8, 2014
Menya Musashi's namesake is one Miyamoto Musashi, regarded as one of Japan's greatest swordsmen and...
TSG Hard Strong Glass Factory (Chiba)
June 5, 2014
When Kayoko and I started choosing glassware for the shop, we wanted simple and functional...
Upcoming Event: A Pop-Up Dinner with JICCA from Tokyo (OAK)
May 30, 2014
This event is SOLD OUT! Umami Mart + Ordinaire + Selection Massale welcomes JICCA from...
Adventures in Nakano: Hitomi Bar
April 12, 2014
Male bartenders in Japan are full of themselves. There, I said it. From the few...
Adventures in Nakano: Yakitori at Shimon-ya
April 8, 2014
One of the most memorable nights I had in Tokyo was an adventure in Nakano,...
Tokyo JUNKtion: Hosomaki Diaries
March 17, 2014
Trends in roll combinations in the States are rapid, with so many joints coming up...
The Ramen Shaman: Nagi (Golden Gai)
March 1, 2014
Nagi, Nagi, Nagi. This one's been near the top of my ever-expanding ramen bucket list...
Tokyo JUNKtion: Jicca
February 24, 2014
Whenever I visit Tokyo, I look forward to meeting newborns... especially when I've followed the...
Ice Ball Machine
February 22, 2014
We went to Hoteresu the other day, Japan's premiere restaurant show. Like any convention at...
Postcard from Tokyo
February 19, 2014
We made it! After a restless 16 hours of travel -- I read this month's...