May 30, 2021
In an age where the internet provides an abundance of information, to still be unaware of the varieties of Japanese cuisine could be seen as a form of self-exile from pleasure. While curating a list of the “best” nonfiction on the topic is certainly subjective, the following books, which offer immersive writing based on research and firsthand impressions and encounters, make for a nourishing reading experience.
“A Taste of Japan” by Donald Richie (1985)
Kodansha, 112 pages
For an elegantly composed introduction to Japanese cuisine, “A Taste of Japan” is hard to beat. Though not a food writer per se, Donald Richie, like the Japanese novelist and gourmet Junichiro Tanizaki, possessed a rare and subtle palate. Richie was the ultimate sampler; everything, even the most common dishes, had to be tried and tested.