Japan

Cassava: A Savory Japanese Breakfast

Mono: Show Preview

Is American Sushi on the Decline? Some Say Yes.

​It's no surprise that when the Washington Post brings a storied, Japan-trained sushi chef to a neighborhood, fusion-happy sushi restaurant, he doesn't like what he's eating. What is interesting, though, are the reasons why. It's not necessarily the fact that most of the sushi rolls are covered in ... More >>

Shabu Pub and G Cube Cafe: Japanese Hot Pots Go Chinese

​It's no surprise that when the Washington Post brings a storied, Japan-trained sushi chef to a neighborhood, fusion-happy sushi restaurant, he doesn't like what he's eating. What is interesting, though, are the reasons why. It's not necessarily the fact that most of the sushi rolls are covered in ... More >>

We Got Your Back

​It's no surprise that when the Washington Post brings a storied, Japan-trained sushi chef to a neighborhood, fusion-happy sushi restaurant, he doesn't like what he's eating. What is interesting, though, are the reasons why. It's not necessarily the fact that most of the sushi rolls are covered in ... More >>

Earthquake Hits Japan Again, No Tsunami Warning for S.F.

Another tsunami warning in Japan​Sadly, Japan was shaken again by another earthquake Thursday night, and is now under the threat of a tsunami, a month after it was devastated by an 9.0 earthquake and a tsunami that killed more than 25,000 people. Buildings as far away as Tokyo reportedly shook for ... More >>

Bakesale for Japan Rallies Support for Disaster Relief

Albert Law/porkbellystudio.comBi-Rite Market was one of dozens of nationwide locations of Saturday's Bakesale for Japan.​Organized by local chef Samin Nosrat, Saturday's Bakesale for Japan popped up in moe than 40 locations across the country, including Bi-Rite Market on 18th Street, shown her ... More >>

Sunday: Fabric8 Hosts a Benefit for Japan with Art, Food, and Beer

Erik Otto​Japan Fundraiser Where: Fabric8, 3318 22nd St. (at Valencia), 647-5888 When: Sun., Apr. 3, noon-5 p.m. Cost: Free The rundown: The Mission art gallery is selling raffle tickets for art (most pieces created by Japanese or Japanese American artists) and gift certificates (including ... More >>

Tommy Guerrero and Umamimart Present a Japan Relief Show at the Burritt Room

Guerrero: Doin' his part for Japan.​In just the latest of several Japan earthquake benefit shows to hit S.F., local skater/musical mastermind Tommy Guerrero has announced plans with the food and drink lovers over at Umamimart for a special event at the Crescent Hotel's Burritt Room. Guerrero, who ... More >>

Japanese Tsunami Debris: Will It Trash Our Beaches?

How many volunteers will this cleanup take?​There are so many alarming side effects to the Japanese nuclear leak -- tainted rainwater, polluted air samples, and let's not forget the possibility of radiation in your milk. But while we are so preoccupied with these immediate hazards, we have yet to ... More >>

Japan Benefit Highlights the Highball

Umamimart​The Gift Of Food: A Benefit for Japan Where: Burritt Room at the Crescent Hotel, 417 Stockton (at Sutter), 400-0500 When: Tue., April 5, 8.p.m -1 a.m. Cost: $40 in advance, $45 at the door; proceeds benefit Second Harvest Japan The rundown: Umamimart, the food blog founded by l ... More >>

Bakesale for Japan Update

​Bakesale for Japan Where: Multiple Bay Area locations When: Sat., April 2, 10 a.m.- 2 p.m. Cost: Items priced individually The rundown: Since we last checked in, Samin Nosrat's Bakesale for Japan has snowballed, with dozens of locations spanning the Bay Area, Southern California, the Paci ... More >>

Japan Crisis Escalates, S.F. to Join Nation in Candlelight Vigil

It's the least we could do ​As news spread on Friday that Japan is facing a possible breach at the troubled nuclear plant, San Francisco residents and politicians decided they would show their support with a candlelight vigil Monday after sunset. Media outlets are reporting that radioactive contam ... More >>

Morning Benders Release Japan Echo EP for Earthquake Relief

​File this under super-cool ways to benefit the struggling, earthquake-torn nation on the other side of Ocean Beach: the Morning Benders, the Berkeley-via-Brooklyn indie-pop quartet that basically took the world by storm last year, has released an EP whose sales will go exclusively to benefit the ... More >>

Yoshi's S.F. Announces Japan Benefit with Anthony Brown's Asian American Jazz Orchestra

As the full scope of the Japan Earthquake disaster comes into view, everyone with a connection to Japan -- and many without one -- are pitching in to help as best they can. Count among those the San Francisco music venue and restaurant Yoshi's, whose Japan benefit event will feature live ... More >>

Japan Relief Fundraiser Tonight: Win a Bike Ride with David Chiu

Photo by Greg Dewar Pedaling, but not for politics ​Maybe it's the last thing you could imagine doing -- spending one-on-one time with your city supervisors. Imagine lunching with Supervisor Malia Cohen (what would you talk about?), or taking a trip to the Academy of Sciences with the perennially ... More >>

Chronicle Books Bake Sale Raises Over $7,800 for Japan

​Yesterday's Chronicle Books Bakesale to Help Japan? Some three dozen bakers ended up donating treats (staff, spouses, and neighbors, as well as Poco Dolce, Sweet Constructions, and Angel Cakes), says CB's David Hawk, netting just over $2,300. Chronicle Books doubled that figure for its donati ... More >>

Tonight: Off the Grid Selling T-Shirts for Japan Quake Relief

​Not the best weather for an outdoor food-truck fest, maybe, but Off the Grid Fort Mason Center is dangling another incentive* for the waterproof who show up at tonight's season opener: T-shirts for Japan. OtG's Matt Cohen tells SFoodie he'll be selling shirts rocking the new Off the Grid logo ... More >>

Radiation Levels Monitored on Japan-California Flights

Old-school decontamination​U.S. Customs and Border Protection is monitoring radiation levels on airplanes, cargo, and passengers on flights inbound to West Coast cities from Japan, federal officials said today.In a statement, Customs and Border Protection said officials were seeking to "evaluate t ... More >>

Today: Order the Quail at Nombe, Help Japan's Quake Relief

Angela W./YelpNombe's chicken wings, a previous donation vehicle.​Another restaurant raising money for Japan quake relief: Nombe. Actually, Nombe started collecting donations last Saturday, day after the first full day of news about the tragedy broke over CNN. Co-owner Mari Takahashi says the ... More >>

Chronicle Books Organizing Bake Sale for Japan Quake Relief

Chronicle Books​As reported earlier today, Samin Nosrat is planning an epic series of simultaneous bake sales April 2 to raise funds for Japan disaster relief. In the meantime, Chronicle Books is stepping up with a sale of its own this Monday, Mar. 21, in its lobby at 680 Second Street in SOMA ... More >>

Ebisu/Hotei Donating Part of This Week's Proceeds to Japan Quake Relief

Ebisu​Another S.F. restaurant is stepping up for Japanese disaster relief. From a message on Ebisu's website: All of us are saddened and concerned to have learned about the destruction of the 8.9 magnitude earthquake which has devastated areas of Japan. Many of us and our staff have family and ... More >>

Tsunami Relief: Here Is How to Help

Help!​Images of the earthquake that devastated eastern Japan on Friday still haunt us; the death toll is rising by the day, and threats of a nuclear meltdown lingers.  Naturally, San Franciscans are flooding organizations with phone calls, curious about where and how they can help victims in ... More >>

Tsunami Doesn't Affect San Francisco: An Eyewitness Account

Ocean Beach​The call came just before 7 a.m. A concerned friend, who has lived in San Francisco less than a year, wanted to alert me that a deadly tsunami was headed my way. After devastating the northern coast of Japan, the tsunami -- generated by a staggering 8.9-magnitude earthquake in the Paci ... More >>

ICHI Donating Part of Tonight's Proceeds to Japanese Earthquake Relief

CNNGrounded ship in the port of Hitachinaka in Japan's Ibaraki Prefecture.​The 8.9-magnitude earthquake that rocked northern Japan late last night has been felt here, too ― in Bernal Heights. ICHI Sushi's Erin Archuleta tells SFoodie the restaurant is accepting Red Cross donations tonight, p ... More >>

Drink 2011: Sake to Me

CNNGrounded ship in the port of Hitachinaka in Japan's Ibaraki Prefecture.​The 8.9-magnitude earthquake that rocked northern Japan late last night has been felt here, too ― in Bernal Heights. ICHI Sushi's Erin Archuleta tells SFoodie the restaurant is accepting Red Cross donations tonight, p ... More >>

What Exactly Is an Izakaya? An Interview with Umamimart's Yoko Kumano

jetalone/FlickrAn izakaya in Tokyo.​The more restaurants calling themselves "izakaya" that I eat at in the Bay Area, the more I'm convinced that the title simply indicates a new style of American Japanese neighborhood restaurant. That's no diss, mind you, and I'm delighted with the creativity that ... More >>

See 'Live From Tokyo,' Then Watch J-Rock Bands Play Live From Tokyo

Japanese experimental-rock duo Kirihito​This, folks, has been a big year for Japanese rock in the U.S. -- and in the Bay Area. We recently witnessed local shows from X Japan and Dir en grey, two big-time rock groups from the island nation that are still struggling to break into the U.S. despite ma ... More >>

X Japan's Sugizo Wants to Save the Whales

Sugizo​Following up on an interview we did a couple of years ago when he was here with Juno Reactor, we sat down with new X Japan guitarist Sugizo backstage after the band's recent show at the Fox Theater. Always an engaging interview subject, and frequently very funny (he claims that the other me ... More >>

Beef Curry, Japanese Style: Muracci's vs. Volcano

Jonathan KauffmanVolcano's beef curry, $6.95.​Modern-day diners may spot a box of Golden Curry at Nijiya Market and assume Japanese importers brought curry back from the port of Kolkota, or perhaps it arrived through trade with Kuala Lumpur and Jakarta. But the story of Japanese curry is even twis ... More >>

Tokyo Go-Go: Daily Deals and a Velvet-Rope Vibe

Michelle G./YelpDesign details give Tokyo Go-Go its proto-L.A. ambience.​The place: Tokyo Go-Go, 3174 16th St. (at Albion), 864-2288 The hours: Mon.-Sat., 5:30-7 p.m.; Sun., 5-6:30 p.m. The deals: Hand rolls, pints, and hot sake, $3.50; well drinks, $4; fancy cocktails, $5 The digs: Self-c ... More >>

With Rice Paddy Art, Japanese Village Creates Tourist Bonanza

Shiho Fukada/New York TimesImages are "painted" using thousands of rice plants genetically engineered to have different hues.​In Inkadate, a village in rural northern Japan, rice is not just an important crop, a staple, it's a medium for intricate, colorful paddy art that might make Christo or ... More >>

Twitter Scores All-Time High During World Cup Final

What's Spanish for 'Tweet'?​There are no stats on how many of the tweets simply said, "Goooooaaaaalllll"!But, during the last 15 minutes of Sunday's World Cup final, Twitterers set a new record -- a sustained 2,000 tweets per second, the San Francisco-based company has announced.

Wednesday's Pick: 'Ozu on Sentimental Tokyo' at VIZ Cinema

"Ozu on Sentimental Tokyo"The Only Son, 5 p.m.Early Spring, 7 p.m.VIZ Cinema$8-$10In the annals of audacious counterprogramming, it's hard to beat a Yasujiro Ozu series going up against Hollywood's summer onslaught of infantile antics and empty explosions. A director of exquisitely elemental films - ... More >>

Cook's Journey to Japan Author Reading at Omnivore

Sarah Marx Feldner​Publishers Weekly describes Sarah Marx Feldner, author of A Cook's Journey to Japan: Fish Tales and Rice Paddies (Tuttle Publishing, $27.95), as a "Japanophile." While the label was probably applied without any intended negative connotations, we read that and immediately th ... More >>

Tokyo Ramen from Suzu Noodle House

Marti L./YelpPurists, avert your eyes.​As a daily windup to the Weekly's Best of S.F. 2010 on May 19, we've teased out 92 of our favorite local dishes that taste like here. All the tasty details after the jump.

Snacktion: Higo Daiko

T. Palmer​Name: Higo Daiko Brand: Noda Origin: Japan Found at: Nippon-ya (1737 Post, in Japan Center) Cost: $2.10 Ingredients: Can anyone read kanji? Calories per serving: Not listed The word: Peanuts coated in dried sugar syrup, salt, and chili powder. Tasting notes: The combination of spicy, sa ... More >>

Backstage Q&A: Dir en grey at the Fillmore

​Dark, emotional and deliberately disturbing, Japan's Dir en grey make alt rock and metal for the kind of people who'd normally be found at goth shows. With a solid base of deeply devoted fans, they're a genuine international cult phenomenon, pulling in audiences from all over the world. Followi ... More >>

Snacktion: Camembert Cheese Cookies

T. Palmer​Name: Camembert Cheese CookiesBrand: Nature Sect Origin: JapanFound at: Nippon-ya (1737 Post at Buchanan)Cost: $4.95Ingredients: Wheat flour, butter, sugar, canola oil, soybean oil, palm oil, cream cheese, Camembert cheese powder, egg, salt, spices, artificial flavors.Calories per servin ... More >>

Manna from MONO

T. Palmer​Name: Camembert Cheese CookiesBrand: Nature Sect Origin: JapanFound at: Nippon-ya (1737 Post at Buchanan)Cost: $4.95Ingredients: Wheat flour, butter, sugar, canola oil, soybean oil, palm oil, cream cheese, Camembert cheese powder, egg, salt, spices, artificial flavors.Calories per servin ... More >>

Want Cheese with That Pork Katsu? Volcano Curry Offers Vivid Possibilities

Girl Journalist/Flickr A couple of katsu curries. In Japan, the bakery chains common to department stores and train stations usually do a variation of kare-pan, a squishy oblong roll injected, jelly doughnut-style, with mystery-meat curry. It's a culinary concoction emblematic of Japan's nati ... More >>

Masturbate-A-Thon 2009 Champion Masanobu Sato Speaks

Well, it's been a week since Masanobu Sato blew away his own masturbating world record at the 9th Annual Masturbate-a-thon, held by the Center for Sex & Culture last Saturday. This guy was a pro, bringing an arsenal of masturbating aids from the Japanese sex product company he works for.  L ... More >>

Experimenting with Mind-Altering Dance

Well, it's been a week since Masanobu Sato blew away his own masturbating world record at the 9th Annual Masturbate-a-thon, held by the Center for Sex & Culture last Saturday. This guy was a pro, bringing an arsenal of masturbating aids from the Japanese sex product company he works for.  L ... More >>

The Floating Needle

Well, it's been a week since Masanobu Sato blew away his own masturbating world record at the 9th Annual Masturbate-a-thon, held by the Center for Sex & Culture last Saturday. This guy was a pro, bringing an arsenal of masturbating aids from the Japanese sex product company he works for.  L ... More >>

On Comics: Superman, Shrunken

Well, it's been a week since Masanobu Sato blew away his own masturbating world record at the 9th Annual Masturbate-a-thon, held by the Center for Sex & Culture last Saturday. This guy was a pro, bringing an arsenal of masturbating aids from the Japanese sex product company he works for.  L ... More >>

iPods Now More Explody

Well, it's been a week since Masanobu Sato blew away his own masturbating world record at the 9th Annual Masturbate-a-thon, held by the Center for Sex & Culture last Saturday. This guy was a pro, bringing an arsenal of masturbating aids from the Japanese sex product company he works for.  L ... More >>

So Awesome: Larva Chocolate With Dried Squid!

Well, it's been a week since Masanobu Sato blew away his own masturbating world record at the 9th Annual Masturbate-a-thon, held by the Center for Sex & Culture last Saturday. This guy was a pro, bringing an arsenal of masturbating aids from the Japanese sex product company he works for.  L ... More >>

A Dash of Anime

Well, it's been a week since Masanobu Sato blew away his own masturbating world record at the 9th Annual Masturbate-a-thon, held by the Center for Sex & Culture last Saturday. This guy was a pro, bringing an arsenal of masturbating aids from the Japanese sex product company he works for.  L ... More >>

Hard-Core Sushi

Sebo raises the bar for quality and variety

Noodle-icious

Total immersion in a Japanese film retrospective prompts a lust for soba and udon