Our Trip to Japan | Kenji Eats Japan
J. Kenji López-Alt · 54:04 · 2 weeks ago
The team traveled to Japan to research manufacturing partnerships for knife production, connect with family heritage, and gather material for future content.
- Trip objective — The group visited factories to explore steel production and met with makers to discuss potential collaboration .
- Dining habits — Train stations provide diverse, high-quality pre-packaged meals known as bentos, designed for consumption while traveling .
- Menu structures — Local establishments often focus on a single category of food—such as ramen, tempura, or sashimi—rather than offering wide-ranging menus .
- Cultural friction — Staff navigated the difference between traditional local etiquette, which emphasizes avoiding social discomfort, and direct Western professional communication .
- Yakitori dinner — The team consumed various poultry preparations, including raw meat, meatballs, and organ cartilage, at a local shop .
- Seasonal meals — Kaiseki-style dining utilizes produce and fish available only during that time of year, served in multi-course sequences .
- Business focus — Daily itineraries included visiting multiple factories to observe metalwork processes, such as pouring molten iron and steel .
- Dairy science — Ultra-pasteurized milk tastes sweeter because high-heat processing breaks down complex carbohydrates into simple sugars .
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