Cook Books

What to look for in a Japanese cookbook

The best Japanese cookbook is the one that gets you cooking, not the one that sits on a shelf. It should include clear technique, honest ingredient lists, and recipes you'll come back to again and again.

If you're new to Japanese cooking, start with a book that covers the foundations: dashi, rice, a few sauces. Titles like Japan Easy by Tim Anderson or Hashi by Reiko Hashimoto walk you through core methods without assuming you already know your katsuobushi from your kombu. For home cooks who want to go deeper, Japan: The Cookbook by Nancy Singleton Hachisu gives a wider view of regional dishes and seasonal ingredients.

Looking for something specific? We stock sushi recipe books, ramen cookbooks like Ramen Forever and Ramen for Days, and dedicated titles on miso, baking, vegan Japanese food and izakaya-style cooking. There's also Junk Food Japan by Scott Hallsworth if you want bold, punchy flavour without the formality. Most of our cookbooks pair directly with the Japanese ingredients we sell, so you can add a book and its pantry staples to the same order.

Cook with authentic Japanese ingredients

A good Japanese recipe book will call for real dashi, proper soy sauce, and rice vinegar that tastes of something. That's where we come in. We're a family-run business growing wasabi on our own farms in Dorset and Hampshire, and we supply the same quality Japanese ingredients to home cooks and professional kitchens across the UK.

When a recipe calls for hon mirin, we sell the real thing. Not the sweetened substitute. Same for miso, ponzu, yuzu, and the rest. You'll notice the difference the moment the lid comes off: that warm, savoury depth from a well-aged miso, or the sharp citrus hit of a freshly squeezed yuzu. These aren't background flavours. A spoonful of good miso will carry an entire bowl of soup; a dash of real hon mirin rounds out a glaze in a way the imitation stuff never will.

Pair any cookbook from this collection with ingredients from our shop and you'll taste why it matters. Browse our full range of authentic Japanese ingredients or try one of our Japanese cooking kits. Many bundle a cookbook with the specific sauces, seasonings and staples you'll need to get started.