These Japanese Food Bloggers Will Spice Up Your Studies

Literally translated as “harmonious food” in English,  Japanese food (otherwise known as washoku or 和食) has long been appreciated for its gorgeous layout, emphasis on creating “well-balanced meals”, and use of high-quality ingredients. 
Thanks in part to Japanese food bloggers like the ones in this list we now know that there is more to Japanese cuisine than sushi and sashimi. What these bloggers also teach us is that learning Japanese doesn’t have to be as boring as memorizing a bunch of grammar rules and old-fashioned kanji out of a textbook. We can learn as we eat!
Also after reading these blogs you can bribe your sensei with a plate of homemade omurice (才ムライス or omelet with rice) using a Create Eat Happy recipe in order to get an extension on your next assignment. 

なんてね！ なんてね, 先生!  I’m kidding! I’m kidding, sensei! 
But in all seriousness, reading Japanese food blogs is definitely more worthwhile than reading a textbook. So whether you’re looking to become an Iron Chef contestant, brush up on your kanji (like me) or learn Japanese for fun, you will want to check out these Japanese food bloggers.

3 Japanese food bloggers who will make your studies fun!

1. Create Eat Happy – A Kawaii Introduction to Japanese Language and Culture 

Create Eat Happy is a fun and friendly Japanese food blogger by Ochikeron. She uses her kawaii, creative, culinary skills and easy-going personality to teach both native and non-native Japanese speakers how to cook various Japanese dishes. 
In each of her posts, Ochikeron lists the ingredients, the difficulty level, and the instructions on how to make the dish in both Japanese and English. At times, she also includes alternatives to certain ingredients that some readers may either be allergic to, can’t afford, and/or just don’t like. 
For instance, in her latest post on how to make zombie omurice, Ochikeron mentions in Japanese that those who aren’t a big fan of using a lot of ketchup can instead use pomodoro sauce, which is a tomato sauce made of garlic, tomatoes, olive oil, and fresh basil. 
Ochikeron gives a fun introduction to both traditional and non-traditional Japanese cuisine. What I especially like about her blog is that it’s great for practicing your reading skills and learning more about family life in Japan beyond anime. 
She even has a Youtube channel for those looking for a visual and audio aid to her recipes. 

2. Cooking with Dog – An Easy-to-Learn Japanese Food Guide for Dog Lovers 

Hosted by “talking” Youtube canine Francis and his anonymous Japanese chef, Cooking with Dog is an easy-to-read, easy-to-follow guide on how to make traditional (and non-traditional) Japanese foods such as taiyaki, a fish-shaped pastry that also happens to be one of my favourite Japanese desserts and French dishes such as ratatouille, a vegetable stew which is similar to the one found in Disney Pixar’s Ratatouille (2007). 
Each recipe comes with a Youtube video and images on how to make the dish step-by-step. This way, even beginner Japanese readers can follow along and make these dishes just like their favourite restaurant chefs.    
As of now, the blog is available in Japanese, English, Chinese, Indonesian, German, Spansih, Portguese, and Italian. 

3. Melon Cafe  – Great for Advanced Japanese Language Learners 

Run by Melonpan Mama, Melon Cafe is an all-Japanese language blog that takes readers on a whirlwind tour of Japanese desserts and shows how they are made step-by-step.  
Melonpan Mama’s use of Japanese is varied, so you get the full range of politeness levels and some slang words and phrases to help you understand natural Japanese. One of my favourite recipes is this one for walnut cookies.
If you’re looking to become the next, ultimate Japanese iron chef, I especially recommend checking out this website!

Read your favourite Japanese food blogs with LingQ!

Immersing yourself in Japanese doesn’t require you to travel abroad or sign up for an expensive language program.
However, it can be a bit tiresome to find interesting content, go back and forth between sites, use different dictionaries to look up words, and so on.
That’s why there’s LingQ, the best way to learn Japanese online because it lets you learn from content you enjoy!

You can import videos, podcasts, posts from the food blogs in the list above and much more and turn them into interactive lessons.
Keep all your favourite Japanese content stored in one place, easily look up new words, save vocabulary, and review. Check out our guide to importing content into LingQ for more information.
LingQ is available for desktop as well as Android and iOS. Gain access to thousands of hours of audio and transcripts and begin your journey to fluency today.

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Athena Zhang Baker has been studying Japanese since she was 18. She currently runs a Manga and Manhwa Club in Tennessee, U.S.A.