It means “secret flavor” but Japanese cooks think of them more like secret agents, Sakai said. “I call them little ninjas.” She sneaks sake, soy sauce and ginger into her Italian Wedding ...

Living in Japan as a foreigner is full of firsts, isn’t it? Your first job, your first expat apartment, your first wedding invite…? Indeed, don’t be surprised if you find a beautiful custom shotaijo ...

When Sonoko Sakai's mother snuck a little miso into her lasagna, she wasn't thinking of the kind of Japanese fusion that became an American dining craze in the 1980s. Rather, she was doing what ...

This cover image released by Knopf shows "Wafu Cooking: Everyday Recipes with Japanese Style," a cookbook by Sonoko Sakai. (Knopf via AP) ...