On my first trip to Japan, I wanted to become more familiar with Japanese food products. Thanks in large part to GivingTuesday Japan’s partnership with byFood and assistance from GivingTuesday Japan staff member April, alongside the Shibuya Ushikoi staff, I was able to do so when I experienced the yakiniku restaurant named Ushikoi in Shibuya, Tokyo.

As the days grow shorter and the year nears its end, Japan welcomes the winter solstice, or 冬至 (Tōji). This is a time to prepare for the cold, reflect on the past year, and look forward to the return of spring. Though the shortest day may feel shrouded in darkness, Tōji is a celebration of warmth, renewal, and the hope that light will come again.

As October slowly approaches November, cool winds make their way into the air. Suddenly, you feel a craving for something warm and filling to quell your chills. With shops filling shelves with hot soups and oden, what's more heart-warming than a pot of nabe? Every cold month, this versatile dish finds its way onto every dining table, offering exactly what you need to warm yourself up.

As we step into autumn and the weather gets a little chillier, it’s officially nabe season. What is nabe? Nabe refers to hot pot dishes prepared in a pot that is also called a nabe.

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations that leads international efforts to defeat hunger”