Once in a while you come across something that changes your food life forever. A Japanese chef girlfriend who now lives in California told me about these nori cups at Tsukiji Market. They are sold at a store that I walk by every time we do a Food Sake Tokyo tour, which is about 3-4 times a week. It is a store that we often stop by as they also sell the sushi erasers that are popular gifts. I was kicking myself for not noticing these before. These are perfect for bite-size sushi. Perfect for parties or for a fun night at home. The version above are unseasoned, while these are flavored with salt. I prefer the salty ones. Nori cups are circles of nori shaped into small cups like cupcake papers. Just add rice, or better yet, vinegared sushi rice, and top with sushi toppings. The first time we tried these we were celebrating a special occasion at home and Shinji pulled out all of the stops. Topping options this night included: clockwise from top left: sujiko (soy sauce marinated salmon roe in the sac), mentaiko (salted and spicy cod roe), kombu, seafood salad, maguro (tuna), kazunoko (herring roe), tobiko (flying fish roe), tuna salad, salmon, tamagoyaki (omelet), crab, and shirasu (baby anchovies boiled in salt water).

Everyone makes their own as they like. On this night we simply did salmon sashimi to celebrate the new saké cups we purchased. There are a few shops selling the nori cups at Tsukiji Market. The easiest one to find is Orimatsu in the outer market. While here, be sure to also take a look at the erasers in designs like sushi, bento, and wagashi (Japanese confectionaries). 3:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. Followers of the Food Sake Tokyo blog have written to me to say that the nori cups can also be found at Tokyu Hands in the bento section as well as at Kappabashi.An indispensable writing tool known by all: the eraser. While any old eraser may remove marks made by a pencil mechanical or otherwise, the ones by IWAKO offer all that and more. Writing time becomes playtime! Let’s take a look. The word ‘eraser’ generally brings to mind a slab of white rubber from school days gone by. However, at IWAKO Co. Ltd, the term evokes images of toys, as they produce one colorful, unusual creation after another.

Each eraser’s various parts can be disassembled for greater entertainment value, but rest assured that they also do what their namesake suggests – erase! Part of the manufacturing appeal of these stationery marvels is that the materials are completely Japan-made. Both safe and environmentally friendly, parents can give these eraser-toys to their little ones without worry. They’re also very practical, as alongside their adorable appearance, they also erase incredibly well. Designs cover a wide variety of subjects, including everything from sweets to vegetables, sushi and even characters like animals and dinosaurs. * The pricing for each is simple: 54 yen (tax included) for one, or a variety pack of several pieces for 378 yen (tax included). Featured in the photo are animal erasers, and this is only a small portion of what’s out there. There are also marine animals, insects and even puppies to suit every kind of animal lover. Those who want to get in touch with their fierce side will love these dinosaur erasers.

They’re such high quality that you would never know they were stationery! Here we have sweets erasers, guaranteed to make your tummy rumble the moment you lay eyes on them. They go beyond simple stationery – each one is a miniature work of art. Next up, let’s take a look at some items worth grabbing on your next trip to Japan! Send luck your way with beckoning cat erasers. As demonstrated by the photo, color variations include red, white and black as well as purple, light blue and yellow. where to buy a sushi knife in tokyoExpressions vary from the wide-eyed kitty to the sweetly smiling, too.sushi pesan online These delicious-looking sushi erasers will make you want to break out the soy sauce. where to buy salmon roe for sushi

The shari (*1) and neta (*2) can be pulled apart, so feel free to play around and create some sushi of your own! These are sold as part of a set atop a sushi geta (*3). *1 Shari: the rice part of the sushi, generally called this by sushi restaurants. *2 Neta: the filling or topping of the sushi. *3 Sushi geta: a wooden platter on which sushi is served. So, how are these fun and unique erasers made, anyway? Let’s take a look at the manufacturing process.jiro dreams of sushi commentary First of all, a sample model of the final image is created.where to buy eel for cooking For the first step, a mold is formed using wax. what to order at sushi zushiIt's said that the wax can cost as much as 200,000 yen! how to eat sushi infographic

After that, each part is prepared using materials like silicon and plaster, and then separated. Finally, a die of each part is cast from the sample model. These funky erasers are created from tiny grains of actual rubber. Colors are mixed into the fine grains of rubber, generating a hue that exactly matches the creator’s vision. From animals to food, each model has its own distinctive color. The process is said to be repeated over and over again until that perfect shade is reached. The grains are then heated to a high enough temperature that they can then be poured into the die, and from there each part comes into being. So many of them can be made at a single time! The readied parts are then assembled by hand into fabulously fun erasers! It’s surprisingly moving to see the finished product come to life. IWAKO puts a huge amount of time and effort into their unique erasers, but unfortunately imitation items made in foreign countries can be found in stores too.

However, as soon as you open the packaging, the difference is as clear as day. From the glossy finish to the undeniable erasing power of each of the disassembled parts, IWAKO brand erasers have proven quality. IWAKO features Made in Japan quality through these fun, unusual erasers. Why not pick some up as souvenirs when you’re visiting Japan? IWAKO products are found at various stationery stores around the town. Otherwise, you can buy their produces online at the IWAKO shop. A variety of other items as well as every type of eraser is listed on their homepage. For those who would like to take a tour of their factory, call to make a reservation at 048-998-5502. Tours are made on a reservation-only basis, and there’s currently a two month waiting list if you call now. *Factory tours are free of charge. Address: Saitama, Yashio, Oze 184 Credit Cards: Most major Information in Other Languages: English Nearest Station: Yashio Station (八潮駅), Tsukuba Express