In Japan, where a meal is typically described as a feast for the eyes, food is a matter of national identity and heritage

Oishii! (which means ‘delicious’ in English) explores the aesthetics of the country’s cuisine from a variety of perspectives, including interviews with world-famous chefs, scholars, designers, popular home cooks, patisserie chefs, artists, and more.

It looks at Japanese food through the seasons; traces contemporary trends such as bento boxes and kawaii character cafés; takes readers to destinations like the Shin- Yokohama Ramen Museum and the fish roe-themed Mentai Park; and dives into culturally-specific phenomena including plastic display food, manga, and vending machines.

Japanese culture expert Manami Okazaki offers a kaleidoscopic investigation of every aspect of the nation’s cuisine, resulting in a book that is both comprehensive and contemporary. Filled with hundreds of photographs as well as a pull-out sticker sheet, it’s packed tighter than a bento box with fun and useful information.