As fascinating and colorful as its subject this visually striking celebration of Japanese food
shows the importance of aesthetics in everything from haute cuisine to vending machines.
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.
