Rephonic
Artwork for Japan Eats!
Japanese Cuisine
Sake
Sushi
French Cuisine
Sustainability
Japan
Japanese Wine
Culinary Education
Fermentation
Koji
Tokyo
Omakase
Ramen
Omotenashi
Wagyu
Japanese Cocktail Culture
Kyoto
Brooklyn
Shojin Ryori
Shochu

What is Japanese food? Sushi, or ramen, or kaiseki? What about Izakaya? Akiko Katayama, a Japanese native, New York-based food writer and director of the New York Japanese Culinary Academy, tells you all about real Japanese food and food culture. With guests ranging from sake producers with generations of experience to American chefs pushing the envelope of Japanese gastronomy, Japanese cuisine is... more

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Artwork for Japan Eats!

Latest Episodes

Our guest is Kazuya Kubota, who is the Global Brand Director of Pizza 4P’s pizza4ps.com/. Pizza 4P's is truly a unique concept. It goes far beyond serving pizza, with the vision of “Make the World Smile for Peace”.

Pizza 4P’s was founded i... more

Our guests are A-K Hada and Christian Suzuki-Orellana, who opened a fascinating cocktail bar Dokidoki www.dokidokinyc.com/ in Brooklyn, New York in July 2026.

Both A-K and Suzu have highly successful careers as bartenders. A-K served as head... more

Our guest is Genki Ito, who founded the unique online sake shop Tippsy Sake in 2018. He joined us in Episode #254 in February 2022 and discussed its innovative concept. Tippsy Sake’s business has grown successfully, alongside a community of sake lo... more

Our guest is Nick Rowan, author of Japanese Wine, a fantastic, comprehensive book on Japanese wine. The Japanese wine industry and culture have been developing very rapidly since the 1990s, and Nick’s book, which came out in 2025, is so timely.

The ... more

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Recent Guests

Kazuya Kubota
Global Brand Director of Pizza 4 Peace
Pizza 4 Peace
Episode: From Vietnam to New York: The Story Behind Pizza 4P’s
A-K Hada
Guest, bartender with PDT experience and Dokidoki co-founder
Dokidoki NYC
Episode: Dokidoki: Innovative Sake & Shochu Cocktails In Japanese Tachinomi Vibes
Christian Suzuki-Orellana
Guest, bartender and Dokidoki co-founder
Dokidoki NYC
Episode: Dokidoki: Innovative Sake & Shochu Cocktails In Japanese Tachinomi Vibes
Genki Ito
Founder, Palate Project (formerly Tippsy Sake)
Palate Project / Tippsy Sake
Episode: Palate Project: Making Japanese Sake More Accessible to Americans
Nick Rowan
Author of Japanese Wine, expert on Japanese wine industry and culture
Author, Japanese Wine
Episode: Why Is Japanese Wine So Hot Right Now?
Silvia Mella
Owner of Sorate; Japanese tea company founder
Sorate
Episode: Making Waves in the Latte-Driven Matcha Boom: An Italian Woman Introduces Authentic Japanese Tea Culture
Hideatsu Shibanuma
The 18th-generation president of Shibanuma Soy Sauce, a traditional soy sauce maker in Japan.
Shibanuma Soy Sauce
Episode: Crafting Shogun-Selected Barrel Aged Soy Sauce For Over 330 Years
George Padilla
Key figure in multiple Japanese restaurants and businesses in New York.
Rule of Thirds, Bin Bin Sake, Teruko at the Hotel Chelsea
Episode: Discovering Real Japan: The Oldest Izakaya, Fermentation Lab And Singing With Japanese Bluegrass Musicians
Gavin Whitelaw
Executive Director of Edwin Reischauer Institute of Japanese Studies at Harvard University
Harvard University
Episode: Konbini Culture: Unwrapping Japan’s Unique Convenience Stores

Host

Akiko Katayama
Host focusing on Japanese food culture, chef interviews, and beverage conversations.

Reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars from 151 ratings
  • Vegan?

    Are zen monks vegan?

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    veganman1961
    United Kingdom7 months ago
  • JAPAN FOOD & FAMLY

    Thank you for sharing your Japanese culture through a cozy warm window stories of family, food, philosophy ! Please tell me more.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    And 360
    United States2 years ago
  • So wonderful to learn about all the Japanese foods I love and more!

    From the moment I started listening, I found myself learning about Japanese foods and places I love - like the original Ramen Burger from Smorgasburg, Tsukemen, Shalom Japan - and so much more. This is both so relevant and informative!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    OliviaLevine
    United States3 years ago
  • Fascinating guests & topics

    Akiko covers a wide range of topics and guests combining insights into Japanese food, drinks and culture. I live in Tokyo but learned a lot. From a recommendation I also found a favorite Tokyo sushi restaurant as a bonus

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Kiminoi
    Japan4 years ago
  • Lots of Learning!!!

    Even you are Japanese, why don’t you listen this program for your understanding to foods and ingredients correctly?

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    satoru.tsuda87
    United States5 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

High-quality conversations and well-researched show notes are common takeaways.
Host draws out stories effectively, making complex topics approachable for a broad audience.
Listeners praise breadth of topics from sake to tea to Michelin-level chefs.
Thoughtful host with insightful questions that bring easygoing guests to share deep expertise.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

From Vietnam to New York: The Story Behind Pizza 4P’s
Q: What is the theme of the New York City Pizzeria and what are your goals?
The New York concept centers on preserving the oneness principle while crafting a unique New York experience that is inspiring and community-focused, with goals to expand and become a globally inspiring brand through immersive storytelling, staff-driven memories, and a strategy to influence people beyond just dining.
From Vietnam to New York: The Story Behind Pizza 4P’s
Q: So what is the concept of Pizza 4 Peace?
Pizza 4 Peace embodies the peace through its global oneness philosophy, where the brand aims to connect people, places, and producers by telling their stories, committing to quality and compassionate service, and pursuing continuous improvement under the Kaizen mindset.
Palate Project: Making Japanese Sake More Accessible to Americans
Q: What challenges were faced in legal compliance for the new distribution model?
Navigating state-by-state liquor laws required building a compliant structure with licenses and multiple legal partners; they developed hundreds of state-specific capabilities and followed a path similar to wine D2C models to legally operate.
Palate Project: Making Japanese Sake More Accessible to Americans
Q: How does the new vertical integration change prices for US consumers?
The direct importer-to-consumer model lowers costs by bypassing the traditional three-tier distribution, allowing bottles to retail for around $25 in the US instead of $40-$50, while maintaining quality through direct brewery partnerships.
Palate Project: Making Japanese Sake More Accessible to Americans
Q: What was the vision behind Tippsy Sake and how did it evolve into Palate Project?
Tippsy Sake aimed to spread the love of sake by building a large online store, then evolved into Palate Project to address deeper problems in the supply chain. The new model directly imports from breweries, reducing intermediaries and enabling better price, selection, and freshness for American consumers.

Audience Metrics

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Frequently Asked Questions About Japan Eats!

What is Japan Eats! about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A deep, culture-forward exploration of Japanese food and its global connections. Episodes frequently center on authentic culinary traditions—ranging from sake distribution and education to regional wine, tea, and soy sauce crafts—while also spotlighting standout chefs and hospitality stories. Guests bring a mix of lineage brands, modern dining innovation, and mindful food practices, offering practical insights for professionals in food, beverage, and hospitality as well as curious food lovers. Noteworthy are the hands-on conversations about transforming traditional supply chains (like sake distribution), bridging Japanese craft with American markets, and the way food culture intersects with mindfulness, terroir, and community. The show stan... more

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Which podcasts are similar to Japan Eats!?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Japan Eats!:

1. Uncanny Japan
2. History of Japan
3. Abroad in Japan
4. English News - NHK WORLD RADIO JAPAN
5. Business English from All Ears English

How many episodes of Japan Eats! are there?

Japan Eats! launched 11 years ago and published 395 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on Japan Eats!?

Recent guests on Japan Eats! include:

1. Kazuya Kubota
2. A-K Hada
3. Christian Suzuki-Orellana
4. Genki Ito
5. Nick Rowan
6. Silvia Mella
7. Hideatsu Shibanuma
8. George Padilla

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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