OISHII!

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 cafes; 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, it''s packed tighter than a bento box with fun and useful information.