OISHINBO (translates roughly as the gourmet) is a food manga written by tetsu kariya and drawn by akira hanasaki. it was a publishing success, it received critical acclaim and was also adapted for the small screen as an anime series. seven volumes were translated in english (which are actually more united in theme rather then chronology): japanese cuisine, sake, ramen & gyoza, fish, sushi & sashimi, vegetables, the joy of rice and pub food.
i bought ramen and gyoza in the kyoto station. it’s so entertaining and informative i read it immediately (i had a lot of time in those trains) and later wanted to buy the entire series but the thought of having to find room in my tiny troller for 7 manga books made me think about the proper age to turn otaku. lol!
it’s a great gift for foodies and japanese food aficionados as it goes into crazy detail with regard to each dish they deal with. also, at the end of the book (which is actually the first page, japanese style) they offer the recipe for oishinbo-style miso ramen, the dish featured in the story line. not to give too much away the goal of the main character is to find the perfect menu of ramen and gyoza. you couldn’t believe how winding the road to the perfect dish is!
to get one book or the whole series, you can go to either amazon or the book depository. enjoy!
oh yeah: if you buy any book but ramen and gyoza, i’m willing to let you read mine if i can read yours. domo arigato!
photo credits: google search
