Mochi making process: Pounding glutinous rice with a wooden mallet.

Kitchen disaster turned into my most requested recipe. Happy accidents are real.

Ice shaved dessert (kakigori) with homemade fruit syrups for Sapporo summer.

My workspace in Sapporo. Everything organized with Japanese precision.

The tradition of Japanese confectionery apprenticeship. Five years of learning.

Anko (sweet red bean paste) from scratch. The base of most Japanese confections.

Market haul today. When ingredients are this fresh, simple cooking is best.

Dorayaki recipe: The red bean pancakes that Doraemon made famous.

Blind taste test with friends. They couldn't believe this was homemade.

Japanese cheesecake that jiggles. The soufflé technique explained.