I take a deep breath. I am in my mother’s Tokyo kitchen.

I am drenched in the subtle, sweet and earthy fragrances I’ve tasted since I was a little girl. The kitchen smells like the earth, the sea and the mountains . . . it smells like life. This is good, old fashioned Japanese-mom’s home cooking. It helps explain why Japan is the healthiest nation on Earth. And it’s something you can start enjoying in your own home today.

This book is a celebration of Japanese-style home cooking, a grand tour of Japanese food culture, and an exploration of expert opinions on the traditional Japanese diet, a way of eating based largely on fresh vegetables and fruit, rice, soy and fish, all served in modest portions.

Come with me across the seas to a land that is bright and beautiful. Let’s go on a grand tour of the Food Utopia of Planet Earth - - Japan. And together, let’s bring the secrets of my mother’s Tokyo kitchen into your kitchen today. This book will tell you exactly how easy it is to do - - and how much you will enjoy doing it!

This is not a diet plan. It is a whole new way of falling in love with food.