8 beautiful Japanese cookbooks worth leaving open on the kitchen counter

Even if your kitchen rarely sees more than a quick stir-fry, a well-chosen cookbook can be a quiet source of inspiration. Japanese cookbooks in particular carry a distinct visual presence: restrained typography, considered layouts and photographs that treat food as part of a wider landscape rather than a single dish on a plate. These books are as likely to invite you to linger as they are to instruct. Whether you open them for a recipe or simply leave them propped on the counter, they suggest a rhythm of cooking that prioritises detail, seasonality and design. Their pages often frame the everyday with care, showing that a bowl of rice or a neat row of pickles can hold its own kind of atmosphere.

Read more: 5 Ainu dishes to try in Hokkaido: a culinary journey into indigenous cuisine

‘A Day in Tokyo: A Japanese Cookbook’ by Brendan Liew and Caryn Ng

‘A Day in Tokyo: A Japanese Cookbook’ by Brendan Liew and Caryn Ng (Photo: Smith Street)

Brendan Liew and Caryn Ng map Tokyo through its food, stopping at markets, ramen counters and tea houses. This book combines essays, travel notes and recipes, creating a picture of how the city eats from morning to late night. Each chapter explores a neighbourhood or theme, from early-morning market fish to izakaya snacks, with recipes designed to re-create those flavours at home.

‘Simply Japanese’ by Maori Murota

‘Simply Japanese’ by Maori Murota (Photo: Harper)

Maori Murota’s book offers over 100 recipes that move through the day: miso soups and rice bowls for breakfast, donburi and soba for lunch, then simmered dishes and grilled fish for dinner. She includes notes on basic stocks, pickles and sauces so readers can build a small but versatile pantry. The focus stays on achievable home cooking, making this a good entry point for anyone starting a collection of Japanese cookbooks.

‘JapanEasy: Classic and Modern Japanese Recipes to Cook at Home’ by Tim Anderson

‘JapanEasy: Classic and Modern Japanese Recipes to Cook at Home’ by Tim Anderson (Photo: Hardie Grant Books UK)

Tim Anderson aims to take the intimidation out of Japanese cooking by presenting recipes that rely on a few well-chosen ingredients. He breaks down flavour combinations, showing how to pair umami-rich staples with fresh vegetables, meats or noodles. The book moves easily between classics like tonkatsu and miso soup to modern adaptations such as curry ramen or matcha desserts.

‘The Unofficial Ghibli Cookbook’ by Thibaud Villanova

‘The Unofficial Ghibli Cookbook’ by Thibaud Villanova (Photo: Titan Books)

This book appeals to anyone curious about the food seen in Studio Ghibli’s animated worlds. Villanova deconstructs dishes from films like Spirited Away and My Neighbour Totoro, providing recipes that work in a home kitchen. It covers both savoury and sweet options, including stews, fried cutlets and milk-based drinks, making it a playful companion to more traditional Japanese cookbooks.

‘The Japanese Pantry: From sake to soy, essential ingredients for Japanese home cooking’ by Emiko Davies

‘The Japanese Pantry: From sake to soy, essential ingredients for Japanese home cooking’ by Emiko Davies (Photo: Smith Street Books)

Emiko Davies focuses on the foundation of Japanese cooking: ingredients. The book is organised by pantry staple, with each section exploring its history, production and use. Recipes are concise, demonstrating how miso, soy sauce, mirin and dashi can be combined in simple but deeply flavoured ways. It is a resource for understanding why certain ingredients are so central to Japanese cookbooks.

‘Kawaii Café Bento: Classic and Fun Bentos to Make at Home’ by Yuko and Noriko

‘Kawaii Café Bento: Classic and Fun Bentos to Make at Home’ by Yuko and Noriko (Photo: Rock Point)

This title, available from January 13, 2026, explores the art of bento-making with a focus on presentation. It offers guidance on creating balanced lunchboxes, from portion sizes to colour contrasts, with recipes for rice, proteins, vegetables and garnishes. The book also includes tips for using tools like moulds and cutters, making it approachable for beginners.

‘Hokkaido: Recipes from the Seas, Fields and Farmlands of Northern Japan’ by Tim

‘Hokkaido: Recipes from the Seas, Fields and Farmlands of Northern Japan’ by Tim Anderson (Photo: Hardie Grant London)

Anderson shifts focus north to Hokkaido, where colder climates and rich farmland produce a distinct food culture. The book features recipes for seafood chowders, miso butter corn, dairy-based desserts and noodle soups unique to the region. Contextual notes explain how Hokkaido’s history and climate shape its cuisine, offering a regional perspective that expands a Japanese cookbook collection.

‘Japanese Home Cooking’ by Sonoko Sakai

‘Japanese Home Cooking’ by Sonoko Sakai (Photo: Roost Books)

Sonoko Sakai’s book reads like a manual for building skill in the kitchen. It includes detailed sections on knife technique, rice preparation and making dashi from scratch, aiming to teach the logic behind recipes rather than just listing steps. From noodles to tempura, the emphasis is on learning to cook intuitively, which makes this one of the more comprehensive Japanese cookbooks for serious home cooks.

Together, these Japanese cookbooks serve as both references and design pieces, ready to use or to leave open on the counter as quiet markers of intent.

NOW READ

7 regional sake styles in Japan, from Hokkaido to Niigata

10 essential Thai ingredients for creating Thai dishes at home

5 food festivals around Asia that blend culture, cuisine and fun