JournalThe Kotoba Interactive journal.
Editorial features on the cultures, history and languages of Asia. Filter by culture, by topic, or search for what inspires you.
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JapanFood7 min
Nattō, kimchi, doubanjiang: three schools of Asian fermentation
Bacteria, moulds, salt and time: what really separates Japanese nattō, Korean kimchi and Sichuan doubanjiang, and the common ancestor that links them.
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KoreaTraditions11 min
Kimjang: Korea's great collective winter kimchi rite
Every autumn, families and neighbors salt dozens of cabbages together. Meet kimjang, the communal kimchi-making listed by UNESCO in 2013.
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KoreaFood14 min
Baechu, dongchimi, kkakdugi: the varieties of kimchi
Kimchi is not one dish but a family: whole cabbage, cubed radish, winter brine, summer versions. The edible atlas of a national fermentation.
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KoreaFood12 min
Banchan: The Small Dishes That Define Korean Dining
Banchan, the small shared dishes at every Korean meal, carry centuries of philosophy, fermentation science and seasonal wisdom. A deep dive.
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