I'm off to Japan in a couple of weeks, so now that all the arrangements are made I've started to wonder what I'll be able to bring back. (I know it won't be as much as I want!) I probably can't go for anything heavy, bulky or perishable, and I'm going to try really hard to avoid going crazy on bento accessories, because I already have enough that I don't use regularly enough.

Friends of mine are opening a take out shop in Featherston St, Wellington (New Zealand) on Tuesday 17th August. It's called Yoshi's Sushi and Bento, which is great, because a lot of sushi places here sell 'bento' but there is not a lot of variety. Yoshi is a Japanese chef who has worked in several great Japanese restaurants in Wellington, so the food will defintely be authentic. If you're from Wellington or passing through (New Zealand is a great holiday destination) check it out.

Hello everyone! I'll be traveling to South Korea in June and as I love to taste new foods and try out new things I'm really waiting forward to the trip! We'll be staying at the Seoul area and maybe a few days in Jeju. Any suggestions what foods I definately should try out (in addition to kimchi, of course!), good dishes or even restaurants? What about bento, is there any bento culture in Korea? Is there a possibility to buy bento boxes or other equipment? What foods or spices etc would make a good souvenir or I should maybe bring home with me?

Hey there! I figured this pertained to travel..but if it's still in the wrong category sorry!! I'm moving to japan for a year this fall and I have a question that's been bugging me.. I live in Minnesota and I eat and cook alot of korean food (in many ways it's become a comfort food for me lol).

There's a two day event coming up this weekend run by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government. http://www.tcp2010.com/ I'll be going on Saturday There's a chance to try your hand at sushi making and there's anime screening and all kinds of other events. I'm particularly interested in the Yuzen demonstration and am keen to learn how the Tokyo style differs from that of Kyoto and Kanazawa.

The recent post by Maki about Fugu got me thinking about the other really expensive Japanese restaurant meal. Kobe beef. So who here has had this delicacy and what did you think of it? Was it home cooked or restaurant. Is it really worth the cost? I was thinking about it also because my husband and I went to a very fancy restaurant here for our anniversary, which is one of the few outside of San Fransisco to serve this beef. It's called Alexander's steak house and is a asia/western fusion place with a big emphasis on beef.

A Japan Festival will be held at Spitalfields Market, London, on the 19th September. More info here: http://japanmatsuri.com/ Details of food stalls are still to be announced but a food related highlight will be food blogger and author, Yukari Elliot, who will be taking part in some demonstrations. http://japanmatsuri.com/?p=715 . Unfortunately, this event coincides far too closely with a momentous occasion for me and there's no way I'll be able to attend. Hopefully it will be successful enough to be repeated next year.

Really excited to be going to Edinburgh for a few days next week; just wondering if anyone knows of any places I can buy bento or bento supplies there, or any good restaurants? These are the kind of priorities I have when travelling to another city or country! I trust forumers judgement when it comes to good places to eat, too. :)