Crisp, crunchy, savory, and warm, it's an awesome treat that you can't really find outside of Japan save for in packaged form (I also love packaged senbei). If you make it to Tokyo, head to Asakusa to check out the temple, but make sure to stop for a cracker on the way. It's a site worth a repeat visit. More

Tempura Tsunahachi was founded in Tokyo in 1927, the restaurant of chef Kyuzu Shimura. Over the next half decade, it built a reputation for using the freshest possible seasonal ingredients and for hiring chefs with an unparalleled mastery of the art of the battered fry. Great ingredients, clean oil, and highly skilled chefs are still the core concepts of the restaurants, which has now expanded into seven branches. More

What's the longest you've ever waited in line for a dumpling? If you've been to a Din Tai Fung, the Taiwan-based dumpling and noodle chain famous for their xiao long bao (steamed soup-filled dumplings), chances are you've waited at least an hour. Can these soup-filled tiny little buns live up to their reputation? More

The Japanese aren't big snackers. Indeed, it's frowned upon to eat while walking. Which is not to say that the street food isn't delicious. It is, and just like at a midwestern state fair, foods tend to rely heavily on easy-to-do-outdoors cooking techniques like deep-frying and grilling. Sweet, tangy Kewpie mayonnaise is nearly ubiquitous, as are the many minor variations of Worcestershire-based Japanese-style barbecue sauce. Peep through the slideshow for a full look at what you can get in a typical street fair. More

I just got back from a trip through South Korea and Japan with my wife and my mother. If I'd had my way, it would have been entirely food-centric. As it was, it was only 1/3rd food-centric, which still resulted in over 400 photographs of dishes we ate during our two week stay. I'll be going into more detail about everything in the coming weeks, but for now, here's a quick video featuring every single thing I stuck in my mouth (and a few things I didn't) while we were there. More

Finally, I can stop my search for the cutest doughnuts in the world. Check out these cat-shaped doughnuts (with almonds-for-ears) from doughnut chain store Floresta in Kawasaki, Japan. If cats aren't your thing, there are also bears, bunnies, pigs, frogs, and more. Follow @floresta_mama on Twitter to keep up to date on the latest cute animal doughnut creations. More

This is a good cause and it involves Japanese food. Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto, How to Cook Everything author Mark Bittman, our very own Kenji, and some other good food folks have teamed up with KeepRecipes.com founder Phil Michaelson to provide Japanese recipes to help the American Red Cross with their relief efforts in Japan. To support the cause, go to donate.keeprecipes.com and click on the fundraiser link. Donors will immediately get a digital cookbook with 21 Japan-inspired recipes for any contribution of $10 or more. More

In Nanjing, China, you can buy Shanghai hairy crabs without human interaction. Behold: the crab vending machine. The crabs are kept in a state of hibernation by the machine's interior 5°C (41°F) temperature and sell for 120 to 600 yen ($1.50 to $7.40) depending on size. More

Watch as this takoyaki vendor in Osaka turns batter into octopus-studded dough balls, a popular Japanese street food, using a quick hand and two skewers. More

Any traveler who visited Japan may have encountered a "traditional" Japanese breakfast at a hotel. It may have a piece of grilled fish, miso soup, rice, onsen tamago, nori, and Japanese pickles. But an everyday breakfast is more like this: A fluffy, thick toast with butter, ham and eggs and a green salad. More