Hatsukoi UK

This elegant glass jug has a swirl of dark and pale pink to represent the flurry of sakura petals on a spring breeze. It's a great multi-purpose jug, useful for serving milk or cream as well as a traditional jug for serving sake.

Furutsu sando: How Japan made strawberries and cream even sweeter At Wimbledon this year, tennis fans can tuck into a strawberries and cream sandwich, a cute twist on a very British tradition.  But for anyone familiar with Japanese food culture, this might spark a m...

There's a lot of talk about fruit sandwiches right now! People familiar with Japanese food culture may already know about them but if not, my new blog explains what they are, where they came from and their significance at Wimbledon. hatsukoi.co.uk/blog/140-fur...

I think that 'work in a garden' can include sitting in a deckchair just looking at stuff ☺️

You can watch Michael Aspel's Strange But True on Talking Pictures TV! @talkingpicturestv.bsky.social

Pretty cups for hot drinks! The ritual of making a warm drink and taking a break to enjoy it can be restorative and lift your spirits. And whatever you choose, having a superb cup for your favourite beverage is sure to make it feel refined and even more relaxing!
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Enamel jugs with colourful fruit designs

Bright and fresh, these colourful enamel jugs are a useful addition to your kitchen. In three cheerful fruity designs and two sizes, they will brighten up even the dullest day! Find them online at Hatsukoi:
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Starting afresh with toshikoshi soba:  A Japanese New Year ritual There are many wonderful and interesting customs associated with New Year in Japan but one that I think will resonate with many people is related to soba noodles! For those who haven’t come across t...

It has become a charming Japanese custom to eat soba noodles on New Year's Eve, one that helps us move on from troubled times and start the New Year afresh with hope and optimism. You can read about how this custom came about and what it means in my latest blog. hatsukoi.co.uk/blog/128-sta...

Starting afresh with toshikoshi soba:  A Japanese New Year ritual There are many wonderful and interesting customs associated with New Year in Japan but one that I think will resonate with many people is related to soba noodles! For those who haven’t come across t...

Do you know the custom of eating soba noodles on New Year's Eve? It's a charming tradition with a poignant meaning for the year ahead. hatsukoi.co.uk/blog/128-sta...

Japanese Seasons Hari-e Wall Calendar 2025 As we journey through the year, we can watch the seasons change and spot familiar landmarks along the way. This lovely Japanese wall calendar features 12 pages of pretty seasonal motifs, flowers and a...

This Japanese 'Hari-e' calendar features 12 lovely designs in soft pastel colours to reflect the seasons in Japan. Each page design uses collage to create a subtle 3D effect, which makes this calendar just a little bit more special!
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If there’s no katsu, it’s just curry! The Japanese dish known as ‘katsu curry’ has become very fashionable in the UK over the past few years.  This isn’t surprising as it’s delicious and just the sort of thing that British people (and peo...

I started this blog as a tongue-in-cheek look at all the products you can buy that claim to be katsu curry flavour, but it turned into quite an interesting look at the Japan-isation of foreign cuisine! 😄😋 hatsukoi.co.uk/blog/117-if-...

Oh! I love these. I didn't know they were from Fukuoka, I have only ever bought them from the airport 😆

'Temari' Jyubako Multi-tier Bento Box A celebratory meal feels even more glamorous when the table setting is just perfect!  In Japanese cuisine, presenting the food in beautiful, traditional style gives a sense of occasion and just a litt...

New in the shop is this gorgeous 'jyubaku' bento box. If you love preparing Japanese food, this box will really make it look spectacular! 😋🤩 The product page includes a video about Japanese 'osechi' cuisine which is traditionally presented in this kind of tiered box. hatsukoi.co.uk/all-departme...

You can read Japanese! The interesting origins of Katakana As you may know, Japanese language is written using three character sets.  One of them is Katakana used to write, among other things, foreign language words and is easily read by non-Japanese speakers...

Here's my very first post to Bluesky! 🤗 I thought I would share this blog I wrote about Katakana. If you're visiting Japan, it's worth finding out about Katakana even if you can't speak or read any Japanese... hatsukoi.co.uk/blog/123-you...