John Frederick Ashburne

Living and eating in Japan since 1986. Still in possession of one or two marbles. Catch me before that changes. I live in Kyoto, with my wife, a Japanese chef, and my main thing - besides eating and cooking - is writing about Japan and its food culture.

Oh, and growing and foraging for mushrooms. And making Dashi. And Oden. I have written for Lonely Planet, Gourmet Traveller, Wall Street Journal (The Trust), The Japan Times (Kansai Correspondent), Silver Kris, Louis Vuitton (Did the restaurant reviews for their Kyoto Nara guide), Export Japan (working on J-GOV signage projects w/JNTO) as well as a bunch of other publications and publishers. I am a full journalist member of the FCCJ (Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan).

I was Guest Editor of Kyoto Journal issue #83 - FOOD! for which I interviewed Rene Redzepi and a host of famous Japanese chefs. Worked as Editor-in-Chief of the Foodies Go Local website, writing and providing images for in excess of 300 articles on Japan's food culture. I still live and eat here in Kyoto.