Japanese Women Don't Get Old or Fat: Secrets of My Mother's Tokyo Kitchen (Hardcover)

~ (Author), (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

It's well known that Japanese women have the lowest obesity rate in the industrialized world (3%) and the highest life expectancy (85 years), and that their cuisine is based on simplicity. Tokyo native Moriyama puts a human face on this phenomenon, that of her mother, Chizuko, in this well-organized, persuasive introduction to a non-Western everyday cooking plan. Just as Moriyama reconstructed Chizuko's cooking practices for herself and her coauthor husband, Doyle (Inside the Oval Office), she shows readers the elements of Chizuko's 6'×12' Tokyo kitchen. She details its pantry ingredients, including bonito (fish) flakes and daikon (radish) and tools such as a rice cooker and wok. Most recipes are based on at least one of the "seven pillars"—fish, vegetables, rice, soy, noodles, tea, fruit—and are familiar and easy to make (Shrimp and Vegetable Tempura, Teriyaki Fish, etc.). Cooking tips abound, but what adds a French Women Don't Get Fat angle is the useful eating advice, such as "Hara hachi bunme," or "Eat until you are 80 percent full." It's a call for moderation that occurs throughout other cultures, and if it's the Japanese version that speaks to readers, good for Moriyama.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Review

"For weight loss, I recommend Japanese Women Don't Get Old or Fat ... One-upping a certain French woman who boasted about staying thin, Moriyama reveals seven secrets of how Japanese women avoid adding pounds and prolong their life." -- goodhousekeeping.com

"Thanks to Moriyama and Doyle, readers can learn from an insider raised in Japan. . . . Even the most hesitant readers will find their passion for the wonderful taste and aroma of Japanese dishes irresistible." -- The Cleveland Plain Dealer

"This is a dietary plan that is based on sound science and offers straightforward dietary advice that works. There are plenty of tempting recipes, too." -- American Dietetic Association Spokesperson: David Grotto, RD

"A DELICIOUS WAY TO STAY HEALTHY." -- Washington Post

It's well known that Japanese women have the lowest obesity rate in the industrialized world (3%) and the highest life expectancy (85 years), and that their cuisine is based on simplicity. Tokyo native Moriyama puts a human face on this phenomenon, that of her mother, Chizuko, in this well-organized, persuasive introduction to a non-Western everyday cooking plan. Just as Moriyama reconstructed Chizuko's cooking practices for herself and her coauthor husband, Doyle (Inside the Oval Office), she shows readers the elements of Chizuko's 6'×12' Tokyo kitchen. She details its pantry ingredients, including bonito (fish) flakes and daikon (radish) and tools such as a rice cooker and wok. Most recipes are based on at least one of the "seven pillars"--fish, vegetables, rice, soy, noodles, tea, fruit--and are familiar and easy to make (Shrimp and Vegetable Tempura, Teriyaki Fish, etc.). Cooking tips abound, but what adds a French Women Don't Get Fat angle is the useful eating advice, such as "Hara hachi bunme," or "Eat until you are 80 percent full." It's a call for moderation that occurs throughout other cultures, and if it's the Japanese version that speaks to readers, good for Moriyama. Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition. -- Publishers Weekly --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 288 pages
• Publisher: Delacorte Press; First edition. edition (November 8, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0385339976
• ISBN-13: 978-0385339971
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.7 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (65 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #210,383 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

  Popular in this category: (What's this?)

  #63 in

  Books > Cooking, Food & Wine > Regional & International > Asian > Japanese

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

277 of 300 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Dieting War of the Worlds, November 9, 2005

By	Diana F. Von Behren "reneofc" (Kenner, LA USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

Well, the gauntlet has been thrown.

In the wake of Mireille Guiliano's runaway best seller, French Women Don't Get Fat and its common sense nudge urging dieters and just plain folk in general to look back to tradition rather than seek out convenience to buttress the pillars of your culinary and nutritional foundation, Naomi Moriyama with her husband William Doyle fire back with enough fact, statistics, recipes, menus and history to send Western Civilization back to the Dark Ages.

Naomi Moriyama, a chic and slim 45 year old marketing consultant, doubles as a powerhouse of energy and vitality as she meters out her rebuttal to Mme. Guiliano in a righteous defensive strike of her culture's dietary habits and staples worthy of any 10th century shogun --- i.e. Japanese women live on average to age 85; only a birdlike 3% are deemed obese) And she does this with a straightforward panache that puts all of Mireille's pandering of her French ancestry to shame. (Note: my review of FWDGF was favorable in as much as it underlines the need to return to a real slow food way eating rather than pre-packaged, chemically enhanced non/fast-food junk) However, where Mireille barefacedly underlines her anthem of quality over quantity by compelling her readers to nosh on pricey triple creams, imbibe expensive champagne by Veuve Clicquot ----the company for which she works--- and with these offers vague advise about love being a natural slimming agent, Naomi, just gives us a straight shot of brown-rice samurai wisdom backed by enough scientific sources and academic studies that keeps eating plain, simple, and a step above common-sense.. In a way, she kamikazes the competition into the Maginot line by providing more than 30 economical recipes, menu plans, and portion control with internet ingredient URLs provided for easy access to Japanese market staples. The biggest out of pocket expense, besides the price of the book, could be replacing your present dishes with the small and elegant place settings preferred by Naomi's countrymen.

But will the idea of becoming like the mysterious doll-like Japanese geisha succeed in capturing the attention of an American audience with the same whole-hearted obsession of morphing oneself into a Gitane smoking, cigarette skirted French demoiselle?

Like FWDGF, JWDGOOF abounds with little vignettes about the respective author's childhood comfort and food experiences. While the focus remains similar to that of FWDGF, namely real seasonal food, quality over quantity, no snacking, smaller portions, social eating and the very Eastern contemplation of the food's beauty and nutrition, the author relies on the tradition provided by her mother, an obviously clever woman who presents fruit carved like flowers for dessert instead of a mountain of cake and cookies like her American counterpart;

On a purely technical level, tradition for Naomi and her family consists of a food wheel of seven spokes: fish (her description of the Tokyo fish market with its sights and smell is a fish-lover's heaven), vegetables( an emphasis is on sea vegetables; no canned or frozen here except for edamame), rice (brown preferred), soy (no processed stuff here, only tofu, miso, beans and sauce), noodles (soba, udon, ramen and somen), tea (types and preparations are provided) and fruit. Note the obvious exclusion of dairy---full fatted or otherwise, ----bread and flours. Beef and chicken are used as condiments rather than main entrees. That's not to say that Naomi and husband Billy don't indulge in the occasional bagel or pizza binge; however their main nourishment takes place in Naomi's New York facsimile of her mother's Tokyo kitchen.

All in all, if there is a contest in the war of the dieting worlds, I doubt that JWDGOOF will win in spite of its right-on message and clearly stated facts. Unfortunately, as svelte and vivacious as Ms. Moriyama is, there is something good or bad about the French stereotype that utterly captivates Americans. Check out all the books on Amazon,com that feeds into this desire for sophistication French-style.

That said, don't discount this book. Although, I would have liked Ms Moriyama to address the issue of menopause and diet and provide a Japanese food pyramid, as a utilitarian manual, the book is a good buy for the money. It's got everything on its side, science, history, and how-to instructions on how to prepare Japanese staples that are unfamiliar to the typical American. I am confident that like Naomi's non-Japanese husband, you will find the pounds melting off by following her centuries-old secrets. Recommended as a lethal weapon in your real food arsenal against weight gain.

86 of 92 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Insightful, helpful, and a great read!, November 9, 2005

By	Robert Allen (New York, NY) - See all my reviews

I read this book on a whim because of the funny title, but I must say, I am impressed with the simplicity, straightforwardness, and great recipes. The guidelines give you choice and clear direction, and after following them myself for just a few days, I can tell the difference in I how feel after every meal. I'm sure after incorporating this book into my lifestyle, I'll notice physical changes too.

Kudos to the author Moriyama for her well laid out and researched book!

126 of 140 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very interesting cookbook, full of Samurai history and legend, November 14, 2005

By	Discerning viewer (Washington) - See all my reviews

This was a great read! The author uses beautiful, nostalgic and descriptive language while recounting her memories of growing up with Japanese food. Both her mother's kitchen and her grandparent's country farm are vividly described with colorful images of a veritable paradise of fresh food. Although the author states she lives in New York today, Japan looks to be a pearl in her memory.

The bulk of the chapters speak about the author's personal food experiences, along with Japanese food history and legend. I've never read a cookbook that had only one or a few recipes at the end of every chapter - it reads more like a novel than a cookbook. The only problem I had with the book was that towards the end it seemed a little too full of nationalistic pride. Other than that, I really enjoyed reading this book.

Other reviewers often compare this book to one I haven't read, "French Women Don't Get Fat." That must be a great book, because this one is SO interesting. Not sure why everyone complains about this one being a copycat, since the author honestly states in the book that the title of that book inspired her to write this one.