As fascinating and colorful as its subject, this visually striking celebration of Japanese food shows the importance of aesthetics in everything, from haute cuisine to vending machines. In Japan, where a meal is typically described as a feast for the eyes, food is a matter of national identity and heritage. Oishii! (which means 'delicious' in English) explores the aesthetics of the country's cuisine from a variety of perspectives, including interviews with world-famous chefs, scholars, designers, popular home cooks, patisserie chefs, artists, and more. It looks at Japanese food through the seasons; traces contemporary trends such as bento boxes and kawaii character cafe´s; takes readers to destinations like the Shin- Yokohama Ramen Museum and the fish roe-themed Mentai Park; and dives into culturally-specific phenomena including plastic display food, manga, and vending machines. Japanese culture expert Manami Okazaki offers a kaleidoscopic investigation of every aspect of the nation's cuisine, resulting in a book that is both comprehensive and contemporary. Filled with hundreds of photographs as well as a pull-out sticker sheet, it's packed tighter than a bento box with fun and useful information. AUTHOR: Manami Okazaki is a journalist and researcher whose work has appeared in the Japan Times, Wall Street Journal, CNN Traveler, the Guardian, Lonely Planet, and other media outlets. She has authored numerous books on Japanese culture, art, crafts, and fashion, including Japan's Best Friend, Land of the Rising Cat, Kimono Now and Kawaii! Japan's Culture of Cute, all published by Prestel. SELLING POINTS: . PERFECT FOR fans of Japanese cuisine around the world-the country is known as one of the world's top food destinations. Japanese food is registered as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage. . ALL ASPECTS OF JAPANESE FOOD STYLE: The book covers both classic and contemporary food style and aesthetics in Japan, from fancy sushi and kaiseki presentation to pop culture bento boxes, character cafés, and more. . EXPERIENCED AUTHOR: Manami Okazaki is a true expert on many facets of Japanese culture. This will be her 5th book for Prestel (past titles covered the Japanese concept of kawaii, kimonos, and cats and dogs in Japanese culture.) . FUN PACKAGE: The book will feature a pull-out sticker sheet created from photography that appears in the book. 288 illustrations