Alone in Japan 🇯🇵 | Homemade Yakitori | Turning my Lonely Night into a Sanctuary

Hi! I'm Tuma, a Japanese woman living in Japan 🫶 A quiet night alone in Japan with no plans at all. So I turned my kitchen into a cozy home izakaya and enjoyed a relaxing solo evening. Tonight’s menu includes homemade yakitori, healthy Japanese side dishes, beer, sake, and highballs. Welcome to my little izakaya at home — a fun and affordable way to enjoy Japanese food while living alone in Japan. ▶ RECIPE *🥬 Addictive Cabbage* (Shio Kombu & Sesame Oil Slaw) *Ingredients (1 serving)* ・Cabbage — 1/6 head ・Salted kelp (shio kombu) — to taste ・Sesame oil — 1 tbsp *Instructions* 1. Roughly chop the cabbage into bite-sized pieces. 2. Toss with shio kombu and sesame oil. 3. Mix well and serve immediately. --- *🥒 Lightly Pickled Cucumber* (Shirodashi & Vinegar Quick Pickle) *Ingredients (1 serving)* ・Cucumber — 1 ・White dashi (shirodashi) — 3 tbsp ・Rice vinegar — 1 tbsp *Instructions* 1. Slice the cucumber into rounds or sticks. 2. Combine shirodashi and vinegar in a bowl or zip-lock bag. 3. Add the cucumber and soak for a few hours (or overnight for best results). --- *🌿 Asparagus Pork Roll Yakitori* *Ingredients (1 serving)* ・Asparagus — 2–3 stalks ・Thinly sliced pork belly — 100–200 g ・Salt & pepper — to taste ・Skewers (soaked in water) *Instructions* 1. Peel the tough lower stems of the asparagus. 2. Wrap pork belly slices tightly around each asparagus stalk. 3. Thread onto skewers. 4. Cook in a frying pan over medium heat, turning occasionally, until the pork is cooked through and lightly browned. 5. Season with salt and pepper to taste. --- *🍅 Pork-Wrapped Tomato Yakitori* *Ingredients (1 serving)* ・Cherry tomatoes — 4–6 ・Thinly sliced pork belly — 100–200 g ・Salt & pepper — to taste ・Skewers (soaked in water) *Instructions* 1. Wrap each cherry tomato with a slice of pork belly. 2. Thread onto skewers. 3. Cook in a frying pan over medium heat, turning carefully, until the pork is cooked through. 4. Season with salt and pepper to taste. --- *🍗 Chicken Breast Yakitori with Umeboshi & Shiso* *Ingredients (1 serving)* ・Chicken breast — 100–200 g ・Pitted umeboshi (pickled plum) — 2–3 ・Shiso (perilla) leaves — 3–4 ・Wasabi — to taste (optional) ・Skewers (soaked in water) *Instructions* 1. Cut chicken breast into bite-sized pieces and thread onto skewers. 2. Cook in a frying pan over medium heat until fully cooked through. 3. Top with torn shiso leaves and umeboshi. 4. Add a touch of wasabi if desired. --- *🧀 Pork Roll with Shiso & Melting Cheese* *Ingredients (1 serving)* ・Thinly sliced pork (frozen is fine) — 100–200 g ・Shiso (perilla) leaves — 3–4 ・Meltable cheese (melting cheese) — to taste ・Umeboshi (pickled plum) — 1–2 (optional) ・Salt & pepper — to taste ・Skewers (soaked in water) *Instructions* 1. Lay pork slices flat on plastic wrap. 2. Layer shiso leaves, cheese, and umeboshi on top. 3. Season with salt and pepper. 4. Roll up tightly using the plastic wrap, then remove wrap. 5. Cut into bite-sized rounds and thread onto skewers. 6. Cook in a frying pan over medium heat, turning gently, until the pork is cooked and the cheese has melted. --- Your support helps me keep sharing good food and simple moments ☕️ Thank you always 🤍 🍙 https://buymeacoffee.com/Tumadaily