Season 5 · Episode 4

Japanology Plus mini: Kitchens

Many Japanese kitchens are now hyper-modern, but two or three centuries ago, most were basic spaces with dirt floors. One turning point came after the Second World War. Large apartment complexes built to address a housing shortage needed to be compact. For the first time, cooking and eating spaces were combined into one carefully designed "dining kitchen." Since then, kitchens have improved in both comfort and convenience. We introduce the ongoing evolution of the Japanese kitchen.