Hi, I’m Mai. Self-taught photographer and cook, Asian food enthusiast, date connoisseur, Egyptian, Canadian, Third Culture Kid (TCK) are just a few of the words on the pending list of things I identify as.

The name of the blog speaks to aspects of my identity as well as the sources of my inspiration. Dates represent a food that is integral to my own Arab background and upbringing; and matcha, my life in Japan and deep love for Japanese cuisine and culture.

I share with you my perspectives of Japan and its stories through the best ways I know how: food and street photography.

Living in Japan has inspired and transformed my passion for cooking in ways I never imagined. Discovering various Asian ingredients and learning how to cook with them throughout my many years of living in Japan has been an incredibly mind opening experience.

Through this blog, I share my journey of Japanese and Asian culinary discovery with my personal twists and perspectives. I showcase various traditional Japanese ingredients ((including other Asian ingredients that have influence in Japanese cooking) and washoku principles that have transformed my relationship with food over the years and how I incorporate them into my own cooking and culture. I also document the various ways in which I attempt to draw meaning, satisfaction, and self-nourishment from the food I cook and eat throughout the way. I hope these stories and recipes inspire your cooking journey in the same life changing ways they have mine.

Through my street photography I share the magic in the everyday and the warn-out charm of city streets and the rich stories they tell.