 Logo of ukiyo-e woman holding a Japanese cookbook and chopsticks | |
Screenshot  Main page of Just One Cookbook on April 24, 2026 | |
Type of site | Food blog |
|---|---|
| Available in | English |
| Created by |
|
| URL | justonecookbook |
| Launched | January 1, 2011 (2011-01-01) |
| Current status | Active |
Just One Cookbook is a Japanese recipe blog written in English and created by Namiko "Nami" Hirasawa Chen (Japanese: 平澤菜美子, Hirasawa Namiko).
Chen is a home cook who began the food blog on January 1, 20111 as a way to share recipes for simple Japanese dishes in English2 with friends and to preserve family recipes for her children.3
Early life
Chen was born and raised in Yokohama, Japan, where she learned to cook from her mother.4
She moved to the United States at age 20 to attend college. After graduating, she worked as a digital map specialist and met Shen Wen Chen colleague at the company. They eventually married and settled in the San Francisco Bay Area in California.1
She chose the blog's name because she "wanted to transfer all [her] Japanese recipes to English and store it in just one cookbook, on the website."4
Content
Chen writes home cooking recipes for traditional and modern Japanese cuisine.4
The website also provides information on Japanese pantry items and substitutions for hard-to-find Japanese ingredients.4
Just One Cookbook's recipes feature step-by-step photos for each instruction in the preparation and cooking process.1 This attention to detail and visual learning sets Just One Cookbook apart from other food blogs.1
Reception
In 2022, Just One Cookbook had 5 million visits per month.4
Meghan McCarron, senior correspondent at Eater, said that "Just One Cookbook is one of the most authoritative and complete and ever-updating sources" for Japanese cooking in English.4
JOC Goods
In 2024, Just One Cookbook launched an online store called JOC Goods.5
The website stocks tableware and kitchenware handcrafted by Japanese artisans in small workshops that generally do not ship outside of Japan.5
Recognition
References
References
- Song, Kristie (January 11, 2024). "The Quiet Star Behind Just One Cookbook, the Internet's Favorite Japanese Recipe Blog". www.kqed.org. Retrieved April 23, 2026.
- Ukai, Kei (March 30, 2021). "Strategies for delivering Japanese food recipes in English to reach the top 20 most viewed recipes in the US". www.asahi.com (in Japanese). Retrieved April 23, 2026.
- O-Donoghue, J.J. (July 1, 2017). "Blogger Namiko Chen satisfies an appetite for Japanese fare". www.japantimes.co.jp. Retrieved April 23, 2026.
- "How a Bay Area home cook's Japanese food blog gained 5 million readers". www.sfgate.com. November 11, 2022. Retrieved April 23, 2026.
- Wartzman, Emma (October 16, 2024). "Now Open: A Shop Full of Hard-to-Find Kitchen Goods From Japan". The Strategist. Retrieved May 21, 2026.
- "Meet the 2017 SAVEUR Blog Awards Finalists: 6 Food Video Series to Watch Right Now". www.saveur.com. August 17, 2017. Retrieved April 23, 2026.