Rohan Khattar Singh, Fair Observer’s Video Producer & Social Media Manager, speaks with Sayuri Oyamada, a Japanese actress, model and entrepreneur based in New York. Oyamada is the founder of Oyama Group and Oyama Onigiri, creative ventures through which she shares her passion for spreading Japanese culture and traditions. She explains that cooking Japanese meals became a healing ritual during the pandemic and that her work is rooted in sharing deeper values of Japanese food: simplicity, balance and care for both body and spirit.

Japanese cuisine

Oyamada explains that Japanese food is far more diverse than many outsiders assume. Too often, she says, people believe it consists only of sushi and ramen. In reality, Japan’s food culture is built around seasonal ingredients, simple home cooking and regional specialties. Onigiri, miso soup and vegetable dishes tied to the four seasons form the foundation of Japanese eating habits.

She also addresses the global perception that Japanese food is simply “healthy.” While health is part of it, Oyamada believes this is only one aspect. To her, Japanese cuisine is a holistic experience: picking vegetables in the mountains, sharing hot pot (a warm stew) with family and delighting in beautiful presentation. It is about flavor, artistry and togetherness just as much as physical wellbeing.

Onigiri in New York

Onigiri, a rice ball often filled with vegetables, fish or meat, is considered soul food in Japan. Oyamada recalls her childhood memories of eating her mother’s onigiri with miso soup, meals full of warmth and family care that shaped her values around food.

When she moved to New York, Oyamada was amazed to see a boom in onigiri’s popularity. In 2020, she could only find it in a few Japanese grocery stores. Today, almost everyone in the city has tried it at least once. She says this makes her proud and hopeful about the global reach of Japanese cuisine.

Part of onigiri’s appeal lies in its beauty. Oyamada points out how food aesthetics play a huge role in social media culture. She shares how she creates colorful onigiri by mixing rice with shiso leaves, which turn it purple, or by incorporating matcha for a vivid green whipped cream. She wants Japanese food to be both delicious and visually captivating, an edible art form that inspires worldwide admiration.

Japan’s next viral food

Looking ahead, Oyamada predicts that wagashi, traditional Japanese sweets, will be the next culinary export to capture global attention. Wagashi reflect Japan’s seasons and culture through delicate forms and subtle flavors. Paired with matcha, she says, they are unforgettable.

She also believes fermented foods like miso (soybean paste), kōji (a fermentation-starting fungus) and nattō (fermented soybeans) will continue rising in popularity. New Yorkers prize fermentation for both health benefits and umami — the fifth taste beyond sweet, salty, sour and bitter. Oyamada explains umami as a unique richness that makes food deeply satisfying. She uses kōji to marinate salmon, enhancing flavor in a way she finds transformative.

Hara hachi bu and ikigai

Khattar Singh turns the conversation to longevity. Japan has one of the world’s highest life expectancies, a fact often linked to diet and lifestyle. Oyamada emphasizes the practice of hara hachi bu, or eating until one is about 80% full. This cultural habit, she says, keeps people healthier and may contribute to long lives. She suggests this mindset could benefit people everywhere, not only in Japan.

Khattar notes the popularity of the international best-selling book, Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life, which ties diet and lifestyle to the Japanese concept of ikigai — “a reason for being.” Oyamada agrees that mindful eating, restraint and a balanced relationship with food are central to Japanese wellbeing. For her, longevity is not just a result of food but of an entire culture of moderation and appreciation.

Indian cuisine

Comparing Japan and India, Oyamada reflects on her surprise at India’s wide range of spicy dishes. She especially enjoyed roti and observed that, while delicious, Indian food often felt heavy due to its frequent use of oil. Japanese food, in contrast, tends to avoid excess oil and sweetness, relying instead on fresh, seasonal vegetables.

Still, Oyamada sees common ground between the two cuisines. Apart from rice, yogurt is beloved in both cultures, forming part of daily diets and traditions. She expresses interest in learning more about Indian cooking in the future.

Try onigiri today

Oyamada closes with a simple invitation: Try onigiri. For her, it is Japan’s ultimate soul food, a humble rice ball that carries centuries of tradition, family warmth and cultural pride. Born in Niigata, a prefecture famous for its high-quality rice, Oyamada feels naturally called to share its deeper values with the world. Through onigiri, she believes people will not only be nourished, but taste the spirit of Japanese life.

[Lee Thompson-Kolar edited this piece.]

The views expressed in this article/video are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect Fair Observer’s editorial policy.