Gut Chef Japan by Haruka Kato

29/09/2026

Figs are in season where I live in Japan, and I’ve been having so much fun experimenting with them! 🍂

What’s up, peeps! Haruka from Gut Chef Japan is here! 👋

So far, I’ve made a fig salad with mozzarella, honey, olive oil, black pepper & salt, fig jam, the fig syrup I shared last week, and now… fig liqueur! 🍷

What’s your favorite way to eat figs? 👀

Follow me for more seasonal food experiments from my kitchen in Japan! 🇯🇵

25/09/2026

One of the reasons I chose this house in Northern Kyushu was this big kitchen🏠

What’s up, peeps! Haruka from Gut Chef Japan is here!👋

As some of you know, we moved into our current house in April 2026, and one of the biggest reasons we chose this house was this kitchen.

Japanese kitchens tend to be pretty small, especially if you live in an apartment, which can make it harder to experiment with food.🤔

We lived in a house in Okinawa before moving here, but it was about one-third the size of our current house, so the kitchen was smaller and a bit dark.

This kitchen is definitely my favorite place in the house, and I’m excited about all the cooking experiments to come! ✨

Follow me for inspiration and seasonal preservation tips from Japan! 🇯🇵

24/09/2026

New reel coming out at 9am tomorrow (Japan time)!

24/09/2026

The key to living a holistic life is to live a life that aligns with your intentions and beliefs...

What’s up, peeps! Haruka from Gut Chef Japan is here! 👋

Since I made a big move this April, I’ve had lots of time to think about what truly matters to me and what kind of life I want to live.🤔

Here are some glimpses of the things that matter to me:

➡️ I want to spend as much time as possible with my puppy and kittens, hence I want to work from home.

➡️ I want to have enough time to go to a local farmers’ market and supermarket multiple times a week and experiment with cooking.

➡️ I want to have enough energy to do some sort of exercise during the week.

➡️ I want to live a life where, when I turn 80, I won’t regret the things I didn’t try.

🤯 One thing that blew my mind when I joined my health coaching school back in 2022 was realizing that you can eat all the healthy food in the world, but if you surround yourself with people who drain you or have work that constantly exhausts you, those healthy habits can only take you so far.

Yes, health isn’t just about eating well, sleeping well, and exercising.

I’m not trying to add more things to your health checklist.

Instead, I believe one of the most important factors in our health is living a life that aligns with our intentions and beliefs.✨

Since I moved here, I’ve had a lot of time to think about the things I don’t like doing, and that has helped me realize what I want to do more of.

I don’t know where my life is headed, but I’ve definitely been trying many of the things I’ve wanted to try throughout my life.

And it’s not just about getting good results or achieving something when you try something new.

Sometimes you try something and realize it’s simply not for you—and that’s okay! That’s part of the process, too.

So, what is one thing you want to do for the rest of 2026 that you’ve been putting off but finally want to get around to? ⤵️

24/09/2026

I did a little photo shoot with my husband using our camera after today’s workshop, and of course, Akiha wanted to join! 🐶📸

I replaced some of the photos on my website, and I’m super happy with how they turned out!

https://gutchefjapan.com/

23/09/2026

Time for a workshop!💪

23/09/2026

I rarely drink alcohol nowadays, and when I’m craving something fizzy and sweet, I make this instead. 🍋✨

What’s up, peeps!👋 Haruka from Gut Chef Japan here!

Today I’m sharing one of my favorite Japanese seasonal drinks: homemade fruit syrup made with crystal rock sugar.🍹

You can find crystal rock sugar at Asian supermarkets or online, and it’s surprisingly simple to make.

All you need is seasonal fruit and crystal rock sugar. Layer them in a clean jar, let them sit for a few days, and you’ll have a delicious homemade syrup to enjoy with iced tea or sparkling water. 🥤

I don’t think many people outside Japan know about this way of making seasonal syrup, so I was excited to share it with you!

And this is actually the kind of thing I want to share more of🤩

I’m launching an online community called Nourish & Ground, where we’ll meet twice a month online for a short guided mindfulness meditation, seasonal cooking inspiration, and a chance to simply pause and connect—with me, from my kitchen here in Japan. 🙋‍♀️🇯🇵

AI can teach us recipes (I use it too!), and there are endless cooking tutorials on YouTube. So I’m gradually shifting away from simply teaching recipes and more toward inspiring people to cook with seasonal, local goodness and enjoy simple, minimally processed food.🍳

If that sounds like something you’d enjoy—a place to pause, below!⬇
https://www.gutchefjapan.com/nourish-ground

The first 5 founding members get a special rate of $30/month, and one spot has already been filled! ✨

22/09/2026

Everything was ¥6,700 ($41 USD)! 💴✨ Come see what I got today!

At the beginning of my work week, I go to a local farmers’ market in the morning without a shopping list. I walk around a couple of times, see what looks good and affordable that day, and fill my basket with veggies, fruit, and some protein. 🥬🍊🐟

Do you usually do one big grocery shop a week, or shop multiple times a week?

22/09/2026

New Reel coming up tonight at 8pm (JST) here and my Instagram! ✨

22/09/2026

I started YouTube Shorts! 🎉 My first Short is officially up!

I’ve been thinking about starting YouTube Shorts for a while, but I was a little intimidated because things work differently from Instagram, which I’ve been using for years.

But I finally set up my account, posted my first Short, and here we are! 🙌

Come follow along as I share my seasonal living in Japan. 🌿🇯🇵

And if you enjoy my videos, I’d love for you to subscribe!

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.