I have never truly belonged anywhere, but I have always found home in food. aho no toko is not just a blog—it’s a space for those who seek meaning in meals, stories in flavours, and history in the way we eat.
I am a food anthropologist, writer, and lifelong wanderer. My work explores the intersection of food, history, culture, survival, and neurodivergence—because food is never just food. It is a story of migration, resistance, and resilience. It is memory. It is survival. It is the way we connect, even when everything else falls apart.
This blog is a mirror of the journey: it’s a gathering of recipes, photos and stories about the people I met and places that lent themselves to be my home for a while. It’s an attempt to express gratitude for every meal shared, every story told, and the kindness I encountered on many world’s crossroads.
why aho?
“aho” (アホ) in Japanese means silly or clumsy—a name given to me when I lived in Japan, and one I still wear with pride. Because I believe curiosity, openness, and a little foolishness are essential to understanding the world.
aho’s homemade food blog was born in a tiny flat in Izumi, Japan. It started off as a collection of recipes for (mostly) Polish and Korean dishes. With time, the blog grew and expanded, becoming what it aspires to be now: a space where food can be celebrated and talked about.
what you’ll find here
Essays & Food Stories – a deep dive into history, anthropology, and the ways food shapes who we are.
Recipes & Techniques – rooted in tradition, migration, and survival, with a focus on seasonal, sustainable, and neurodivergent-friendly cooking.
Food & Neurodivergence – eating, cooking, and experiencing food as an autistic person navigating sensory worlds.
Culinary Anthropology & Culture – the untold histories behind dishes, the people who carry them, and the way food becomes a force of both comfort and resistance.
Food is not just sustenance—it is a way to belong, a way to fight, a way to remember.
I hope this space offers you something: a story, a meal, a moment of connection. Because in the end, food is the closest thing we have to love made tangible. And it’s a universal language, after all, one we can all speak.
Welcome to aho no toko. Let’s eat, let’s learn, let’s belong.
aho
aho no toko 
Thanks for the like on my Brown Rice with Vegetable Paella. I am delighted to find a blog which features Korean recipes. And I love the quote from Julia Child you are using as a tag line.
hihi it’s thanks to Julia Child that we started, that’s why we used her quote ;) thanks for visiting my blog, hope you’ll enjoy it ;)
I also love the julia child tag line – awesome! Thanks for stopping by my blog!
Lovely recipes! You have inspired this weeks shopping for me! Thank you!
Hey Aho & Tensai,
Thank you for liking my post. I had a sports accident on 15th December 2011 and have been trying to recover since. My spinal injury has been the toughest challenge in my life, and I really want to say thank you for supporting me.
Your friend,
Lucas
I learned one thing, quite recently – never give up! maybe it sounds trivial but really works! so, 頑張って！i believe everything will be all right one day ^^
You are totally right. Gan ba de! Never give up :) Thank you for the kind words I’m working so hard to make it all come true. I wish you the best too :)! What is it that you are doing now?
Hey there! Thanks for liking my Zucchini and Pepper Pizza post. You’ve got some yummy stuff on your blog. Thanks for sharing! Just curious – how did the above haircut turn out? Celeste
i trust tensai and i was right also that time – haircut was really nice! ;)
Hi! Glad you enjoyed the herb & chicken stew – it was a fun experiment that turned out pretty well. I’m really enjoying digging through your blog – you’re making a lot of things I have never tried, but will definitely be trying soon.
Happy cooking!
-Jason
thank you! the idea was to make home made food not many people knows about ;) let me know if you try something!
Thank you for following my blog.It is so exciting and encouraging to know that people do read your blog.I think we have in common I love drinking but not in the bed, with people outside.
I look forward to reading more of yours.
i love drinking with people outside, too. it’s just we’re kinda lazy so when it’s raining or snowing or it’s windy or we’re sleepy – we prefer just stay at home ;)
Thanks for your recent visit to my blog, Savor the food. I appreciate your comments and readership.
I also like your image here on the back of your blog, that is the herbs tied to the fence. :)
Chef Randall
i don’t know why but wood plus greens work perfect together! don’t you think? ;)
Yes they complement each other, especially the weathered ceder wood look or fencing planks. :)
Hi! Love your recipes. Lots of oohs and aahs when looking through them! Thanks for liking my recipe:)
hope you’re gonna like the food, not recipes only ;)
Thank you for stopping by simplydaisies! Come again!
Thank you for visiting my blog! I really appreciate it. You have so many recipes of different cuisines here. I hope to try them for myself, soon :)
Cooking, eating, drinking and bed are some of my favourite things too! Thanks for the like! Linda.
Hi Izabi, thank you for liking my cassava coconut cake post. :) I am really enjoying reading your recipes. Perfect time because I have been in the mood for Korean food. Just had Soon tofu with seafood and vegetables yesterday at a local Korean restaurant. I would like to find that recipe. Any suggestion?
Thank you for stopping by my blog and the “Like” of my post.
Thanks Izabi! Thank you so much for liking my posts and I am pleased to know that you like Indian food . :) you have created heaven on your blog .I would love to follow you.
Thanks for checking out my blog and liking it. I see your blog is fairly new as well. It has a nice clean look to it and I love the Julia Child quote :)
Wow what a lovely blog. I just love your cooking, the photos, and everything. I have put you under my list of favourite blogs. Thank you for stopping by and thank you for liking my posts and thank you for the follow!!!
your blog looks really fun! and yes, i’m a big fan of Julia Child, too. i always have a glass wine while i cook. ;)
thank you for liking my carrot soup recipe. your blog is very nice. i just “followed”! my sister just moved to korea! (it has to do with baseball) I can’t wait to hear her food experiences.
Aho & Tensai, what a wonderful blog! Thank you for the fantastic recipe of Polish Dumplings: Pierogi – I could not stop stuffing my face with them, they are delicious.
Hey, thanks for the like. Your blog looks great, excited to check out some of your recipes!
Hi Aho & Tensai! Thanks for your like on my post, “Craving for Chocolate Chip Cookies”! It’s my first time blogging and I was so excited when I saw my first “like”! =) I absolutely love your blog with all the detailed photos accompanying the recipes!! Plus, I love Korean food & Polish food! ^^ So awesome to find a blog with 2 of my favourite ethnic cuisines! I’m your follower now. =)
Hey, Aho. Jimmy from Austin (fasterstrongertastier). I’m all about simple. Let food be thy medicine is fine. I say let it by thy secret weapon. All best,
Thank you for stopping by Storyteller. — Ray
Thank you for dropping by my blog.
Hi there, I had to stop over and say ‘hi’ and thank you so much for the ‘like’ on my Garlic and Herb Bread. I look forward to going through your blog, and from what I can see I am going to love it !!! Have a happy Sunday and take care. Chat soon :-)
Hi there! Thank you for visiting my blog! :)
You have some really yummy looking recipes that I want to try (like the Thai and Polish dishes)!
Thank you (: cooking is a great passion of mine, happy to share with everyone ^^
Hi, thanks for dropping my blog and following. Your photography is beautiful, and the carrot cake recipe certainly looks like something I’ll try! So glad to link up with fellow food lovers. I’m following back now.
Hi
Thank you so much for finding my blog and liking a post. Hope you come back again soon
Trina
Thank you for liking our Focaccia Recipe but mostly for introducing us to your blog.It’s interesting to see how much in common we have about homemade ,seasonable food and sustainable agriculture. Hope to see you both in Italy!
Hi,
Nice blog. Did you know that AHO is a Finnish word. It’s English equivalent is MEADOW.
All the best to you :)
I love what your bog says in this about section! I totally agree food is about history, culture, nature healing all of that. Nice blog.
Hi! I came across your blog. Great work and interesting content! I followed your blog. I am a food blogger from Canada and enjoy reading blogs from people around the world and different cultures. I invite you to visit/follow my blog at: https://zest4foodblog.wordpress.com.
Cheers, Angelika