I started this blog to mend my relationship with Japan, the country I was born in.
I had a complicated relationship with my mixed heritage, like many mixed people do, so I decided to go and live there and work things out. My partner decided to join so we packed our bags, bought our tickets, and made our way over there. We lived there for about a year – travelling, working and spending time with family. It was a healing experience.
We came back to the UK for mostly practical reasons and that was hard for me. This is why I started Mikusu Kitchen. I needed a way to continue healing and connecting with Japan. Cooking is one of my favourite things to do, so starting a recipe blog focused on Japanese home cooking felt like a good way to stay connected. However, I think I got a bit lost.
It felt silly for me to start a blog without the goal of making money from it, which is silly in itself, I know. I was of course attracted to the idea of turning a blog into some source of income, but on a deeper level, the opportunities and experiences that could come with it. I had fun learning about blogging, SEO, and analytics but I don’t think I’m communicating my story properly which doesn’t make me feel great.
I’ve been thinking about this for a while and I feel confident things need to change now. I recently went to a live podcast event hosted by Gilly Smith, who was interviewing Mark Diacono. He never planned to be a writer and only got into gardening to spend more time with his wife who loved it. Yet, he’s now published 12-14 books all about growing and cooking. The place he has landed seems honest to him and his life, and I feel inspired by that.
That night I really realised that something needs to change so that Mikusu Kitchen feels more honest to me. I’m not exactly sure how yet, but I guess this is all part of the process of refining a craft. I don’t think I’m the type of person who can SEO their way into self discovery, and at it’s core, that is why I started Mikusu Kitchen.
Asahi x
