Kintsugi Wellness: A Holistic Path to Health and Well-Being Inspired by Japanese Culture

Marissa Hou: Started listening to Candice’s podcast Wabi Sabi (excellent) and really resonated with her outlook on wellness, food and quality of life.

This book has helped me feel more confident in the kitchen which is a big deal for a New Yorker who doesn’t really cook. The gorgeous photography just makes you want to make the dish and when I make the recipes, they are full of flavor and healthy. Also read through all the chapters outside of the recipes and appreciate getting to know Candice and her background a bit more. I also relate to many of the qualities on doing your best and humility inside Kintsugi wellness.

Get this book! Made the spicy miso tahini ramen (this has become a fave), matcha choc chip cookies (crowd pleaser), and matcha choc chip pancakes. I have also bookmarked several other recipes to try that I’m working through. I like knowing that I can trust Candice to give me delish recipes that I’ll feel good eating. I appreciate your integrity and effort, Candice. Keep up the great work!

United States on May 25, 2023

Grif Frost: Aloha! Well versed in Japanese cultural practices that can help us improve our physical, mental and spiritual fitness levels. I THOUGHT. Married for 47 years to a girl in Japan. Four Japanese/American children. Global MBA in Japan-U.S. business development. 5 times per day of 5+ minute video lesson fitness program developer which uses Japanese cultural practice as moving meditation topics and YET I learned a lot from Candice Kumai's book. Thankful. P.S. Candice's descriptions of her visits to her mother's home town of Beppu intrigued my wife and I enough so that we are on our way to see if Beppu might become our new Japan base to complement our Hilo Hawaii base. Beppu: #1 hot springs town in Japan. #1 international university in Japan. 4 million visitors to a town of 120,000 residents. Like Hilo located on a bay, surrounded by volcanoes. Subtropical climate. Thank you Candice for the new insights & inspiration!

United States on Jun 06, 2022

Lenie Ibanez: Such basic but profound lessons and principles that Candice talks about in this book. Written in an enjoyable and easy to read tone. I absolutely love it and will keep it for years to come.
I’ve read the digital copy and now wanted to have this to hold onto, highlight and go back to over and over

Canada on Jan 07, 2022

Abdul: I came to know about the author after watching her documentary on Kintsugi Wellness on NHK World Japan. Like the few episodes documentary of her time tracing back to her roots in Japan, her book explores several Japanese philosophies in helping you through your life struggles, especially during these trying times. You'll follow her on her life journey in discovering herself and realizing what you have in common with her in terms of searching and accepting yourself, to achieve inner peace and more. She also shares some of her recipes of healthy food for a clean diet to better develop your body and mind, and taking care of yourself as you grow older. Definitely worth reading. Look forward to more of her books!

Singapore on Jun 15, 2021

Amazon Customer: What an amazing book! I had never heard of the art of Kintsugi before nor did I have any idea that it could be so spiritually healing. Candice Kumai is an incredible writer, weaving stories of her childhood and heritage with the concept of wellness, good food and travel. I was so inspired by Candice that I actually got in touch with her online and she was kind enough to reply to me. I’d recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a way to take care of their mental health right now, so they know that no matter how many times you’ve been broken, you can always build yourself up again.

India on Mar 11, 2021

Erin Pangilinan: Candice Kumai is an eloquent writer, gifted chef and communicator. This book has beautiful visuals and is conceptually stunning as it represent the complexities of Asian and Japanese American identities.

For the wellness space, it has been revered as an authentic text (not only rooted in Japanese culture), but sincere and honest in a way that many other 'how-to-cook' books leave out--a personal and deep story that Kumai provides.

Kintsugi Wellness is truly nourishing, empowering, and is a joy for readers interested in the self development/personal development space. Kumai is a great storyteller, as the book stands on its own as one of the the first-of-its kind category. Its cultural importance is it is pioneering the way that Asian American books in the food industry are written, setting a tone for making cultural history central to understanding the food we cook, bake, and consume. Her text on cultural understanding emphasizes context missing in many texts today, showing that they are more than 'nice to know' information, the history shows how the food is rooted and comes from somewhere, it is not merely in supporting a recipe, is more than 'supplementary' material,...

United States on Apr 05, 2020

Judith MartinezJudith Martinez: Conocí a Candice Kumai escuchando una entrevista suya en un podcast; hablaba sobre su nuevo libro: Kintsugi wellness. Su claridad y determinación al hablar me dejaron totalmente inspirada, y así ha sucedido cada vez que descubro algo nuevo de ella: su propio podcast que es capaz de iluminar los martes más oscuros, sus exquisitas recetas, su cuidado instagram...no tiene desperdicio.

Kintsugi es el arte japonés de reparar los objetos rotos, usando oro para rellenar las grietas. La belleza de éste antiguo arte es que los objetos después del arreglo parecen todavía más bellos. Candice hace una metáfora increíble relacionando el kintsugi con la experiencia humana: los momentos difíciles de la vida nos van convirtiendo en mejores personas.

Para guiarnos por éste camino, Kumai nos desvela varios preceptos de la cultura japonesa que nos ayudan a vivir la mejor versión de nosotros mismos; abriéndose a la vulnerabilidad de contarnos su historia personal, y dedicando un gran apartado a recetas únicas, un remix california-japón (sus raíces son japoamericanas), y la guinda del pastel: un diseño de libro increíble, fotos preciosas, cuidado hasta el más mínimo...

Spain on Jun 18, 2019

Mark.AnthonyMark.Anthony: It’s hard to categorise this book; neither self-help nor culinary, but a book that’s contributes to its own special sector. This is more than just a written piece of prose or words written to guide one’s own virtuous lifestyle; what Candice has created within 336 pages is an anthem of following your own intuition, building your own foundations through wisdom and food. I’m not new to Kumai’s works, but Kintsugi is without a doubt, both thought provoking and delectable.

Kintsugi at first glance appears to be just a book, with gold embellishments dispersed throughout the front cover, but believe me when I say, this is a staple for every household; who wishes to learn, to love and give themselves whole-heartedly to not just someone, but life. Of course, books are just that, but some and unfortunately few stand with honour and grace. I feel, if you were to completely strip this book to its gold lacquered core; you’ll find a legacy.

Candice has provided the reader an insight into her own and family’s journey through life; and ultimately the trials that can come with humanity i.e. war, loss, fragmentation etc, but with reliance and strength you can eradicate...

United Kingdom on Jan 20, 2019

SandraSandra: Kumai is known for creating inspiring, mindful food content. I first learned of her work through the book Pretty Delicious, which focused on FWB's: Food With Benefits. The object was not deprivation, but modification. Make sure to focus on the healthier parts of food (the greens, mostly), then allow space for living and enjoyment! The other cookbooks focused, again, on well-thy foods to encourage feeling good and looking good (Cook Yourself Sexy, Clean Green Drinks, Clean Green Eats).

This book takes a different turn, and Kumai is going to get a huge return on her investment. She took a series of trips to Japan to speak with family and experts on Japanese philosophy. While she got to tap into her roots, and repair from her own grief and loss, we yield the benefits of her gained wisdom (all without the high ticket price and jet lag). Oh, and you still get great recipes (matcha scones are going to happen this weekend!).

Kintsugi is about repair. We've all felt broken at one point or another, but I think we need to think beyond the self-care of bubble baths and face masks. Being broken isn't easy- it's tears shed, drinking too much, and losing who you are. We all have a...

United States on Apr 18, 2018