Japanese cuisine
Photo: City Foodsters, CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons
The traditional cuisine of Japan (和食, washoku), renowned for its emphasis on simple, fresh, and seasonal ingredients, has taken the world by storm and been a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage since 2013. A culinary trip around Japan will make your taste buds dance between various flavors, topped with the platter's presentation that is delightful to the eyes. In addition to the famous sushi and ramen noodles that can be found virtually worldwide, each area in the country has its own local specialties that are exotic even to people from other parts of Japan.
UnderstandThe main influence on Japanese cuisine before modern times came from Chinese cuisine.
IngredientsTraditional Japanese dishes play mainly with the seasons, made using the available raw ingredients during the specific time of the year.
DishesMost Japanese meals consist of a main course with rice, miso soup, and side dishes. When served in restaurants, this is a teishoku (定食, "set meal") or setto (セット); when served as take-away, it's an o-bentō (お弁当).
Regional specialtiesAbroad, most of the items you find in a typical Japanese restaurant are actually a collection from various regions of the country.
Places to eatThe stratospheric rise in tourism to Japan post-COVID has led to a lot of media hype about restaurants that charge foreigners more or even ban them entirely.
Dietary restrictionsDespite its image as light and healthy cuisine, everyday Japanese food can be quite heavy in salt and fat, with deep-fried meat or seafood being prominent.
BeveragesThe Japanese drink a lot: not only green tea in the office, at meetings and with meals, but also all types of alcoholic beverages in the evening with friends and colleagues.
SweetsConfectionery (お菓子 o-kashi) sells well in Japan, because it is a convenient souvenir (omiyage) or seasonal gift. You can buy gift boxes of candy in many stores, train stations, and even from street vendors.
EtiquetteMost Japanese food is eaten with chopsticks (箸 hashi). Eating with chopsticks is a surprisingly easy skill to pick up, although mastering them takes a while. Some chopstick guidelines to be aware of:
CondimentsSeasonings on tables in restaurants, from common to uncommon:
RespectHardly any foodstuff is taboo in Japan, and some of the more exotic ingredients can make foreigners disgusted. Some endangered animals such as whale are delicacies in Japan; see animal ethics for more information.
Sources and licences
- Guide text adapted from the Wikivoyage article "Japanese cuisine" by its contributors, available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read on Wikivoyage · Contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0
- Photo: City Foodsters, CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons