Discover the Secrets of Japanese Cuisine

Culinary traditions of Japan

• Japanese cuisine is based on regional and traditional foods, with an emphasis on seasonal ingredients.

• The staple food is rice with miso soup and side dishes often include fish, pickled vegetables, and vegetables cooked in broth.

• Seafood is common, often grilled or served raw as sashimi or in sushi, and noodles such as soba and udon are also staples.

• Japanese cuisine has been influenced by Chinese and Western cuisines, with dishes like ramen and gyōza adapted to Japanese tastes and ingredients.

• The Japanese traditionally shunned meat due to adherence to Buddhism, but with modernization, meat-based dishes have become common.

• Japan has the most 3-starred Michelin restaurants in the world, with Tokyo having the most 3-starred restaurants.

• Japanese cuisine was added to the UNESCO Intangible Heritage List in 2013.

• Washoku is the common word for traditional Japanese cooking, while kappō and kaiseki refer to more formal dining establishments.

• Traditional Japanese cuisine is based on combining steamed white rice with one or more main or side dishes, often with clear or miso soup and pickles.

• Japanese cuisine places emphasis on seasonality of food, with dishes designed to herald the arrival of the four seasons or calendar months.

• Traditional Japanese cuisine is sparing in its use of red meat, oils, and fats, with ingredients like soy sauce, miso, and umeboshi resulting in high salt content.

• Meat consumption in Japan was taboo until the Meiji Restoration in 1872, which lifted the ban on the consumption of red meat and led to the introduction of gyūnabe (beef hot pot) and Western restaurants.Overview of Japanese Cuisine

• Japanese food is seasoned with dashi, soy sauce, sake, mirin, vinegar, sugar, and salt.

• Herbs and spices such as ginger, perilla, and takanotsume red pepper are used as hints or accents.

• Wasabi and Japanese mustard are provided as condiments to raw fish to neutralize fishy or gamy odors.

• Mitsuba or yuzu rind are floated on soups as ukimi, while shiso leaves and myoga serve as yakumi.

• Shichimi, a chilli-based spice mix containing seven spices, is added to soups, noodles, and rice cakes.

• Minced ginger and pungent herbs are added as a garnish called tsuma.

• Japanese cuisine features inedible garnishes, such as leaves and flowers, reflecting holidays or seasons.

• Kaiseki is a high form of hospitality through cuisine, closely associated with tea ceremony and minimalist in style.

• Vegetarian food is rare in Japanese cuisine, except for shojin-ryori, developed by Buddhist monks.

• Rice is the staple food of the Japanese people, with short-grained, sticky hakumai being the most common type.

• Soba, udon, and ramen are the main traditional noodles, while somen is a less common variety.

• Traditional Japanese sweets, known as wagashi, use ingredients such as red bean paste and mochi.

• Green tea and beer are the most commonly consumed beverages in Japan, while sake and shochu are popular alcoholic drinks.Japanese cuisine in Japan and around the world

• Japanese whisky has been produced since the early 20th century and is now popular worldwide.

• Wine production exists in Japan since the 1860s but has a small market share.

• Japanese cuisine offers regional specialties known as kyōdo-ryōri, with different tastes from different regions.

• Traditional Japanese table settings vary depending on the era, with individual box tables or low tables for families.

• The standard Japanese table setting includes a bowl of rice on the left, miso soup on the right, and three okazu plates behind them.

• Dining etiquette includes saying itadakimasu before eating, complimenting the food's appearance, and waiting for the eldest guest to start eating.

• Some Japanese dishes are tied to festivals or events, and some imported foods have become popular in Japan, such as ramen and curry.

• Yōshoku is a Japanese interpretation of Western-style food that has become part of the Japanese culinary culture.

• Chinese cuisine has been adapted to suit Japanese palates in chuka ryori.

• Japanese cuisine has become popular worldwide, with sushi being a global phenomenon and Japanese food becoming popular in countries such as Australia, Brazil, Canada, and Indonesia.Japanese cuisine around the world

• Japanese cuisine has become increasingly popular and widespread around the world.

• Japanese food is well-liked for its healthy and fresh ingredients, simple and delicate presentation, and unique taste.

• Japanese food has been adapted to local cultures and tastes in many countries, such as Indonesia, Mexico, the Philippines, Taiwan, Thailand, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

• Japanese cuisine is particularly popular in Southeast Asia, where the number of Japanese restaurants has significantly increased in recent years.

• Japanese cuisine has been recognized as an Intangible Cultural Heritage by UNESCO, and it is an essential part of Japanese culture and identity.

• Some Japanese food items, such as sushi and ramen, have become global foods, and they have been adapted to local tastes and preferences in various countries.

• Some Japanese restaurants have created fusion cuisine by combining Japanese and local ingredients and flavors, such as krakatau roll, gado-gado roll, and sushi Mexicano.

• Some Japanese chain restaurants, such as Yoshinoya, Gyu-Kaku, and Ajisen Ramen, have expanded their business overseas and introduced Japanese cuisine to new audiences.

• Some Japanese dishes, such as teppanyaki and tempura, have become popular outside Japan, and they are often associated with Japanese cuisine.

• Japanese cuisine has faced some controversies, such as the consumption of live seafood, commercial whaling, and overfishing of bluefin tuna, which have raised environmental and ethical concerns.

• Japanese cuisine is a rich and diverse culinary tradition that reflects Japan's history, geography, climate, and cultural values.

• Japanese cuisine has become an important part of the global culinary landscape, and it continues to evolve and inspire new culinary creations and experiences.