Traditional Food in Japan is based on fresh, local ingredients, with minimal processing, highlighting instead the natural flavors of the food. Fish, rice, noodles, and vegetables are some staples that make up the basis of most Japanese diets. Some popular traditional dishes include sushi, ramen, tempura, soba, tonkatsu and okonomiyaki.
Japanese cuisine emphasizes variety and balance. This is achieved through the use of five colors (black, white, red, yellow, and green), five cooking techniques (raw food, grilling, steaming, boiling, and frying), and five flavors (sweet, spicy, salty, sour, and bitter). These principles can be found even in a single meal of one soup and three sides paired with rice.
Sushi is one of the most famous foods to come from Japan. It originated from the process of preserving fish in fermented rice. Today it’s made with vinegared rice and fresh fish. Tempura is a dish of battered and fried fish or vegetables. Special care is given to the way the ingredients are cut as well as to the temperature of the batter (ice cold) and oil (very hot) for deep-frying.
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Shimane
Uzume Meshi (うずめ飯)
INTRODUCTION TO UZUME MESHI Uzume meshi is a traditional Japanese food in Shimane prefecture and is one of Japan's five great rice dishes. Its unique characteristic is that all of its ingredients are all hidden under the rice. Japanese h... -
Hokkaido
Hakodate Ramen (函館ラーメン)
INTRODUCTION TO HAKODATE RAMEN Hakodate ramen is one of the three (3) major ramen in Hokkaido. Along with Sapporo and Asahikawa ramen, Hakodate ramen is also considered as one of the famous local gourmet in Hokkaido prefecture. Shio-rame... -
Oosaka
Kayakumeshi (かやく飯)
INTRODUCTION TO KAYAKUMESHI Kayakumeshi is one of Japan's five great rice dishes (日本五大銘飯) and is a representative food from Osaka prefecture. Kayakumeshi is the kind of thing that one would expect Osaka people to think. With its co... -
Tokyo
Tempura (天ぷら)
INTRODUCTION OF TEMPURA Tempura is a traditional food in Japan specifically the Tokyo prefecture. It is one of the "Edo Delicacies" and is an indispensable part of Japanese foods. Along with Negima Nabe, Kusaya, Bekko Sushi, Fukagawa-mes... -
Hokkaido
Asahikawa Ramen (旭川ラーメン)
Asahikawa Ramen is a local ramen from Asahikawa City, Hokkaido. The mainstream of Asahikawa ramen is the soy sauce flavor of medium thick noodles, and the standard style is a double soup that combines soups such as pork bones and chicken... -
Tokyo
Negima nabe (ねぎま鍋)
INTRODUCTION TO NEGIMA NABE Negima Nabe is one of those dishes that the Japanese made to combat long winter months or gloomy rainy days. Japanese embrace the elements of the wide variety of hot pot dishes. Hot pot is a cooking method tha... -
Fukushima
Shirakawa Ramen 白河ラーメン
WHAT IS SHIRAKAWA RAMEN? Shirakawa Ramen or soy-sauce-based soup is a specialty of Shirakawa City, located in the southern part of Nakadori, Fukushima prefecture. Along with Kitakata Ramen and Koriyama Black ramen, Shirakawa Ramen is als... -
Miyazaki
Miyazaki Jitokko (宮崎地頭鶏)
Miyazaki Jitokko is sometimes referred as “Miyazaki Jidori”. This grilled chicken is a traditional food in Japan that originated in Miyazaki Prefecture situated in Kyushu Island. Jitokko is a type of chicken that has its own branding tha... -
Tokyo
Kusaya (くさや)
Kusaya is characterized by its unique aroma and umami. Kusaya is not the name of a fish, but a fermented food made from fish. The smell of such kusaya is intense, but for those who like it, it is delicious. In this article, we will intro... -
Tokyo
Bekko Sushi (べっこうずし)
Bekko sushi is spicy sushi made by soaking fresh white fish from the waters near the Izu Islands in "chili soy sauce". The name tortoiseshell sushi came from the fact that the pickled white fish shines "tortoiseshell color". Mainly white...