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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Wakayama
Goma Tofu (胡麻豆腐)
【】 Goma Tofu or Sesame Tofu is a traditional food in Japan. Although it has the name tofu, it is different from tofu made from soybeans. Goma tofu consists of sesame and using kudzu to make kudzu powder. Locals make this by grind... -
Oosaka
Kansai Style Okonomiyaki (関西風お好み焼き)
【Introduction to Kansai Style Okonomiyaki】 Kansai style okonomiyaki or also Osaka-style okonomiyaki is a Japanese traditional food in Osaka prefecture in the Kansai region. It is a predominant version of the dish, found throughout most... -
Niigata
Sasa Dango (笹団子)
【INTRODUCTION TO SASA DANGO】 We have other Japanese sweets on the list, Sasa Dango! What is Sasa Dango? It is a type of Wagashi or Japanese confectionery and a specialty of Niigata prefecture. Sasa dango is a dark green with a flavor o... -
Tokyo
Gyudon (牛丼)
【Introduction to Gyudon】 Gyudon is a traditional food in the Kanto region of Japan. It is a dish in which locals boiled the sliced beef, onions, etc. in soy sauce and placed on top of rice served in a bowl. Other types of rice dishes... -
Toyama
Masu Zushi (鱒寿司)
【 to Masu Zushi】 Masu Zushi is a traditional food in Toyama prefecture Japan. It is a Japanese food consisting of trout or cherry salmon seasoned with vinegar without fermentation using a pressed sushi method. Basically, it is round su... -
Ishikawa
Sasa Sushi (笹寿司)
【Introduction to Sasa Sushi】 Sasa Sushi is a traditional food in Japan in which it is a local dish from the Hokuriku region. Likewise, it is a type of sushi in which the sushi rice and sushi seeds are wraps with Kumazasa or bamboo leav... -
Fukushima
Shingoro (しんごろう)
It is said that in the old days, when people were too poor to buy glutinous rice, they rolled rice and made it a dish called "Shingoro". It is a local dish of Minamiaizu Town and Shimogo Town that is made by spreading "Juunen miso" made... -
Yamagata
Imoni (芋煮)
【INTRODUCTION TO IMONI】 Heading somewhere north eastern part of Japan this fall? Why not try this traditional cuisine of Yamagata City! Imoni is a hearty Japanese meat stew which includes a type of taro and meat soup. It is eaten tradi... -
Saitama
Chuushiti Meshi (忠七めし)
Chuushiti Meshi is a local food in Japan since more than one hundred years ago. It is a rice dish that incorporates three important Japanese tradition. Therefore, Chuushiti Meshi is one of the Five Great Meals of Japan. So how magnificen... -
Ibaraki
Natto (納豆)
【INTRODUCTION TO NATTO】 Natto is one of those traditional Japanese fermented foods. It is one of the healthy Japanese food in Japan. Most locals love this and have enjoyed eating it. It makes up of soybeans and has natto bacteria as a ...