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Thali

🇯🇵 The food of Japan

142 dishes from Japan, best known first, across 49 cities and regions.

Japanese cooking centers on rice, seasonal produce, and seafood, with a focus on subtle flavors and careful presentation. Meals are built from small, separate dishes, often including pickles, soup, and sides. Over centuries, influences from China and the West have shaped the cuisine, but it remains distinct in its restraint and respect for ingredients.

  • Rice, fish, and seasonal vegetables are core to every meal.
  • Sushi began as a way to preserve fish by fermenting it in rice.
  • Japanese etiquette includes saying 'itadakimasu' before eating.
  • Each dish is served separately to keep flavors distinct.
  • Meat became common only after the 19th century.

The cooking of Japan

Japanese food is shaped by the country's geography and history. Rice is the foundation, often served with miso soup and a variety of small side dishes. Fish, both cooked and raw, is central, reflecting Japan's island setting. Techniques like grilling, simmering, and deep-frying (as in tempura) are common, but oil and strong spices are used sparingly. Meals highlight the seasons, with ingredients chosen for freshness. Over time, dishes from China and the West, such as ramen and curry, have been adapted to local tastes. Presentation matters: each dish is served separately, often in its own bowl or plate.

Staple foods in Japan

Steamed white rice is the mainstay, eaten at nearly every meal. Noodles like soba (buckwheat) and udon (wheat) are also popular. Fish and seafood, grilled or raw, are common sources of protein. Soybeans, in forms like tofu and miso, are widely used. Pickled vegetables and seasonal greens round out meals. Meat became more common after the 19th century, with dishes like tonkatsu (breaded pork) and sukiyaki (beef hotpot).

From region to region in Japan

Regional cooking in Japan reflects local climate and history. In Kagoshima, pork is traditional, while beef is found in Oumi. Some areas, like Suwa, have customs involving deer. Sushi styles also vary by region, with some places favoring fermented versions and others preferring fresh. The use of certain ingredients, such as specific fish or vegetables, can differ widely from north to south.

At the table in Japan

Meals are served with rice on the left and soup on the right, with side dishes behind. Each food is placed in its own dish to keep flavors distinct. Chopsticks are used, and it's customary to say 'itadakimasu' before eating and 'go-chisō-sama deshita' after. On tatami floors, shoes are removed, and diners may sit kneeling or cross-legged, depending on formality and gender.

Festival and religious food in Japan

During New Year's, special feasts may include foods reflecting both Japanese and Western traditions. Some regions have rituals involving animal sacrifice for Shinto ceremonies. Historically, Buddhist influence meant that meat was avoided during certain periods, shaping festival foods to focus on fish and vegetables.

Where this page comes from

The facts in this overview come from the Wikipedia article "Japanese cuisine", written by its contributors and used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence. Thali rewrote the text in its own words, with AI assistance, and compares every page with the article to make sure no passage is copied. It may be reused under the same CC BY-SA 4.0 licence with a link back.

Cities and regions of Japan

Tokyo 11Osaka 6Hokkaido 4Nagasaki 4Nagoya 4Fukuoka 2Ginza 2Kansai 2Kyushu 2Ōita Prefecture 2Wakayama 2Yokohama 2Akashi 1Akita 1Amagasaki 1Asakusa 1Chiba 1Fukui 1Hamamatsu 1Hiroshima 1Ise 1Izumo 1Izushi 1Kagawa Prefecture 1Kagoshima Prefecture 1Kantō 1Kitakata 1Kitakyushu 1Kobe 1Minabe 1Miwa 1Morioka 1Nagano Prefecture 1Nakatsu 1Nara 1Narita 1Okinawa 1Ryōgoku 1Saitama City (Urawa) 1Sakurai 1Shiga Prefecture 1Shimane 1Tōhoku 1Tottori 1Tsuchiura 1Ueno 1Usa 1Yanagawa 1Yokosuka 1
MealBreakfastLunchTea timeDinnerSupperSnacks
KindMain dishStreet foodSoupStew or curryRice dishNoodle or pasta dishDumplingBreadGrill or roastSandwich or wrapPie or savoury pastrySalad or sideCheese or dairy foodSausage or cured foodSauce, pickle or fermentSweet or dessertDrink
DietVegetarianVeganFish and seafoodMeat
TeaVegan茶 🇨🇳 China and 5 moreA drink made by soaking tea leaves in hot or cold water Drink TofuVegan豆腐 🇨🇳 China and 5 moreSoft white blocks made by curdling soy milk and pressing the curds Main dish SakeVegan酒 🇯🇵 JapanJapanese alcoholic drink brewed from polished rice and kōji mold Drink Soy milkVegan豆奶 🇨🇳 China and 5 moreA plant-based drink made by soaking, grinding, and boiling soybeans Drink, Breakfast, Snacks KabochaVeganカボチャ 🇯🇵 Japan and 5 moreA sweet, dense winter squash with edible skin, used in Japanese and Asian cooking Main dish, Lunch, Dinner MochiVegan餅 🇯🇵 JapanJapanese rice cake made by pounding glutinous rice into a sticky, chewy mass Sweet or dessert MatchaVegan抹茶 🇯🇵 Japan and 2 moreBright green Japanese tea powder made from shade-grown leaves Drink OolongVegan烏龍茶 🇨🇳 China and 3 moreA semi-oxidized Chinese tea with a wide range of flavors and aromas Drink SojuVegan소주 🇰🇷 South Korea and 3 moreClear Korean spirit distilled from grains or starches, usually enjoyed neat Drink SobaVegan蕎麦 🇯🇵 Japan and 1 moreJapanese noodles made from buckwheat, served hot in broth or cold with dipping sauce Noodle or pasta dish, Lunch, Dinner NattoVegan納豆 🇯🇵 JapanSticky, fermented soybeans often eaten with rice at breakfast in Japan Main dish, Breakfast, Lunch DangoVegan団子 🇯🇵 JapanJapanese sweet dumplings made from rice flour, often served on skewers Sweet or dessert, Snacks, Tea time SeitanVegan 🇨🇳 China and 5 moreWheat gluten shaped and cooked as a meat substitute Main dish Red bean pasteVegan 🇯🇵 Japan and 2 moreSweet or plain paste made from boiled adzuki beans, used in East Asian desserts Sweet or dessert, Snacks, Tea time KosharyVeganكشرى 🇪🇬 Egypt and 2 moreA mix of rice, pasta, lentils and sauce topped with fried onions, from Egypt Main dish, Lunch, Dinner ShōchūVegan焼酎 🇯🇵 JapanJapanese spirit distilled from rice, barley, sweet potato or other starches Drink UmeboshiVegan梅干し 🇯🇵 JapanSour, salty pickled ume fruit from Japan, often served with rice Sauce, pickle or ferment, Breakfast, Lunch DaifukuVegan大福餅 🇯🇵 JapanSmall mochi cakes filled with sweet bean paste or other fillings Sweet or dessert, Snacks, Tea time WagashiVegan和菓子 🇯🇵 JapanTraditional Japanese sweets made with plant-based ingredients and seasonal themes Sweet or dessert, Tea time, Snacks YōkanVegan羊羹 🇯🇵 Japan and 1 moreA Japanese sweet block made from red bean paste, agar, and sugar Sweet or dessert, Tea time, Snacks EdamameVegan枝豆 🇯🇵 Japan and 3 moreYoung green soybeans boiled or steamed in their pods, often served salted Main dish, Snacks, Lunch TsukemonoVegan漬物 🇯🇵 JapanJapanese vegetables preserved in salt, brine, or rice bran Sauce, pickle or ferment, Breakfast, Lunch Beaujolais nouveauVegan 🇫🇷 France and 5 moreYoung red wine from France, released each November just weeks after harvest Drink Tofu skinVeganゆば 🇨🇳 China and 2 moreThin sheets formed from the surface of heated soy milk Main dish AmazakeVegan甘酒 🇯🇵 JapanSweet Japanese drink made from fermented rice, served warm or cold Drink, Snacks BotamochiVeganぼたもち or 牡丹餅 🇯🇵 JapanSweet rice balls covered with red bean paste, eaten during spring and autumn in Japan Sweet or dessert, Snacks, Tea time WarabimochiVegan蕨餅 🇯🇵 JapanSoft jelly-like sweets dusted with roasted soybean flour Sweet or dessert, Snacks Buddha's delightVegan羅漢齋 🇨🇳 China and 2 moreA Chinese vegetarian medley of vegetables, fungi and tofu simmered in soy sauce Main dish, Lunch, Dinner HojichaVegan焙じ茶 🇯🇵 JapanJapanese green tea roasted over charcoal for a toasty, mild flavor Drink şalgamVegan 🇹🇷 Turkey and 1 moreA sour, salty fermented drink of purple carrot and turnip from southern Turkey Drink, Snacks, Dinner TosoVegan屠蘇 🇯🇵 Japan and 1 moreSpiced medicinal sake shared at Japanese New Year Drink Kashiwa mochiVegan柏餅 🇯🇵 JapanSweet mochi with red bean paste, wrapped in an oak leaf for Children's Day in Japan Sweet or dessert, Snacks NamagashiVegan生菓子 🇯🇵 JapanMoist, artfully shaped Japanese sweets made with bean paste or fruit jelly Sweet or dessert, Tea time, Snacks Corn on the cobVegan 🇲🇽 Mexico and 5 moreSweet corn cooked and eaten straight from the cob, often with butter and salt Main dish, Lunch, Dinner HigashiVegan干菓子・乾菓子 🇯🇵 JapanJapanese dry sweets made with sugar and flour, often served at tea ceremonies Sweet or dessert Hishi mochiVegan菱餅 / ひしもち 🇯🇵 JapanLayered diamond-shaped mochi sweet for Girl's Day in Japan Sweet or dessert Red bean riceVegan 🇯🇵 Japan and 2 moreRice cooked with red beans, eaten for celebrations and winter in East Asia Rice dish, Lunch, Dinner

Photo credits on this page

The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.

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