Food Education

Omurice is one of the most well-known "Western foods" born in Japan between the Meiji and Taisho periods.

Takoyaki is a specialty of Osaka that is just as famous as okonomiyaki.

In Japan, it is customary to eat eel to prevent summer exhaustion due to its high nutritional value.

Natto is a traditional Japanese food made from fermented soybeans.

It is said that donburimono—rice served in a dish with its side dish placed on top—was created in the Edo period and originated with unadon, rice topped with eel.

In Japan, "croquette" refers to a food that is made by mixing boiled and crushed potatoes with minced meat, covering it in bread crumbs, and frying it until the outside is crispy.

In the 1960s, chicken became a common food in Japan.

Like soba noodles, udon noodles are a well known type of Japanese noodles. Made from flour, they are distinctively thick and white.

Pork cutlet is made by coating a thick slice of pork in flour, beaten egg, and breadcrumbs, and then deep frying it.

Currently, okonomiyaki can be broadly divided into Kansai and Hiroshima styles.

In Kyoto, everyday side dishes made from on-hand ingredients are called "obanzai".

When the cold season comes to Japan, many people start eating Japanese nabe hot pots.

This teppanyaki style of cooking involves cooking meat, vegetables, seafoods, and the like on top of an iron hot plate called a "teppan".

Ochazuke is a quick and easy dish made simply by pouring Japanese tea over rice.

In Japan, curry with rice is a national food almost on the same level as ramen noodles.

Sashimi is raw seafood served in thin slices. It is also called otsukuri.

To make shabu-shabu, you cook vegetables and tofu in a hotpot filled with flavored broth, and dip thinly sliced pieces of meat into the broth. The meat and vegetables are eaten with ponzu or sesame sauce.

Today, though, there are a lot of stylish yakitori places that are like café bars, and it is not unusual for women to dine alone, or for couples to come on dates.

Although now sushi is a gourmet cuisine, it was first mainly eaten at food stands and considered as a simple fast food.

Like udon, soba noodles, made from buckwheat flour, are the typical Japanese noodles.