Japanese cuisine: 38 dishes, how to eat them, kosher notes

Japanese cuisine (washoku): 25 dishes, from Sushi to Onigiri, 15 ingredients and spices, 4 dates in the holiday calendar, and the community’s story in Israel. Every dish that has a page here is linked, with every ingredient in grams.

Japanese cuisine (washoku)Illustration
Listing of washoku on UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage list4 December 2013
Spices and ingredients15in the glossary
Techniques and vessels8
Regions5

The dishes of Japanese cuisine (washoku)

By when they are eaten: Shabbat, holidays, everyday and the street.

For holidays

Japanese cuisine (washoku), for holidays

6 dishes

  • Soba: Buckwheat noodles; on Japanese New Year's Eve, 'toshikoshi soba'
  • Osechi-ryori: The New Year menu, the background to washoku's UNESCO listing
  • Ozoni: New Year rice-cake soup
  • Mochi: Sticky rice cake
  • Wagashi: Traditional sweets for the tea ceremony
  • Kaiseki: A multi-course Kyoto banquet
Everyday

Japanese cuisine (washoku), everyday

12 dishes

  • Sushi: Rice seasoned with vinegar with fish or fillings; in Japan an occasion food, not an everyday one
  • Sashimi: Slices of raw fish, without rice; the purest form according to chef Parti
  • Udon: Thick wheat noodles
  • Tempura: Fried in a light batter
  • Tonkatsu: Pork schnitzel coated in panko
  • Donburi: A bowl of rice with a topping
  • Japanese curry rice: Came from Britain at the end of the 19th century
  • Miso soup: Dashi and miso; part of the 'one soup, three sides' meal
  • Tamagoyaki: Rolled sweet-and-savoury omelette, in a rectangular pan
  • Chawanmushi: Egg custard steamed in dashi
  • Oden: A winter stew of fish products, eggs and daikon radish in dashi
  • Sukiyaki / Shabu-shabu: A hot pot shared at the table
Street food

Japanese cuisine (washoku), street food

7 dishes

  • Onigiri: Filled rice ball wrapped in nori
  • Ramen: Noodles in broth; of Chinese origin
  • Karaage: Japanese fried chicken
  • Yakitori: Chicken skewers over charcoal
  • Okonomiyaki: Savoury cabbage pancake
  • Takoyaki: Dough balls with octopus
  • Gyoza: Filled dumplings

Japanese cuisine in one minute

What it is

Japanese cuisine, or washoku, is cooking built around rice, a light stock called dashi, the season's vegetables and fish, soy and fermented flavours, and a careful eye for how a tray looks. A home meal is rice, a soup and a few small dishes. Restaurants in Japan are usually specialists: one shop for sushi, another for tempura, another for noodles.

The three families of dishes

Washoku is the traditional kitchen: sushi, sashimi, simmered dishes, grilled fish, miso soup and pickles. Yoshoku is Western food made Japanese since the late 19th century: curry rice, omurice, hambagu and croquettes. Chuka is food of Chinese origin made Japanese: ramen, gyoza and fried rice. All three are everyday food in Japan.

The rule of five

A balanced tray follows three fives: five colours (white, black, red, yellow, green), five methods (raw, simmered, grilled, steamed, fried) and five tastes (sweet, sour, salty, bitter, umami). Nobody counts at dinner, but you can see it on any well-made plate.

The season on the plate

Shun is the moment an ingredient is at its best: bamboo shoots in spring, cold noodles and edamame in summer, chestnuts and mushrooms in autumn, hot pots and yellowtail in winter. Menus, and even the plates and bowls, change with it.

Japanese cuisine in numbers

5

colours on a balanced tray

White, black, red, yellow and green.

5

cooking methods

Raw, simmered, grilled, steamed and fried.

5

tastes

Sweet, sour, salty, bitter and umami, the savoury taste first described in Japan.

47

prefectures, each with its own dishes

Every prefecture has its kyodo ryori, regional home cooking.

38

dishes in the food list below

With what is in each one, how it is eaten and what to change in a kosher kitchen.

Japanese food list: 38 dishes and how to eat them

The dish, its family, what is in it, when and how it is eaten, and what a kosher kitchen changes.

DishKindWhat is in itWhen and how it is eatenIn a kosher kitchen
Nigiri sushiSushiHand-pressed vinegared rice topped with a slice of fishAt the counter or for an occasion; one bite, fish side dipped lightly in soy sauceSalmon, tuna, yellowtail and sea bream are kosher fish; eel, octopus, squid and shellfish are not
MakiSushiRice and fillings rolled in nori and cut into roundsTakeaway and parties; on Setsubun in February a whole uncut roll is eatenCucumber, avocado, egg, salmon and tuna, with nori that carries a kosher mark
TemakiSushiA cone of nori filled by hand with rice and fillingsHome parties where everyone rolls their ownAs for maki
ChirashiSushiA bowl of sushi rice scattered with fish, egg and vegetablesHinamatsuri on 3 March and family celebrationsKosher fish, egg ribbons, cucumber
Inari sushiSushiSweet simmered fried-tofu pouches filled with sushi riceBento boxes and picnicsParve as it is
SashimiRawSlices of raw fish without riceThe opening of a formal meal, with daikon and wasabiKosher fish only, very fresh
OnigiriRiceA salted rice ball filled with salmon, pickled plum, kombu or tuna, wrapped in noriLunchboxes, picnics and corner shops; eaten by handParve or fish fillings, very easy
TamagoyakiEggA rolled omelette built in thin layers, sweet or with dashiBreakfast, bento and as a sushi toppingParve, with kombu or kosher bonito dashi
Miso soupSoupDashi with miso, tofu, wakame and spring onionAt almost every meal; sipped straight from the bowlParve, with kosher bonito flakes or with kombu and shiitake
TempuraFriedFish and vegetables in a cold, light batterWith a dipping broth and grated daikon, or on noodles and riceVegetables and kosher fish, without the classic shrimp
KaraageFriedChicken marinated in soy, ginger and garlic, starch-coated and friedBars, bento and home dinnersKosher chicken as it is
Tonkatsu and chicken katsuFriedA panko-crusted cutlet with shredded cabbage and a thick sauceSet meals with rice and miso soupTonkatsu is pork; chicken or veal katsu is the kosher version
YakitoriGrillChicken skewers, salted or brushed with a sweet soy glazeBars and festivalsKosher chicken, without the pork skewers
TeriyakiGrillFish or chicken glazed with soy, mirin and sugar until it shinesHome dinners and bentoSalmon or chicken
Saba shioyakiGrillSalt-grilled mackerelBreakfast and set meals, with grated daikonMackerel is a kosher fish
GyozaDumplingPan-fried dumplings, in Japan usually filled with pork and cabbageBeside ramen or rice, dipped in soy and vinegarChicken, beef or vegetable fillings
RamenNoodlesWheat noodles in a soy, miso, salt or pork-bone brothRamen shops; slurping is expectedChicken or beef broth and toppings, without the pork chashu
UdonNoodlesThick wheat noodles in a dashi brothHot in winter, chilled in summerParve with kombu or kosher bonito; with meat toppings use kombu dashi
SobaNoodlesBuckwheat noodles, hot in broth or cold with a dipping sauceAll year, and on New Year's Eve for luck in the year aheadParve
SomenNoodlesVery thin wheat noodles served ice-coldSummerParve
YakisobaNoodlesStir-fried noodles with cabbage and a sweet-savoury sauceFestivals and street stallsChicken or vegetables instead of pork
OyakodonRice bowlChicken and egg simmered in dashi and soy over riceQuick lunchesKombu dashi rather than bonito, because kosher kitchens keep fish and meat apart
GyudonRice bowlThin beef and onion simmered in sweet soy over riceFast, cheap lunchesKosher beef and kombu dashi
KatsudonRice bowlA cutlet simmered with egg and onion over riceBefore exams, because katsu sounds like the word for winningChicken katsu
Curry riceYoshokuA thick, mild curry with potato, carrot and onion over riceHome dinners and school lunchesMany roux blocks contain milk or animal fat; choose a parve roux for meat
OmuriceYoshokuAn omelette over ketchup fried riceCafés, and a children's favouriteChicken fried rice without butter
KorokkeYoshokuA breaded potato croquette, sometimes with minced meatButcher shops and bentoParve potato, or kosher meat
NikujagaSimmeredBeef, potato and onion simmered in soy and mirinHome comfort foodKosher beef and kombu dashi
OdenHot potDaikon, eggs, fish cakes and konnyaku in dashiWinter, from shop counters and stallsFish cakes from kosher fish only, and no beef tendon in the pot
SukiyakiHot potBeef slices, tofu and leek in sweet soy, often dipped in raw eggCelebrationsKosher beef; the egg dip is optional
Shabu-shabuHot potThin beef swished in a kombu broth at the tableSocial dinnersKosher beef
OkonomiyakiGriddleA cabbage batter pancake with sauce, mayonnaise, seaweed flakes and bonito flakesOsaka and Hiroshima, cooked at the tableWithout pork belly and squid; chicken or vegetables
TakoyakiStreetBatter balls with octopus insideStreet stalls in OsakaOctopus is not kosher; the same pan works with kosher fish or vegetables
NattoFermentedSticky fermented soybeansBreakfast, over riceParve; check the sauce sachet
TsukemonoPicklesPickled daikon, cucumber, aubergine and plumAt every mealParve
EdamameSnackYoung soybeans boiled in salted water, in the podBars and summer eveningsParve
MochiSweetPounded sticky rice, plain or filled with sweet bean pasteNew Year and festivals; eaten in small bitesParve
DangoSweetRice-flour dumplings on a skewerCherry-blossom viewing and the autumn moonParve

Kosher notes describe the usual version. Any packaged sauce, curry roux or seaweed needs a kosher mark.

A day of Japanese meals, from breakfast to the late ramen

  1. Breakfast

    A traditional Japanese breakfast is a small set: rice, miso soup, a piece of grilled fish such as salmon, a rolled omelette, natto, pickles and a sheet of nori. Many homes now eat toast and coffee on weekdays and keep the full set for weekends and inns.

  2. Lunch

    Fast and complete: a bento box, a bowl of noodles, a rice bowl, or a teishoku set meal of a main dish with rice, soup and pickles.

  3. Afternoon

    Green tea with a small sweet, or a snack from the corner shop: onigiri, a steamed bun, a sweet bean pastry.

  4. Dinner at home

    Ichiju-sansai: rice, one soup and three dishes, usually a grilled or simmered main, a vegetable side and a salad or tofu, with pickles.

  5. Dinner out

    An izakaya, the Japanese pub, with many small plates shared at the table: yakitori, karaage, edamame, sashimi and grilled fish.

  6. Late night

    A bowl of ramen on the way home is a ritual in many cities.

Japanese food by region: 13 places and what to eat there

From Hokkaido in the north to Okinawa in the south.

RegionWhat to eat thereWhat to know
HokkaidoMiso ramen, jingisukan lamb barbecue, seafood rice bowls, soup curryCold-climate food, dairy and the best salmon roe; the lamb is grilled on a domed pan
AkitaKiritanpo: pounded rice on cedar sticks, grilled and cooked in a chicken hot potThe rice country of the north
Sendai (Miyagi)Gyutan: grilled beef tongue with barley rice and oxtail soupA post-war dish that became the city's signature
TokyoEdomae sushi, soba, monjayaki, tempuraEdomae is the style of old Edo, where nigiri was born as fast street food
YamanashiHoto: flat wheat noodles in a miso stew with pumpkinMountain comfort food
ShizuokaGreen tea, Shizuoka oden in a dark brothOne of Japan's great tea regions
Nagoya (Aichi)Miso katsu, tebasaki chicken wings, kishimen flat noodlesDark red miso goes into everything
KyotoKaiseki, yudofu (simmered tofu), obanzai home dishes, Uji matchaThe old capital of refined, vegetable-led and temple cooking
OsakaOkonomiyaki, takoyaki, kushikatsuCalled the nation's kitchen; kuidaore means eat until you drop
HiroshimaLayered okonomiyaki with noodlesBuilt in layers on the griddle instead of mixed
KagawaSanuki udonFirm, chewy udon; it is called the udon prefecture
FukuokaHakata ramen with thin noodles, mentaiko (spicy pollock roe), yatai street stallsFood stalls by the river at night
OkinawaGoya champuru (bitter melon stir-fry), Okinawa soba, taco riceA separate island cuisine with Chinese, Southeast Asian and American traces

Pork, eel and shellfish dishes have kosher swaps in the food list above.

The Japanese pantry, beyond soy sauce

The English name, the Japanese name, the Hebrew name and what it does.

EnglishJapaneseHebrewWhat it does
Dried shiitake干し椎茸 hoshi shiitakeפטריות שיטאקה מיובשותSoaked for a deep dashi without fish or meat, and for simmered dishes
Pankoパン粉פנקוCoarse, airy breadcrumbs for katsu and croquettes
Potato starch片栗粉 katakurikoעמילן תפוחי אדמהCoats karaage and thickens sauces to a clear gloss
Toasted sesame and sesame oilごま gomaשומשום קלוי ושמן שומשוםGround into dressings; a few drops of oil finish a dish
Shichimi togarashi七味唐辛子שיצ׳ימי טוגראשיChilli with sesame, orange peel and seaweed, sprinkled on noodles
Sansho pepper山椒פלפל סאנשוA citrusy berry that tingles on the tongue, for grilled dishes
FurikakeふりかけפוריקקהA seasoning of seaweed, sesame and salt shaken over rice
Matcha抹茶מאצ׳הShade-grown green tea ground on stone, whisked for the tea ceremony
Ponzuポン酢פונזוA citrus and soy dipping sauce for hot pots and salads
MentsuyuめんつゆמנצויוA ready base of dashi, soy and mirin for noodle broths and dips
Daikon大根צנון לבן (דייקון)Grated raw beside fried and grilled food, or simmered in oden
Shiso紫蘇שיסוA fragrant leaf served with sashimi and inside rolls
Pickled gingerガリ gari, 紅生姜 beni shogaג׳ינג׳ר כבושPale gari cleans the palate between pieces of sushi; red beni shoga tops noodles and rice bowls
KonnyakuこんにゃくקונייקוA firm jelly from konjac root that soaks up broth in oden

The fifteen basics, from dashi to umeboshi, are in the glossary above.

How to eat in Japan: 9 rules that matter

Before and after

Itadakimasu, gochisosama

Say itadakimasu before eating and gochisosama deshita when you finish. It thanks everyone who brought the meal to the table.

Chopsticks

Never upright in rice

Chopsticks standing in a bowl of rice, and food passed from chopsticks to chopsticks, both belong to funeral rites. Rest them on the holder.

Bowls

Lift them

Pick up rice and soup bowls and bring them close to your mouth. Soup is sipped straight from the bowl.

Noodles

Slurping is fine

Slurping ramen and soba is normal, and it cools the noodles on the way.

Sushi

One bite, fish side down

Hands or chopsticks are both correct. Dip the fish side, not the rice, and eat nigiri in one bite.

Soy sauce

Not on the rice

Pour a little into the small dish. Plain white rice is eaten as it is.

The towel

The oshibori is for hands

Wipe your hands with the hot or cold towel before eating; in a formal place, not your face.

Paying

No tipping

Service is part of the price. Pay at the counter, and in many places put the money on the small tray.

Drinks

Pour for others

At a shared table you fill your neighbour's glass, and they fill yours.

Kosher Japanese food: what to check

What to know to cook or order Japanese food in a kosher kitchen.

ItemThe issueThe kosher way
FishOnly fish with fins and scales are kosherSalmon, tuna, yellowtail, sea bream, mackerel and sardine are kosher; eel, octopus, squid, shrimp, crab, scallops and sea urchin are not
Fish roeRoe follows its fishSalmon roe and pollock roe come from kosher fish and need a kosher mark
DashiBonito flakes are fishKosher bonito dashi is parve; for meat dishes use kombu and shiitake dashi, since fish and meat are not cooked together
Soy sauce, mirin and sakeProcessed productsChoose bottles with a kosher mark
NoriSheets can carry tiny sea creaturesBuy nori with a kosher mark
Curry rouxMany blocks contain milk or animal fatFor a meat curry, choose a parve roux
Pork dishesTonkatsu, chashu, pork gyoza, pork-bone ramenChicken or veal katsu, chicken or beef ramen broth, chicken and cabbage gyoza
Meat and dairyJapanese cooking uses little dairyMost meat dishes have no milk to begin with; watch for butter in Western-style yoshoku dishes
SurimiImitation crab sticksKosher-certified surimi made from kosher fish works in rolls and salads

Japanese food: myths and facts

What people say, and what is true.

You may have heardThe fact
Sushi means raw fishSushi is the seasoned rice. Raw fish on its own is sashimi.
Japanese food is mostly rawMost of it is cooked: simmered, grilled, steamed and fried.
Wasabi is the green pasteMost green paste is horseradish with mustard and colouring. Real wasabi is a rhizome grated fresh.
Ramen is an ancient Japanese dishIt came from China and spread in Japan in the 20th century; instant noodles followed in 1958.
The California roll is JapaneseIt was created in North America and only later reached Japan.
Teriyaki is a sauceTeriyaki is a method: teri is shine and yaki is grilling, so it means a glossy grill.
Matcha is any green teaMatcha is shade-grown leaf ground to powder in stone mills.
In Japan people pour soy sauce on ricePlain rice is eaten plain; soy sauce goes in a small dish for dipping.

Start here: 10 Japanese dishes to cook at home, easiest first

  1. 1. Rice in a pot

    Rinse short-grain rice until the water runs clear, soak it for 30 minutes, cook it covered and let it rest for 10 minutes.

  2. 2. Miso soup

    Kombu soaked in cold water and warmed, miso whisked in once the pot is off the boil, then tofu and wakame.

  3. 3. Onigiri

    Wet, salted hands, warm rice, a spoon of salmon in the middle and a strip of nori.

  4. 4. Tamagoyaki

    Beaten eggs with a little sugar and dashi, rolled layer by layer in a pan.

  5. 5. Teriyaki salmon

    Pan-fry, then glaze with soy, mirin and sugar until it shines.

  6. 6. Oyakodon

    Chicken and onion simmered in sweet soy and kombu dashi, egg poured over, then onto rice.

  7. 7. Gyoza

    A chicken and cabbage filling, pleat, fry, add water, cover to steam, then uncover to crisp.

  8. 8. Chicken katsu

    Flour, egg and panko, fried until golden, sliced and served with cabbage.

  9. 9. Vegetable tempura

    Ice-cold batter barely mixed, sweet potato and aubergine fried in small batches.

  10. 10. Hosomaki

    Nori on a bamboo mat, a thin layer of sushi rice, one filling, roll tight and cut with a wet knife.

The holiday calendar of Japanese cuisine (washoku)

What goes on the table on each date.

DateDishesNote
Oshogatsu (Japanese New Year)Osechi-ryori, Ozoni, MochiThe UNESCO listing is called 'Washoku, traditional dietary cultures of the Japanese, notably for the celebration of New Year'
New Year's EveToshikoshi soba
Hinamatsuri (3 March)Chirashi sushi
TsukimiTsukimi dango

Spice and ingredient glossary

The name in Hebrew, in the local language and in English, and what it is for.

EnglishLocal nameHebrewWhat it is
Dashi出汁DashiKombu and katsuobushi stock
Kombu昆布Kombu
Katsuobushi鰹節Katsuobushi
Miso味噌MisoFermented soybeans and koji
Shoyu醤油Shoyu
MirinみりんMirin
Sake酒Sake
WasabiわさびWasabi
Yuzu柚子Yuzu
Koji麹Koji
Koshihikari riceコシヒカリKoshihikari rice
Nori海苔Nori
Tofu豆腐Tofu
Rice vinegar米酢Rice vinegar
Umeboshi梅干しUmeboshi

Techniques and vessels

How it is cooked, and in what.

Ichiju-sansai

Ichiju-sansai

Rice, soup, three side dishes and pickles

Rice cooking

Rice cooking

Washing, soaking, steaming; in a pot (kama) or a donabe

Donabe clay pot

Donabe clay pot

Clay pot for communal cooking at the table

Dashi extraction

Dashi extraction

Kombu in cold water and katsuobushi briefly simmered

Knife work

Knife work

Cutting sashimi with a long knife

Tempura frying

Tempura frying

A cold, light batter, oil at medium-high heat

Charcoal grilling

Charcoal grilling

Yakitori

Fermentation

Fermentation

Koji, miso, shoyu in wooden barrels

Regions and variants

The same dish, another city, another taste.

RegionWhat is special
Kanto (Tokyo)Edomae sushi; darker sauce
Kansai (Osaka)Okonomiyaki and takoyaki
KyotoKaiseki and shojin ryori
Hokkaido and KyushuMiso ramen versus tonkotsu
OkinawaA distinct cuisine

Japanese cuisine (washoku) in Israel

How they came

There is no Jewish-Japanese community; the cuisine arrived through restaurants and sushi. sushi began to conquer Israel in the 1990s. A new direction: Jewish-Japanese fusion such as matzo-ball ramen

Where they settled

Restaurants in the big cities; on kashrut, fermentation ingredients (mirin, sake) and dashi require checking

Markets and places

Yapani (Tel Aviv): Onigiri; appears in the Google Maps pack. Okinawa Sushi (Levontin St): Google Maps pack. Oben Koben: Google Maps pack. Sakura (Jerusalem): One of the old-established sushi places, according to JPost; opening year not found. : Background on the growth in demand in Israel; not read in full.

Japanese cuisine (washoku) in numbers

about 187,000, compared with about 159,000 in 2021

Japanese restaurants outside Japan (Japanese agriculture ministry survey, 2023)

78,760 / 26,040 / 18,210

Japanese restaurants in China / the United States / South Korea

One soup and three sides (ichiju-sansai)

Traditional meal structure

End of the 19th century, from Britain

Curry arrived in Japan

Neighbouring cuisines

The same pots, other spices.

Neighbouring cuisine

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19 dishes, a spice glossary, a holiday calendar and the story in Israel.

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22 dishes, a spice glossary, a holiday calendar and the story in Israel.

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21 dishes, a spice glossary, a holiday calendar and the story in Israel.

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Persian (Iranian-Jewish) cuisine

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Syrian (Aleppo and Damascus Jewish) and Lebanese cuisine

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Frequently asked questions

What is washoku?

The collective name for traditional Japanese cuisine. It was listed on 4 December 2013 on UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage list, with an emphasis on New Year and respect for nature.

What is the difference between sushi and sashimi?

Sushi is rice seasoned with vinegar with fish or another filling. Sashimi is slices of raw fish without rice.

What is dashi?

The foundation stock of the cuisine: kombu and katsuobushi. It gives the umami to miso soup, udon and oden.

What is umami?

The fifth taste. It comes mainly from glutamate (kombu) and from ingredients such as inosinate (katsuobushi), and combining the two strengthens it.

Is sushi an everyday food in Japan?

No: the everyday meal is rice, soup and three side dishes. Sushi is considered an occasion dish.

What is the difference between ramen, udon and soba?

Ramen is wheat noodles in broth, with Chinese influence. Udon are thick wheat noodles, and soba are buckwheat noodles.

What do people eat in Japan at New Year?

Osechi ryori, ozoni and mochi.

Is Japanese food kosher?

It depends: fish without fins and scales is forbidden, and additions such as mirin, sake and dashi need kashrut checking. Kosher restaurants exist in Israel.

What is the difference between koshihikari rice and ordinary sushi rice?

Koshihikari is a short-grain Japanese rice variety, regarded as the quality standard. Details on our ingredient page.

What is yuzu?

An aromatic Japanese citrus fruit used for sauces, tea and sweets. Our page: yuzu.

A meal from this cuisine, for a team or an event

How many people, when and what they like. We come back with a proposal.

Group and office meals