| There are many views of what is | | | | is available in specialty restaurants in |
| fundamental to Japanese cuisine. Many | | | | Japan. Unfortunately for strict |
| think of sushi or the elegant stylized | | | | vegetarians most Shojinryori meals |
| formal kaiseki meals that originated as | | | | contain dashi made from katsuobushi and |
| part of the Japanese tea ceremony. Many | | | | other non vegetarian elements. Some |
| Japanese think of the everyday food of | | | | monks in the temples in Kyoto eat this |
| the Japanese people--especially that | | | | cuisine. Beef, pork and chicken are |
| existing before the end of the Meiji Era | | | | commonly eaten as most forms of Buddhism |
| (1868 - 1912) or before World War II. | | | | in Japan allow the eating of meat and |
| Food in Japan is generally of a very | | | | have become part of everyday cuisine. |
| high quality and most Japanese people | | | | Lamb is eaten in colder parts of Japan |
| tend to be quite well informed diners. | | | | but is not as popular in the remainder |
| Local, regional and seasonal dishes are | | | | of the country. |
| invariably a key tourist attraction for | | | | Noodles, originating from China, have |
| the domestic traveller. | | | | become an essential part of Japanese |
| Similar to Chinese cuisine, there is a | | | | cuisine, usually (but not always) as an |
| concept of staple (main) foods (, | | | | alternative to a rice-based meal. There |
| shushoku) prepared from five | | | | are two traditional types of noodle, |
| carbohydrate-rich cereals ( or rice, | | | | soba and udon. Made from buckwheat |
| wheats and oats, foxtail millet, beans, | | | | flour, soba is a thin, grayish-brown |
| proso millet or Echinochloa) and main | | | | noodle. Varying amounts of ordinary |
| and side dishes (, fukushoku, or more | | | | wheat flour are added, depending on the |
| commonly, , okazu) of which role is | | | | maker, with a higher content of |
| adding flavors to staple foods. Okazu | | | | buckwheat (and hence, a darker color) |
| are usually designed "salty" to eat with | | | | signifying a higher quality product. |
| shushoku with synergistic harmonization | | | | Made from wheat flour, udon is a thick, |
| and basically not expected to have them | | | | white noodle. Both are generally served |
| alone in Japan. | | | | in a soy-flavored fish broth with |
| A standard Japanese meal nearly always | | | | various vegetables. Both soba and udon |
| consists of a bowl of cooked white | | | | exhibit regional variations throughout |
| Japanese rice (gohan) as shushoku with | | | | Japan. A more recent import from China, |
| accompanying tsukemono (pickles), a bowl | | | | dating to the early 19th century, is |
| of soup, and a variety of dishes known | | | | ramen ( Chinese wheat noodles), which |
| as okazu - fish, meat, vegetable, etc. | | | | has become extremely popular. Ramen is |
| Traditional Japanese meals are sometimes | | | | served in a variety of soup stocks |
| classified by the number of okazu which | | | | ranging from soy sauce/fish stock to |
| accompany the rice and soup. As Japanese | | | | butter/pork stock. |
| meals, especially at the higher end, | | | | Although most Japanese eschew eating |
| consist of several small dishes, the | | | | insects, there are a couple of |
| American concept of a "side" is not a | | | | exceptions. In some regions, |
| part of Japanese meal organization. The | | | | grasshoppers (inago) and bee larvae |
| simplest Japanese meal, for example, | | | | (hachinoko) are not uncommon dishes. The |
| consists of ichiju-issai ( "one soup, | | | | larvae of a species of caddis fly |
| one side" or "one dish meal"). This | | | | (zaza-mushi), harvested from the Tenryu |
| means soup, rice and pickles, and one | | | | river as it flows through Ina City, is |
| accompanying dish. A traditional | | | | also boiled and canned, or boiled and |
| Japanese breakfast, for example, usually | | | | then sautéed in soy sauce and |
| consists of miso soup, rice, a pickled | | | | sugar. Salamander is eaten as well in |
| vegetable and grilled fish. The standard | | | | places. |
| traditional meal, however, is called | | | | Traditional Japanese table settings |
| ichiju-sansai ("one soup, three sides"), | | | | The traditional Japanese table setting |
| or soup, rice & pickles, and three | | | | has varied considerably over the |
| dishes, each employing a different | | | | centuries, depending primarily on the |
| cooking technique. The dishes may be raw | | | | type of table common during a given era. |
| fish (sashimi), or grilled, simmered | | | | Before the 19th century, small |
| (sometimes called boiled in translations | | | | individual box tables (hakozen) or flat |
| from Japanese), steamed, deep fried, | | | | floor trays were set before each diner. |
| vinegared, or dressed dishes. | | | | Larger low tables (chabudai) that |
| Ichiju-sansai often finishes with | | | | accommodated entire families were |
| pickles such as umeboshi and green tea. | | | | becoming popular by the beginning of the |
| This Japanese view of a meal is | | | | 20th century, but these gave way to |
| reflected in the organization of | | | | western style dining tables and chairs |
| traditional Japanese cookbooks. Chapters | | | | by the end of the 20th century. |
| are organized according to cooking | | | | Traditional table settings are based on |
| techniques: fried foods, steamed foods, | | | | the ichiju-sansai formula. Typically, |
| and grilled foods, for example, and not | | | | five separate bowls and plates are set |
| according to particular ingredients | | | | before the diner. Nearest the diner are |
| (e.g., chicken or beef) as are western | | | | the rice bowl on the left and the soup |
| cookbooks. There may also be chapters | | | | bowl on the right. Behind these are |
| devoted to soups, sushi, rice, noodles, | | | | three flat plates to hold the three side |
| and sweets. | | | | dishes, one to far back left (on which |
| Since Japan is an island nation, its | | | | might be served a simmered dish), one at |
| people consume much seafood including | | | | far back right (on which might be served |
| fish, shellfish, octopus, squid, crab, | | | | a grilled dish), and one in the center |
| lobster, shrimp, whale and seaweed. | | | | of the tray (on which might be served |
| Although not known as a meat eating | | | | boiled greens). Pickled vegetables are |
| country, very few Japanese consider | | | | often served as well, and eaten at the |
| themselves vegetarians. It is | | | | end of the meal, but are not counted as |
| particularly difficult to find | | | | part of three side dishes. |
| vegetarian cuisine in Japan, as even | | | | Chopsticks are generally placed at the |
| vegetable dishes are prepared with fish | | | | very front of the tray near the diner |
| stock or garnishes. However, Shojinryori | | | | with pointed ends facing left and |
| is a type of cooking which is reputed to | | | | supported by a chopstick holder, or |
| follow the strict vegetarian | | | | hashioki. |
| requirements in minor sects of Buddhism, | | | | |