The Traditional Diet of the Japanese

The traditional Japanese diet includes rice at every meal.

Sushi may be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of Japanese food. However, the traditional Japanese diet has a wealth of variety. As a small, island nation, Japan has centered its food traditions around the ocean, the farmers' fields and the mountains.

Fish

The traditional Japanese meal consists of rice, soup and three other dishes. Usually one of these dishes is fish or another seafood. Salmon, tuna, mackerel, flounder, halibut, shrimp, octopus, eel and squid are just a few varieties that are broiled, fried, simmered, served raw or smoked for use in soup stock.

Rice

Rice is the staple of every traditional Japanese meal. Rice is so important that temples and festivals are dedicated to rice farming, and children are taught to eat every last grain in their bowl. Rice is also made into sake and pounded into sweet dumplings.

Soy

Soybeans, called "daizu," are also a very important ingredient in the traditional diet. The Japanese make soybeans into soy sauce, miso paste, tofu products and natto, a traditional fermented bean dish that is eaten with rice for breakfast.

Vegetables and Grains

Carrots, potatoes, green onions, eggplants, cucumbers, peppers, yams and pumpkins are served pickled, steamed, fried and grilled. Buckwheat and wheat are made into udon and soba noodles.

Mountain Vegetables

The Japanese eat mushrooms and edible fungi from the mountain forests. They also gather bamboo shoots, lotus roots, horseradish root, burdock root and other mountain vegetables as ingredients in their food.

Sea Vegetables

Japanese food includes many kinds of seaweed and sea vegetables. Konbu, wakame, hijiki, sea beans, purple laver and nori are the most common varieties used in traditional dishes.

References

• Introduction to Japanese Culture; Daniel Sosnoski; 1996
• Washoku: Recipes from the Japanese Home Kitchen; Elizabeth Andoh; 2005

Resources

• Japan Times: Osechi-Tales of New Year Tastes