Japanese Food: How do people eat in Japan?

Japan is a key source of inspiration for Charlotte, our founder. Having always been passionate about this country, she decided to approach it through her brand Maison Aimi through food and more specifically drinks. This is because food has many repercussions and touches on themes that were close to her heart, such as emotions and links with health, well-being and lifestyle . In today's article, we wanted to share with you the Japanese diet.

SUMMARY

The Basics of the Japanese Diet

A “normal” day on the Japanese plate

Festive Meals in Japan

Regional specialties in Japan

Japanese food has absolutely nothing to do with how it is presented and represented in France. Japanese people may be led to eat sushi 🍣 and ramen 🍜 but this in no way constitutes the entirety of Japanese culinary culture.

The importance of rice (and derivatives)

At the very base of the Japanese diet, we find rice. In Japan, it is round. Japanese rice is to Japanese gastronomy what bread is to French gastronomy: it is essential to accompany everyday dishes.

Fun fact:

• You don't sprinkle your bowl of rice with soy sauce or it will come off and you won't be able to catch it with your chopsticks!
• You never stick your chopsticks in your bowl of rice: this is a ritual performed during funerals and it brings bad luck.

And the noodles?

Less present than rice but also important, especially in Japanese street food, noodles also have their place in the Japanese diet. They also have different names depending on their size and color:

• Ramen: Ramen are wheat noodles of Chinese origin that resemble spaghetti. They are dipped in a miso soup broth and garnished with different elements (soft-boiled egg, seaweed, pork slices, etc.);
• Udon: Udon are thick noodles, also eaten in broth;
• Soba: Soba are buckwheat noodles, very thin, and always accompanied by sauce. They are often eaten grilled in a woke – they are then called yakisoba.

The omnipresence of fish

Fish is a dish regularly consumed in Japan, as one can imagine through sushi restaurants in France. However, sushi is only one way among others to eat fish in Japan and we are not even talking about the different types of sushi that exist: maki, temaki, sushi, sashimi… there are many names!

Among the Japanese's favorite fish species are salmon, tuna, sanma, sea bream and eels. The Japanese also greatly appreciate seafood: shrimp, sea urchins and octopus are very often eaten.

And the meat?

Meat, very expensive in Japan, is ultimately consumed quite little. You have certainly heard of Kobe beef, this beef with delicately distilled fat and rated (from A1 to A5) at an incredible price, but it is the tree that hides the forest. The Japanese rarely eat cuts of red meat and prefer pork and chicken, consumed in different forms.

Vegetables of the archipelago

Vegetables consumed in Japan

The vegetables found in the Japanese archipelago are very different from what is commonly found in France. The Japanese are used to eating root vegetables and squashes, such as white radishes, Japanese onions, carrots, sweet potatoes and pumpkins. Leafy green vegetables, which are inexpensive, are also widely used in everyday Japanese cooking. Examples include Chinese cabbage, head cabbage and spinach. Finally, shitake mushrooms accompany many Japanese dishes.

Types of vegetable preparation

In everyday life, vegetables are often steamed, stir-fried, simmered, marinated or even fermented. They are most often served as an accompaniment to the main dish, in soup, and in salad. As a little anecdote, the cabbage salad commonly served with sushi in France is not a traditional Japanese preparation!

We should also note the existence of red bean paste, which is very popular and eaten sweet (it is a bit like jam with a bean content as important as the sugar content).

The importance of soy

Soy is available and consumed in all these forms in Japan. We are of course thinking of soy sauce (it does not exist sweetened in Japan!) but also of fermented soybean paste in miso soup, tofu, young soybean shoots, seeds... Only soy milk and cream are little consumed (this, in particular because dairy products are not very popular in Japan).

And what about the fruits?

Fruits are not widely consumed in Japan. They are often imported, are very expensive and do not have much taste. Some fruits produced in Japan have more affordable prices such as persimmon, nashi pear, Fuji apple, yuzu (a type of lemon), peaches, cherries and mandarins.

The most consumed drink in Japan is undoubtedly green tea. It is consumed during the meal, as an accompaniment to it. It is not common to drink water during the meal and most restaurants offer unlimited tea.

Coffee is also popular with Japanese men and women. There are many specialized coffee shops in Tokyo and people drink coffee very concentrated, Italian style, or on the contrary very diluted, American style: there is something for everyone.

In summer, when the temperature rises, the Japanese swap hot green tea for cold barley tea (also called mugicha ) or cold buckwheat tea ( sobacha ). These two cereal infusions particularly marked our founder and are at the origin of the creation of Maison Aimi. You can find them on our e-shop in a made in France version: the cereals come from France and Europe and the roasting and crushing of the grains takes place in France.

Matcha is consumed during the tea ceremony, during very special events. It is a festive drink, not often consumed on a daily basis.

Finally, it is difficult to talk about Japanese drinks without talking about beer. Often served and appreciated as a blonde and low-alcohol beer (4 to 5°), it generously accompanies after-work drinks and other evenings with friends.

The Importance of Japanese Condiments

Traditional Japanese family cuisine is recognized by its condiments and herbs which give it a particular smell and flavor.

Soy sauce

Soy sauce is one of the most used condiments in Japanese cuisine. It is everywhere and allows you to salt dishes by its simple use. It is used in everyday cooking instead of or in addition to oil, depending on the recipe.

Japanese broths and herbs

Dashi is a popular ingredient in traditional Japanese cuisine. A broth made from dried bonito (it can also be made from konbu or mushrooms), it is found in miso soup and many Japanese dishes.

For the herbs, no bay leaf, thyme or chives, but seaweed, spring onion, shiso, ginger, wasabi and other aromatic plants to flavor the dishes.

Rice alcohols and vinegars

Sake and mirin are frequently used to add flavor to dishes. Mirin is used to give Japanese rice a sweet taste. Rice vinegar is used to season salads or sauces.

The differences with our diet

Given this initial information, you should realize the differences between the French diet and the Japanese family and traditional diet. Let's note those that seem most notable to us.

The absence of processed products

The Japanese, at least in the traditional and family context, consume relatively few processed products. There are of course frozen foods, ready-to-eat meals or catering services, but this is not a consumption habit. A large proportion of Japanese women cook (yes, it is much more generally women who cook in the home as recent studies show).

Absence of sugar

While dessert and snacks have a prominent place in our diet, this is not the case in Japan. There are of course sweets, whether industrial or traditional, but their consumption is not at all common. Sweets and biscuits, for example, are often sold individually.

Our Misconceptions About Japanese Food

To conclude this first part on the Japanese diet, in France we have a very limited vision of Japanese food which seems to be limited to sushi and matcha. If these foods are really consumed, they are most often consumed as part of very special dinners (birthdays, important dates, celebrations, rituals)! Like French gastronomy which is not limited to frogs and snails, Japanese food is not limited to sushi and ramen! Also, if you have the opportunity to visit Japan, do not hesitate to discover multiple dishes: you will be surprised by the diversity of the dishes offered!

The traditional Japanese meal is usually very different from ours. Not only because the foods are different, but also because everything is served at the same time. No starter, main course, dessert: all the dishes are on the table! Very diverse, composed of many different dishes, it is considered very good for health and nutritionists recommend it. Let's discover the dishes consumed daily by Japanese women and men.

A salty breakfast

Like many countries around the world, the Japanese traditionally eat a savory breakfast. Typically, the day begins with:

• a bowl of white rice, garnished with seaweed, egg or even natto (the latter dish is very particular because of its smell and texture: many Westerners who are not used to it come into contact with it but cannot stand it);
• miso soup – we will also find it at dinner, in the evening, each family has its own recipe;
• a protein in the form of Japanese omelette ( tamagoyaki ), grilled salmon or tofu;
• Pickled vegetables called Tsukemono are also part of the most important meal of the day to provide fiber, minerals and vitamins. These are fermented cucumbers, white radishes or plums preserved in a sauce.

All washed down with coffee or green tea, depending on your mood!

In recent years, however, young Japanese have been tending to adopt the "French-style" lunch with toast and orange juice. It will be possible to find, especially in large cities, establishments serving brunches and other breakfasts.

Lunch on the go

Often eaten very quickly, on the go, lunch is a meal that is intended to nourish but not necessarily to enjoy. Here we have in mind the famous onigiris (these kinds of small rice fritters filled in the shape of a triangle) but also ramen, katsudon and other dishes composed of a bowl of rice and covered with meat and vegetables.

For schoolchildren and workers, we also think of bentos, these dishes lovingly prepared by mothers and wives in advance. Often composed of the leftovers of the elements that made up the previous evening's dinner added to rice, they compete in style.

Family dinner

Dinner is traditionally considered the most important meal in the Japanese diet. In the evening, the Japanese mainly eat rice served with miso soup and three side dishes. Fish, vegetables, meats, marinated condiments… The meal is very diverse and provides many vitamin and mineral intakes. Dessert is not the norm, but nibbling on a small sweet as a snack before going to bed is done.

And the outings?

It's hard to talk about Japanese food without talking about street food, food at festivals and afterworks. Food is actually quite cheap outside and it's common for Japanese people to eat outside.

The Japanese enjoy ramen, sushi and okonomiyaki, among other things, but what they love even more are izakayas. These are a kind of tapas bar where you can snack and drink, with friends or colleagues.

The daily diet of Japanese women and men is only one aspect of Japanese culinary art and we could still spend hours telling you about the customs and traditions that exist around food. This is especially because all festivals give rise to the consumption of dishes that are different from everyday life and what we know as Westerners / French.

Christmas in Japan

In Japan, Christmas is not a family celebration: it is a celebration for couples. This is easily explained by the fact that the Japanese are not a Catholic population. This is why it is customary to go out as a couple and, in particular, for young people, to go to fast food. McDo and KFC have developed duo menus for Christmas in Japan.

New Year in Japan

New Year in Japan is the ultimate family celebration. We get together as a family, watch shows that reflect on the year and count down, and then go to the temple together to welcome the new year. On this occasion, Japanese families go all out and offer different dishes.

There are two times in the New Year's meal:

• On New Year's Eve, the last day of the year, it is customary to eat toshikoshi-soba (buckwheat noodles). These soba are long noodles representing the wish to live long.
• In the days following the New Year, dishes similar to bentos, served in pretty square containers made of varnished wood. The dishes contained are designed to be consumed over several days, the idea being to allow women to rest during the few days following the New Year. Depending on the region, the dishes are different.

Japan, like France, has a reputation for its cuisine and regional specialties: each region has its own specialty . Most of these dishes are available in restaurants in Tokyo, but when you visit Japan you can discover them in many forms and variations.

To name just one example, the Kansai region (Osaka and Kyoto in the lead) is known for okonomiyaki (cabbage-based omelettes loaded with many ingredients), takoyaki (rounded octopus-filled fritters), kitsune udon (vegetarian udon with vegetables and fried tofu) and kaiseki ryori (traditional cuisine).

The tradition of omyages

From this profusion of regional dishes has come the tradition of omyage in Japan. An omyage is a gift that Japanese people who have traveled must bring back to their family, friends and colleagues. It is most often edible: it is a question of bringing back a little bit of the region visited. Souvenir shops (and motorway service areas!) are full of them and there is a real omyage economy.

To conclude, Japanese food is very different from the food as it is presented and found in France. We found it important to take the time to present it to you in an article that is a little different from usual: tell us if you like articles focused on Japanese culture!