National cuisine

The traditional Japanese cuisine – washoku – is refined and diverse. It is based on three principles: esthetics, health, taste. The basis of the ration is boiled (sticky) rice steamed without salt. The Japanese like different soups (especially miso made of soy paste) and fish broths; soy milk product tofu; marinated vegetables, dishes made of fish and seafood, etc. The main traditional products in the ratio of the Japanese is rice, soy, beans and other legumes, various vegetables and fruits as well as fish and seafood. In the past most common people ate millet, barley, acorns and chestnuts, and rice was considered an inaccessible delicacy. Until the second half of the 20th century little meat was eaten; traditionally people ate poultry (chicken, duck) and pork. For a long time there was a ban for eating beef. Dairy products, as well as bread were not part of a traditional diet, but various edible seaweed and mushrooms were very popular.

The most popular traditional dishes are tempura (fish, prawns and vegetables fried in a special batter); sushi (seafood on rice rolls flavored with green horse-reddish vasabi and soy sauce), sashimi (thin sliced fish), unagi (smoked eel); sukiyaki (a soup based on soy souce made of different vegetables, mushrooms, pork, the so-called marble meat); yakitori (chicken barbeque).

The main drink is tea. Among alcoholic drinks the most popular one is sake (rice wine which contains 15 – 25% of alcohol); shochu (rice or grain vodka with 40 – 90% of alcohol). At present Japan also produces high quality grape wines, brandy and whisky as well as numerous sorts of beer, including low-malt beers. Traditional Japanese cuisine is usually opposed to the Chinese and European (yoshyoku) cuisines, although the latter have become very popular in Japan recently, and there is even a tendency for fusion.

Roasted flat-cake with sea food,noodles and vegetables. Japan. Osaka. N. Maikova. 2006		Young bamboo runners. Japan. Osaka. N. Maikova. 2006.		Leaves of maple roasted in egg roll.. Japan. Osaka. N. Maikova. 2006.
Chop-sticks. Japan.		Dry fish shop. Japan. The Japanese, late 19th c.		Grocery shop. Road to Mino waterfall. Japan. Osaka. Maykova N., 2006
Traditional sweets made of rice and bean butter. Served with green tea. Japan. Osaka. Maykova N., 2006		Air-dried calamary. Japan. Kyoto. Maykova N., 2006		Home-made nabe. Japan. Osaka. Maykova N., 2006
Selling of young bamboo runners. Japan. Osaka. Maykova N., 2006		Cooking the main ingredient of miso soup - corns. Japan. Tarama. Maykova N., 2006