In our quest to better understand the greatest cuisines from all around the world we have already studied Mexican and Indian cuisine. Today, let us turn our attention towards the land of the rising sun - Japan. Just like we have dishes such as the pani puri and khari biscuit to enjoy at different times of the day, the Japanese boast of miso soup and sushi, delicacies that are perfectly suited for a variety of occasions. Let us take a look at how Japanese cuisine developed and some of the most popular dishes you should try for yourself.

History of Japanese cuisine

Over the years the country of Japan has had many Chinese and western influences in terms of culture and cuisine. However, in every case, the Japanese have adopted these practices and made them uniquely their own. The cultivation of rice and the use of chopsticks to eat was adopted from the Chinese near 300 B.C. Being an island nation the main staple of the Japanese diet was rice and fish. With the introduction of Buddhism many years later, all types of meat such as buffalo, monkey, cat, dog and chicken were declared sacred and the Japanese people were banned from the consumption of meat for centuries.

In the 1200s when the Japanese began to trade with western nations they were introduced to corn, potatoes and sweet potatoes by the Dutch and tempura by the Portugese. During the Meiji era foods such as bread, coffee and ice cream began to gain popularity in the country. Apart from these food items cooking methods such as the electronic rice cooker and instant noodles also gained popularity.

Popular main courses

Popular main courses in Japanese cuisine include ramen, miso soup, sukiyaki, soba, udon and many others. Ramen is a noodle soup dish made of wheat noodles, broth and toppings of meat, protein and vegetables. This dish is easily available all over the country and is a staple food for the population. Miso soup is a soup made from miso paste and dashi. It is generally seasoned with tofu, wakame and seaweed. Miso soup is always served with a side of rice or other side dishes and never on its own. 

Popular side dishes

Popular side dishes in Japanese cuisine range from healthy snacks such as sushi and onigiri to the savoury deep-fried tempura. Sushi is one of the first food items that comes to mind when Japanese cuisine is mentioned as this dish was one of the first ones to be exported to the US in the year 1868. Sushi was originally a way to preserve fish by wrapping it in fermented rice. Eventually, it developed into a dish of its own, served alongside various flavoured sauces. Tempura is a dish where pieces of meat, fish or vegetables are covered in tempura batter and deep-fried until they become crunchy and golden. The most popular snack inside of Japan is the onigiri or the rice ball. Onigiri are generally triangle-shaped or circular, with a seaweed covering and meat filling in the middle.

The Japanese are well known for their manners. Traditional Japanese meals are eaten while seated on a reed-like mat called a tatami. In a formal setting, you would have to adopt the seiza position, which is the traditional way of sitting in Japan with your feet under your body. The most important person at the meal sits in the position of honour which is known as the kamiza. The kamiza is placed farthest from the entrance of the room where the meal is being eaten. The host sits in the middle of the table on one side. 

Now that you know some popular Japanese dishes and a few Japanese manners and practices, you can hold Japanese themed meals for close friends and family in the comfort of your own home.