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15+ Famous Japanese Dishes Representing the Cuisine of the Land of the Rising Sun

15+ Famous Japanese Dishes Representing the Cuisine of the Land of the Rising Sun

Japanese cuisine has long been famous for its sophistication and meticulousness in every detail. Beyond the delicious flavors, Japanese dishes are a harmonious combination of art and culture. Let Kamereo explore 15+ famous dishes, the most typical representatives of the rich and diverse cuisine of the land of the rising sun.

Sushi

Sushi is one of the most famous traditional Japanese dishes, showcasing the sophistication and meticulousness of the cuisine. The main ingredients of sushi are vinegared rice combined with seafood such as salmon, shrimp, and abalone. In addition, sushi is also served with vegetables such as cucumber, pickled radish, and wasabi (mustard) to enhance the flavor.

Sushi - Traditional, sophisticated Japanese dish, famous for vinegared rice combined with fresh seafood
Sushi – Traditional, sophisticated Japanese dish, famous for vinegared rice combined with fresh seafood

Sashimi

Sashimi is a unique Japanese specialty consisting of slices of fresh fish or seafood, thinly sliced and usually served with seasonings such as wasabi and soy sauce. Popular seafood in sashimi includes salmon, shrimp, squid, tuna, and octopus. The special feature of sashimi is maintaining the fresh, natural flavor of the seafood without heat processing.

Sashimi: Fresh seafood retaining its full flavor, the essence of Japanese cuisine
Sashimi: Fresh seafood retaining its full flavor, the essence of Japanese cuisine

Noodle Dishes

Japanese cuisine is not only famous for sushi and sashimi but also a paradise for noodle lovers. From rich ramen and chewy udon to refreshing soba, each noodle dish has a unique flavor, reflecting the sophistication of Japanese cuisine:

Ramen Noodles

Ramen noodles stand out with their small, bright yellow strands. This dish is often combined with various appealing ingredients such as Japanese fish cakes, sliced pork, soft-boiled eggs, dried seaweed, sweet corn, and fresh cabbage. The special highlight of ramen noodles lies in the rich broth, simmered thoroughly from pork bones. This elaborate bone-simmering process helps extract the full sweet and naturally fatty flavor.

Ramen Noodles - Bright yellow noodles in a rich pork bone broth
Ramen Noodles – Bright yellow noodles in a rich pork bone broth

Udon Noodles

The special feature of udon noodles is their large, chewy, thick strands, made from wheat flour, salt, and water. This dish has two main versions: hot noodles and cold noodles. Cold noodles are usually preferred in summer, combined with fresh cabbage and cucumber. Conversely, in winter, hot udon noodles are enjoyed with a rich dashi broth, cooked from various types of fish, vegetables, and seaweed, combined with soy sauce and Mirin wine.

During Japanese holidays, udon noodles are also a symbolic dish wishing for luck and happiness.

Udon Noodles have thick, chewy strands, enjoyed hot or cold depending on the season
Udon Noodles have thick, chewy strands, enjoyed hot or cold depending on the season

Soba Noodles

Soba noodles are a unique type of Japanese noodle, made from buckwheat, bringing a distinctive flavor and high nutritional value. Soba noodles have thin, gray-brown strands characteristic of buckwheat. This dish has many variations, the most popular of which is Mori Soba, i.e., cold soba noodles, served on a bamboo basket or plate, with a side of soy sauce.

In particular, the Japanese have a tradition of eating Toshikoshi Soba on New Year’s Eve as a wish for a peaceful and long life. “Toshikoshi” in Japanese means “New Year’s Eve,” and the long soba noodles are seen as a symbol of longevity and eternity.

Soba Noodles: Light buckwheat noodles, traditionally eaten on New Year's Eve in Japan
Soba Noodles: Light buckwheat noodles, traditionally eaten on New Year’s Eve in Japan

Fried and Grilled Dishes

If you are a fan of crispy and fragrant dishes, do not miss the Japanese fried and grilled dishes:

Tonkatsu Fried Pork Cutlet

Tonkatsu, or fried pork cutlet, is one of the most popular Japanese dishes. The main ingredient of this dish is pork cutlet, coated with wheat flour and eggs, then covered with a layer of panko breadcrumbs. The meat is deep-fried until golden brown, creating a characteristic crispy crust.

After frying, tonkatsu is cut into bite-sized pieces, often served with shredded cabbage and miso soup. This dish is also dipped in Tonkatsu sauce (Tonkatsu Sosu), a special sauce made from fresh apples. To enhance the flavor, a little Karashi mustard and a slice of fresh lemon are usually added.

Tonkatsu: Crispy fried pork cutlet, served with cabbage and special sauce
Tonkatsu: Crispy fried pork cutlet, served with cabbage and special sauce

Okonomiyaki Pancake

Okonomiyaki, or Japanese pancake, is a famous street food. The pancake is made from a mixture of wheat flour, eggs, dashi broth, and finely chopped cabbage. These ingredients are mixed well and grilled on a Teppan griddle. Depending on preference, meat or seafood can be added to the filling.

Okonomiyaki - Japanese pancake with a mixture of wheat flour, eggs, cabbage, and optional fillings
Okonomiyaki – Japanese pancake with a mixture of wheat flour, eggs, cabbage, and optional fillings

Takoyaki Octopus Balls

Takoyaki is a famous snack of the Osaka region, Japan, loved by many people. This cake has a small, round shape, inside is a chewy octopus filling, baked golden brown on a special mold. The cake has a crispy crust, soft inside, combined with greasy mayonnaise, creating an attractive dish.

Takoyaki - round octopus balls, crispy crust, soft filling
Takoyaki – round octopus balls, crispy crust, soft filling

Tempura

Tempura is a typical fried dish of Japanese cuisine, a delicate combination of fresh seafood and seasonal vegetables, all coated with a special batter. This batter creates a crispy crust, enveloping the soft, sweet filling inside, bringing an irresistible flavor. Tempura is not only enjoyed alone but also can be combined with many other dishes such as white rice, cold noodles, Kakesoba hot noodles, or rice balls (Tenmusubi)…

Tempura - Crispy fried seafood and vegetables, light batter
Tempura – Crispy fried seafood and vegetables, light batter

Yakitori Grilled Chicken Skewers

This is a popular grilled chicken skewer dish in Japanese street food. Yakitori usually uses many different parts of chicken such as breast, thigh, skin, liver, and other parts, skewered on bamboo sticks and grilled over charcoal. The special feature of Yakitori lies in the rich “tare” sauce, made from sweet mirin wine, sake wine, and brown sugar, creating a harmonious salty-sweet flavor.

Yakitori: Charcoal-grilled chicken skewers, brushed with rich tare sauce
Yakitori: Charcoal-grilled chicken skewers, brushed with rich tare sauce

Rice Dishes

Rice is not only the staple food of the Japanese but also the ingredient for many unique dishes, including:

Onigiri Rice Balls

Onigiri, or rice balls, are one of the long-standing traditional Japanese dishes, associated with the daily life of the people. The rice used to make onigiri is usually Japanese rice, famous for its softness, high stickiness, and ideal moisture, making it easy to shape. The filling of onigiri is diverse, including popular ingredients such as salmon, flaked tuna, salted eggs, and many other ingredients.

Onigiri Rice Balls: Traditional Japanese rice balls with diverse fillings
Onigiri Rice Balls: Traditional Japanese rice balls with diverse fillings

Japanese Curry

Curried rice, also known as “kare raisu” in Japanese, is a popular daily dish in Japan. Although curry originated from India, Japanese curry is different in that it is usually sweeter, less spicy, thicker, and more viscous. In addition, Japanese curried rice is also served with many attractive toppings such as fried chicken, squid, fried shrimp…

Japanese Curry is mildly sweet, thick, and viscous, often served with attractive fried toppings

Unagi-don Eel Rice

Eel rice – a famous traditional Japanese dish, called “unadon” or “unagi-don.” This dish consists of white rice served in a lacquer box or bowl, then drizzled with seasoning and topped with Japanese-style grilled eel. Eating eel rice in the summer is considered a traditional custom in Japan, because eel provides abundant energy and helps the body fight fatigue caused by hot weather.

Nutritious grilled Japanese eel rice, often preferred in the summer
Nutritious grilled Japanese eel rice, often preferred in the summer

Ochazuke Tea Rice

This is a simple dish, usually made from leftover rice from the previous day. Ochazuke green tea rice became popular in the Edo period and continues to be popular to this day. Since the 1970s, Ochazuke has been transformed with many salty ingredients, creating diversity and attractiveness for this dish.

Ochazuke Tea Rice: Light rice dish, using leftover rice, diverse variations to suit taste

Donburi Rice Bowl

Donburi is a Japanese rice bowl dish, with rice and side dishes served in a large bowl. This is a combination of many different ingredients such as eel, salmon roe, tempura, chicken, pork, beef, and vegetables. When visiting Japan, you can choose to try some famous types of donburi such as gyudon, tendon, unadon, and tamagodon…

Donburi - Japanese rice bowl combining a variety of ingredients such as meat, seafood, and vegetables
Donburi – Japanese rice bowl combining a variety of ingredients such as meat, seafood, and vegetables

Desserts

After the rich main dishes, you can enjoy sweet and delicious Japanese desserts such as:

Mochi Cake

Mochi is a traditional Japanese sweet rice cake, characterized by its chewy skin made from tapioca starch and glutinous rice flour, with a variety of attractive colors. Mochi fillings are diverse, ranging from cool fresh cream to delicious fresh fruit, catering to the preferences of many.

In particular, mochi plays an important role in traditional Japanese rituals. During the Choto-shiki new house building ceremony and the Lunar New Year, mochi is an indispensable offering, symbolizing wishes for a prosperous and long new year.

Japanese Mochi with chewy crust and diverse fillings, a symbol of luck
Japanese Mochi with chewy crust and diverse fillings, a symbol of luck

Taiyaki Fish-shaped Cake

Taiyaki is a sea bream-shaped baked cake, first appearing in 1909 at the Naniwaya confectionery store in Tokyo. The Taiyaki crust is made from diluted wheat flour, poured into a double-sided fish mold and baked until golden brown. The traditional filling is Azuki beans, but today, many other attractive flavors have been created such as cheese, chocolate, matcha, custard, sausage, gyoza, okonomiyaki and ice cream…

Taiyaki - sea bream-shaped baked cake with crispy crust and traditional red bean filling
Taiyaki – sea bream-shaped baked cake with crispy crust and traditional red bean filling

Wagashi Sweet Cake

Wagashi is the general name for traditional Japanese sweet cakes, notable for their natural plant-based ingredients and sophisticated presentation. Each Wagashi cake is meticulously shaped, inspired by natural images such as peach blossoms, apricot blossoms, maple leaves or snowflakes. The filling is usually made from red beans, symbolizing humans as the center of the universe.

Wagashi - the quintessence of Japanese sweet cakes with natural ingredients and sophisticated shapes
Wagashi – the quintessence of Japanese sweet cakes with natural ingredients and sophisticated shapes

Kamereo – Standard Japanese Domestic Food Supplier

Kamereo is a wholesale food supply application for F&B businesses. Proud to be a strategic partner with Gyomu Japan – a chain of Japanese domestic supermarkets, Kamereo offers genuine Japanese domestic products at competitive prices in Vietnam. Food storage and preservation warehouses are equipped with modern cold storage and strict quality control processes, products at Kamereo are always guaranteed to be of the best quality when they reach customers.

Not only stopping at food supply, Kamereo is also a partner accompanying F&B businesses in building a transparent, modern and sustainable supply chain ecosystem. Kamereo’s comprehensive supply solution helps businesses operate with peace of mind, ensuring that goods are always available, of the right quality and delivered quickly.

Kamereo – A reputable platform, specializing in supplying standard Japanese food for Vietnamese businesses

Kamereo’s biggest difference compared to traditional food suppliers is the application of technology to optimize the entire purchasing and cost management process for F&B businesses. Businesses can easily update product prices online quickly on Kamereo’s application and website. This helps you make smarter and more efficient purchasing decisions, saving time and costs.

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Best-selling Japanese domestic products at Kamereo:

Conclusion

With the list of unique Japanese dishes above, hopefully you have more suggestions for your menu. Try to experience and discover the sophistication in each flavor, to better understand the unique culinary culture of the Land of the Rising Sun. Don’t forget to visit the Food and Lifestyle section and contact Kamereo today to get the freshest ingredients!


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Cẩm Tú

Cẩm Tú

As a content writer with a deep passion for culinary culture, I constantly seek inspiration from real-life experiences and innovations in the F&B industry. I believe that cuisine is not merely a story of flavors but also a reflection of culture, creativity, and social trends. Through each article, I hope to provide readers with valuable information and inspiration on the Kamereo website.View Author posts