In Japan, washoku is a term used for traditional Japanese food, but washoku also means “the harmony of food” which is the true essence of what traditional Japanese food and cooking is.

In Japanese cuisine, delicious food evolves through the harmony of four main elements: richness and diversity of produce, balanced nutrition, seasonality, and community.

These elements are brought together with skills and knowledge of how the ingredient was raised or grown, how it was processed, how and when to prepare it, the most pleasing way to present the meal, and how to eat it mindfully with appreciation for the harmony of the elements. For centuries, Japanese food and cooking have been the heart and soul of the culture. Culinary traditions have been passed down through families and shared in the communities. Each generation hands the legacy to the next whose duty it becomes to preserve, practice, and pass it along.

Ichiju-sansai – One soup, three sides

More than any other type of meal, Ichiju-sansai embodies the philosophy of harmony of food and expresses Japan’s food culture of eating with chopsticks. Translated from Japanese, Ichi means one, ju means soup, and sansai means side dishes.

In an Ichiju-sansai meal, small dishes are placed on a separate tray for each person. This is a traditional teishoku-style meal, which means a set meal where all courses are served together.

The dishes of the traditional Ichiju-sansai meal are rice, a small bowl of pickles, a grilled or raw fish dish, a simmered dish, and a soup. Rice is the main food of the meal, and together with the ever-present pickles, do not count as side dishes.

The three side dishes can include a grilled dish, which is the main part of the meal and is generally a larger portion of fish. Or the grilled dish is replaced with sashimi, which is fresh, raw fish accompanied by shoyu. Next is a simmered dish like stewed wagyu beef with potatoes and vegetables for example. And the third side is usually a vegetable, cooked or raw, that is dressed with a sauce.

The soup can be either a miso soup or a clear broth made with beef, chicken, or fish stock and added vegetables and mushrooms. Miso soup is a very traditional Japanese dish that is served almost daily either for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. It consists of dashi stock, miso paste, and sometimes added vegetables, seaweed, or tofu.

Ichiju-sansai offers a diversity of flavors and ingredients that are used in their peak season and served in small portions which provide a balance of nutrients that are necessary in a healthy diet.

Moritsuke – The art of food presentation

The presentation of food is very important in Japanese culture. There are three elements involved with moritsuke which are the choice of the food, the choice of dishes and utensils, and the placement of the dishes in front of the diner.

A beautiful food presentation is not only appealing to the eye, but it also promotes mindful eating and contemplation about where the food came from and how it was prepared. In Japan, eating is a ritual and a time for socializing with people.

In an Ichiju-sansai meal, each component has its own dish. Dishes are chosen for their shape, size, color, and seasonality. Each dish has its own position on the tray. The simmered dish is at the left back, the grilled or sashimi dish is at the right back, the third side is placed in the center with the pickles in front of it, the rice is in front of the left hand, and the soup is in front of the right hand. Chopsticks are placed along the front side of the tray with the larger ends to the right.

Shun – The essence of the seasons

The most important element of Japanese food and cooking is using ingredients that are at the peak of their season. This is shun, the time when the food has the most flavor and nutrition.

Japan is a country that has four distinct seasons which offer a huge variety of produce. In summer you can find fresh fruits like peaches, grapes, and cherries; or seafood like unagi (eel) and uni (sea urchin). In the winter hot pots of meat or poultry broths filled with vegetables like cabbage and carrots are popular. You can also find fresh shrimp and tuna in abundance.

Most people purchase fresh ingredients from neighborhood markets that celebrate seasonal and local foods. At larger supermarkets, freshness is so important that the prices of fish or other perishables goes down by the hour to entice consumers to buy the produce quickly.

Key ingredients in Japanese cooking

Hand in hand with fresh, seasonal produce are two key ingredients that you find in or accompanying most Japanese dishes. They are dashi and shoyu.

Dashi, full of savory umami flavor, is a broth that cooks use as a base for miso soup, clear broth soups, noodle soups, and for simmered dishes, or with flour to make a batter for frying.

To make dashi, simmer kombu (kelp) and preserved, fermented bonito flakes for a short time and then strain them and use the broth. Today, you can also find instant dashi in powdered or liquid form at supermarkets.

Shoyu is a condiment that you find on every Japanese table. Shoyu is basically soy sauce but there are hundreds of different types available at Japanese markets. Shoyu is full of salty, umami flavor and adds layers of character to Japanese cooked dishes and sashimi or sushi.

The flavor and color of the shoyu depends on the aging process and how much salt, soy, and wheat it has. Pairing shoyu with a dish is like pairing a good wine, the flavors must complement each other and not overpower.

Typical Japanese meals

The Japanese breakfast is quite different from the typical sweet, carb-filled American breakfast. Most people have a meal of rice, miso soup with tofu, mushrooms, and vegetables; grilled fish, and some other side dishes like tamagoyaki omelet filled with nori (seaweed) and cheese.

For lunch, most people carry a bento box from home to work or school. Making creative bento box lunches has become a huge trend in Japan and around the world. These are called character bentos, or kyaraben which are made up of food that is decorated to look like animals or cartoon characters. A typical bento box might have fried chicken, or onigiri – a rice ball filled with fish or meat and wrapped in a sheet of nori, and vegetables. Most of the time the bento has leftovers from breakfast or dinner.

Dinnertime meals could be a teishoku-style meal like the Ichiju-sansai or a bowl of ramen or another street food treat.

Popular street foods

All over the world, you can easily find popular Japanese food like stunning bowls of steaming, noodle-filled ramen with dozens of flavor combinations, or yummy gyoza which are Japanese pan-fried dumplings stuffed with pork or shrimp or vegetables.

Other street foods to try are the Takoyaki – fried balls of batter with pieces of octopus or vegetables inside. Yakisoba – wheat noodles combined with pork, cabbage, and onions fried up on a griddle and covered with sauce. Yakitori – small grilled skewers of chicken with sauce and wasabi. Ikayaki – whole grilled squid on a skewer, served with fresh lemon. You can also find grilled corn on the cob or baked sweet potatoes at small stalls on the streets.

Must-visit Japanese restaurants

Japanese cuisine is popular all over the world and there are thousands of great restaurants. Here’s a look at some favorites: Kai Zan in Chicago for sushi and omakase – dishes selected by the chef. Uchi in Austin, Texas specializes in fresh fish prepared in different Japanese styles. Sushi Yasuda and Ichimura at Uchu are great sushi restaurants in New York City that serve other dishes too.

If you are planning a visit to Tokyo, here are a few places that are recommended: Ise Sueyoshi offers kaiseki-style meals (multi-course, fine dining). Gyopao Gyoza Roppongi is the place to go for gyoza in Tokyo. Han no Daidokoro Kadochiki specializes in grilled and barbecued steak and meats. No matter where you go for a Japanese meal you will not only appreciate the food, but you are sure to understand the philosophy of social ritual and tradition that all come together in harmony.