1. Japanese Food 日本料理

2. Rice Main ingredient in Japanese cuisine is RICE. Rice is to Japanese people, what potatoes are to Irish people! Rice is the main ingredient in Japanese meals. It lends itself to the Japanese vocabulary for breakfast, lunch and dinner. asa gohanmorning rice hiru gohanafternoon rice ban gohanevening rice

3. Japanese rice is very popular in Japan. Despite being much more expensive than imported rice from countries such as the US, Vietnam and Thailand most Japanese consumers and restaurants use domestic rice. In fact, rice imports to Japan were banned until 1995. Japanese rice is a shorter grain that tends to be a little sticky. Sushi rice is regular Japanese rice with sushi vinegar added.

4. Rice cooker Most Japanese use suihanki (rice cookers) to which measured amounts of washed rice and water are added. Traditionally, rice was eaten at every meal in Japan; most modern rice cookers can be set ahead by a timer, so that rice will be ready for the morning meal. The rice cooker can also keep rice moist and warm. Rice kept warm like this remains edible for several hours, so that rice need be made only once per day.

6. Uses for rice Rice is eaten in several ways in Japan As plain rice - "gohan” Often with a topping of furikake, nattō, or nori. Leftover rice is often reused as ochazuke (rice with green tea) or chāhan (fried rice). Rice is also used to make alcoholic drinks like sake, rice vinegar, snacks such as rice crackers etc.

8. Rice field art Every year, Japanese farmers in the rural town Inakadate, create rice field art by using red rice in with their regular rice in special patterns. A few others fields in rural Japan also followed the trend of this beautiful rice field art.

14. Rice Dishes

15. Domburi A bowl of cooked rice with some other food put on top of the rice. Some of the most popular toppings are tempura (tendon), egg and chicken (oyakodon), tonkatsu (katsudon) and beef (gyudon).

16. Onigiri Also known as rice balls. Japanese food made from white rice formed into triangular or oval shapes and often wrapped in nori (seaweed). Traditionally, an onigiri is filled with pickled ume, salted salmon or any other salty or sour ingredient.

17. Sushi Japanese dish consisting of cooked, vinegared rice which is commonly topped with other ingredients, such as fish or other seafood, or put into rolls. Sliced raw fish by itself is called sashimi, as distinct from sushi.

18. Types of sushi Nigirizushi consists of an oblong mound of sushi rice, usually with a bit of wasabi, and a topping draped over it. Toppings are typically fish such as salmon, tuna or other seafood. Sushi that is served rolled inside or around nori, is makizushi.

20. Nabe Dishes Nabe dishes or hot pot dishes are prepared in a hot pot, usually at the table. Typical ingredients are vegetables such as negi (Japanese leek) and hakusai (Chinese cabbage), various mushrooms, seafood and/or meat. There are many regional and personal varieties, and they are especially popular in the cold winter months.

21. Some special Nabe dishes are: Sukiyaki A nabe dish prepared with thinly sliced meat, vegetables, mushrooms, tofu and shirataki (konyaku noodles). The pieces of food are dipped into a raw egg before eaten. Shabu-Shabu Shabu-shabu is Japanese style meat fondue. Thinly sliced meat, along with vegetables, mushrooms and tofu is dipped into a hot soup and then into ponzu vinegar or a sesame sauce before being eaten.