Kansai, Japan
Kobe beef
神戸牛
Kobe beef: the celebrated marbled wagyu of Hyogo prefecture, a protected brand.
eastern-asia
Japan
Explore 264 foods connected to Japan, from everyday staples to rare local specialties.
264 foods12 leading categories2 Essentials guides
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Tokyo Essentials
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Traditional foods from Japan.
264 foods in this view. Filter by category, type, rarity, or search every recorded name.
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Okinawa, Japan
Kokuto (Black Sugar)
黒糖
Kokuto, Okinawan black sugar pressed from island cane and sold in rough lumps, is a named product bought as itself and eaten as a sweet.
Hokkaido, Japan
Kombu
昆布
Dried kelp, the core of dashi stock, prized for its deep umami and natural MSG.
Japan
Konpeitō
金平糖
Konpeito, the tiny spiked sugar star of Portuguese descent made over days by hand, is a named Japanese confection with dedicated makers and an imperial-gift role.
Japan
Korokke
コロッケ
Japanese croquettes of mashed potato or white sauce with meat, breaded and deep-fried.
Japan
Kuri kinton
栗きんとん
Kuri kinton, chestnuts in a glossy sweet-potato paste, is a named osechi dish with a fixed New Year meaning.
Japan
Kusaya
くさや
Kusaya, fish steeped in a centuries-old fermenting brine and dried, is one of the most notorious-smelling foods on earth and is made only on the Izu Islands.
Osaka, Japan
Kushikatsu
串カツ
Skewered meat, vegetables, and seafood, breaded and deep-fried, an Osaka specialty.
Japan
Kushiyaki
串焼き
General term for skewered and grilled meat, vegetables, and offal, broader than just chicken.
Japan
Kuzu Mochi
葛餅
Kuzu-mochi denotes the translucent kudzu-starch sweet, distinct from Kanto kuzumochi, which may use fermented wheat starch.
Japan
Kuzumochi
くず餅
Kanto kuzumochi may use fermented wheat starch; it is a springy regional sweet distinct from kuzu-mochi, the translucent kudzu-starch confection.
Japan
Maki Sushi
巻き寿司
Sushi rice and fillings rolled in a sheet of nori seaweed, then sliced into bite-sized rounds.
Japan
Manjū
饅頭
Manju, the steamed bun with sweet bean filling, is one of the two foundational wagashi forms.
Japan
Matcha
抹茶
Stone-ground powdered green tea whisked with hot water, the centerpiece of the Japanese tea ceremony.
Japan
Matcha Ice Cream
抹茶アイス
Green tea ice cream made with bitter matcha, balancing creamy sweetness with vegetal astringency.
Chugoku, Japan
Matsuba Crab
松葉蟹
Tottori's prized winter snow crab, caught November to March in the Sea of Japan.
Chubu, Japan
Matsusaka beef
松阪牛
Matsusaka beef: intensely marbled wagyu from Mie prefecture, rated among Japan's finest.
Japan
Melonpan
メロンパン
A round bun with a crackled sugar-cookie crust on top, named for its melon-like appearance, not flavor.
Japan
Menchi katsu
メンチカツ
Menchi katsu is a crumbed minced-meat patty fried until crisp and sold from Japanese butcher counters.
Fukuoka, Japan
Mentaiko
明太子
Spicy salt-cured pollock roe, seasoned with chili and yuzu, a Fukuoka specialty eaten with rice or pasta.
Japan
Mentaiko Spaghetti
明太子スパゲッティ
Spaghetti tossed with spicy mentaiko roe, butter, and soy, a Japanese-Italian fusion classic.
Japan
Mirin
味醂
Sweet rice wine used for glazing and balancing soy sauce in teriyaki and nimono dishes.
Japan
Miso
味噌
Fermented soybean paste, the foundation of Japanese cooking, with regional varieties from white to dark.
Nagoya, Japan
Miso nikomi udon
味噌煮込みうどん
Miso nikomi udon, stiff undercooked noodles simmered in red hatcho miso and served in the earthenware pot, is a named Nagoya dish structurally distinct from every other udon.
Hokkaido, Japan
Miso Ramen
味噌ラーメン
Hearty ramen with a wok-cooked miso base, topped with bean sprouts, corn, and chashu; born in Sapporo.
Japan
Miso Soup
味噌汁
The essential Japanese soup of miso paste dissolved in dashi with tofu, wakame, and scallions.
Fukuoka, Japan
Mizutaki Chicken
水炊き
Mizutaki is chicken simmered into a milky collagen broth and eaten with ponzu and fresh vegetables.
Japan
Mochi
餅
Glutinous rice steamed and pounded into a soft, stretchy cake, eaten at New Year and year-round.
Chugoku, Japan
Momiji manjū
もみじ饅頭
Momiji manju, the maple-leaf-shaped filled cake of Miyajima, is a named regional omiyage with dedicated makers on the island approach.
Japan
Monaka
最中
Monaka, bean paste pressed between two crisp mochi wafers, is a named wagashi form distinct from manju and daifuku.
Tokyo, Japan
Monjayaki
もんじゃ焼き
Tokyo's runnier, crispier cousin of okonomiyaki, scraped directly off the griddle with a spatula.
Morioka, Japan
Morioka reimen
盛岡冷麺
Morioka reimen, chewy cold noodles in a beef-and-kimchi broth invented by a Korean-Japanese cook in Iwate, is a named city dish with a documented origin.
Fukuoka, Japan
Motsunabe
モツ鍋
Fukuoka's hot pot of beef offal, cabbage, and garlic chives in a soy or miso broth.
Japan
Mugicha
麦茶
Caffeine-free roasted barley tea, served chilled in summer as Japan's most popular cold drink.
Kanto, Japan
Namerou
なめろう
Chiba's chopped raw fish pounded with miso, ginger, and shiso, originally a fisherman's quick meal.
Japan
Nanbanzuke
南蛮漬け
Nanbanzuke, fried fish marinated in vinegar with chilli and onion, is a named Japanese dish of Portuguese descent with a fixed method.