Introduction
When it comes to Japanese cuisine, there are many dishes that are popular around the world. However, there are also some dishes that are often mistaken as being Japanese, but are actually not eaten in Japan. From deep-fried ice cream to sushi burritos, these seven ‘Japanese’ foods are not part of the traditional Japanese diet. Read on to find out which dishes are not eaten in Japan and why.
7 ‘Japanese’ Foods No One Eats in Japan
When it comes to Japanese cuisine, there are some dishes that are staples in the country, while others are more of a novelty. Unfortunately, some of the “Japanese” foods that are popular in other countries are not actually eaten in Japan. Here are seven “Japanese” foods that you won’t find in Japan.
1. California Roll
The California roll is a popular sushi roll in the United States, but it is not a traditional Japanese dish. The California roll is a combination of avocado, cucumber, and imitation crab meat, and it is usually rolled inside out. This type of sushi roll is not typically found in Japan.
2. Teriyaki Chicken
Teriyaki chicken is a popular dish in the United States, but it is not a traditional Japanese dish. Teriyaki chicken is usually made with chicken that is marinated in a sweet and savory sauce. This type of dish is not typically found in Japan.
3. Tempura
Tempura is a popular dish in the United States, but it is not a traditional Japanese dish. Tempura is usually made with vegetables or seafood that is battered and deep-fried. This type of dish is not typically found in Japan.
4. Katsu Curry
Katsu curry is a popular dish in the United States, but it is not a traditional Japanese dish. Katsu curry is usually made with a deep-fried pork cutlet that is served with a curry sauce. This type of dish is not typically found in Japan.
5. Ramen
Ramen is a popular dish in the United States, but it is not a traditional Japanese dish. Ramen is usually made with wheat noodles that are served in a broth with various toppings. This type of dish is not typically found in Japan.
6. Gyoza
Gyoza is a popular dish in the United States, but it is not a traditional Japanese dish. Gyoza is usually made with a dumpling that is filled with pork and vegetables and then pan-fried. This type of dish is not typically found in Japan.
7. Sushi Pizza
Sushi pizza is a popular dish in the United States, but it is not a traditional Japanese dish. Sushi pizza is usually made with a deep-fried rice patty that is topped with various ingredients, such as fish, vegetables, and sauces. This type of dish is not typically found in Japan.
While these seven “Japanese” foods may be popular in other countries, they are not typically eaten in Japan. If you’re looking for a true taste of Japanese cuisine, it’s best to stick to the traditional dishes.
When you think of Japanese food, what do you normally think of? Maybe sushi and a clear broth soup, or how about sitting at a large table with people you don’t know with a chef that cooks your meal in front of you? Like many other foods from around the world, America has changed and tweaked dishes that are traditionally Japanese to make them fit the American palette and lifestyle.
“Most often a set meal that combines white rice, miso soup, and main ingredients uniquely called side dishes are eaten daily,” says Chef Akinobu Matsuo, Director of Culinary, Marugame Udon. The result of playing with food? Pseudo-Japanese cuisine that’s not actually eaten in Japan. In fact, sushi isn’t eaten in Japan every day. “It’s a misconception that Japanese people eat sushi every day. Japanese people eat sushi for celebrations or as a special event,” says Manabu “Hori” Horiuchi, executive chef, Kata Robata in Houston.
Here are some of the Americanized Japanese foods that no one actually eats, according to Japanese chefs and experts. (Also check out 6 ‘Mexican’ Dishes No One Eats in Mexico.)
This probably isn’t a shock, but California rolls didn’t originate in Japan. The American favorite actually came about in the 1960s at Tokyo Kaikan, a restaurant in the Little Tokyo area of Los Angeles. As the story goes, the chef at the restaurant was looking for a replacement for tuna and used avocado and cooked crab to give the roll seafood flavor without actually using raw fish, which most Americans were not comfortable with yet.
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Green tea, or matcha, is a trendy ingredient that Americans will add to just about anything thanks to the impressive list of health benefits and the deep grassy flavor. But Japanese people never drink sweetened green tea. According to Matsuo, “Japanese people do not add sugar to green tea. Rather, they prefer bitter tea.”
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Another sugar-filled ingredient that’s never found in Japanese pantries is teriyaki sauce. This thick brown sauce is often ladled over chicken, steak, vegetables, and anything else Americans can think of, but in Japan, it’s not used. Matsuo explains that it’s too sweet for the Japanese palette. “In Japan, teriyaki is a term used for the process of roasting chicken or pork, and very seldom includes a sauce.”
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In America, hibachi restaurants are a staple in most communities. Diners sit around a flat griddle with other people they do not know, while a chef prepares their meal of steak, shrimp, chicken, vegetables, fried rice, noodles, and other American favorites. But in Japan, the hibachi-style grill is used to make okonomiyaki and monjayaki, which are savory pancake dishes made from wheat flour batter. The two dishes have toppings and other ingredients mixed in like cabbage and sprouts to make a more filling meal.
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In Japan dishes are made with very little spice. So any sushi rolls that have ingredients like spicy tuna, spicy yellowtail, or spicy crab aren’t served. “There is very little spice in Japan,” says Horiuchi. Instead, Japanese people prefer to eat sushi with just a few ingredients such as seaweed, raw fish, and vinegared rice.
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American sushi is often served with a ton of extra ingredients like spicy mayo and eel sauce. In Japan, the sauces are frivolous ingredients that are not added to sushi. Extra toppings like avocado, mango, crunchy bits, and tobiko are also never added in Japan.
Read on for more eye-opening food revelations:
5 Foods You Should Never Eat If You Want to Live a Long Life
14 Things You Should Never Eat at a Restaurant
Popular Foods You Should Never Eat After 40, Say Dietitians