Lesson 5 : Eating Culture in Japan

Hello, ohayo gozaimasu

Have you eaten your breakfast today?
If you haven't taking your breakfast, please take it right now. You can read this blog while eating your friend noodle or sandwich or bread. It's okay. 

Did you feel weird why I am asking you about breakfast? Can you guest what we will learn today? Am I going to teach you how to cook? Or am I going to share you some recipes?

No, that's​ absolutely janai. Hehehehe...😅😅😅

Today, I gonna share with you regarding food in Japan so that when you visit to Japan you know how to offer someone a drink and can talk about your breakfast to them.


So, first and foremost I will share with you some information about eating habits in Japan.


Japanese people only eat three times a day. Which is 

あさごはん/asa gohan/ = breakfast

ひるごはん /hiru gohan/ = lunch

ばんごはん /ban gohan/ = dinner

*gohan means rice in Japan. This is because, rice is the main food in Japan.


They frequently eat their meals by using chopstick. Next, when someone ask you,

nani ga suki desuka?

なにが すきですか

sukina ryoori wa nan desuka?
すきな りょうりは なんですか。

Both of it means that person is asking to you about what is your favorite dish.

So you can reply by saying,

karee ga suki desu.

かれーがすきです。

I love curry.

The one that I had highlight with yellow color is the food that you like. 

Next, when someone is aking about your dislike's food, maybe they will say,

nani ga suki janai desuka?

なにが すきじゃないですか.

So you can reply by saying,

Kiraina tabemono wa tamago desu.

きらいな　たべものは　卵です.

I don't like egg.

This is the list of foods in Japanese :

わしょく(Washoku)/Japanese Food

Kana	Romaji	English
すし	Sushi	sushi (sweet vinegared rice with raw seafood, in various shapes)
さしみ	sashimi	sashimi (thinly sliced raw fish over sushi rice)
てんぷら	tenpura	tempura (battered and fried vegetables and seafood)
やきとり	yakitori	yakitori (grilled chicken skewers)
やきにく	yakiniku	yakiniku (grilled beef and vegetables)
やきざかな	yakizakana	grilled fish
やきそば	yakisoba	yakisoba (fried noodles, usually udon or ramen-like, with ham/sausage and vegetables)
すきやき	sukiyaki	sukiyaki (too difficult to explain here)
おこのみやき	okonomiyaki	okonomiyaki ("Japanese pancakes", with meat or seafood and vegetables inside)
とんかつ	tonkatsu	fried pork cutlet
カレー・カレーライス	karee/karee raisu	Japanese curry with rice
コロッケ	kurokke	croquette (fried mashed potato patty with meat/seafood/vegetables)
ぎょうざ	Gyouza	Chinese style fried dumplings (potstickers)
みそしる	misoshiru	miso soup (miso is a soy-based paste)
つけもの	tsukemono	Japanese pickles

ようしょく(Youshoku)/Western Food

Kana	Romaji	English
スープ	suupu	soup (any kind)
サラダ	sarada	Salad
サンドイッチ	sandoitchi	Sandwich
ハンバーガー	hanbaagaa	Hamburger
ホットドッグ	hottodoggu	Hotdog
フライドポテト	furaidopoteto	fries, fried potatoes
フライドチキン	furaidochikin	fried chicken
ステーキ	suteeki	Steak
ピザ	piza	Pizza
スパゲッティー	supgettii	Spaghetti

おやつとおかし(Oyatsu to Okashi)/Snacks and Sweets

Kana	Romaji	English
チップ	Chippu	Chips
ポップコーン	poppukoon	popcorn
クッキー	Kukkii	Cookies
ケーキ	Keeki	Cake
パイ	Pai	Pie
アイスクリーム	aisukuriimu	ice cream
チョコレート	chokoreeto	Chocolate
ゼリー	Zerii	jelly (gelatin and similar desserts)
わがし	wagashi	traditional Japanese sweets (many of which are cracker-like)

こめとめんとパン(Kome to Men to Pan)/Rice, Noodles, Bread

Kana	Romaji	English
こめ	Kome	rice (uncooked)
ごはん	Gohan	rice (cooked)
げんまい	Genmai	brown rice
うどん	Udon	udon (wheat noodles)
そうめん	Soumen	somen (thin noodles)
そば	Soba	soba (buckwheat noodles)
ラーメン	Raamen	ramen (Chinese noodles)
パン	Pan	bread, rolls, pastries
かしパン	kashipan	sweet bread, pastries
ピザ	Pizza	pizza

にくとシーフード(Niku to Shiifuudo)/Meat and Seafood

Kana	Romaji	English
ぎゅうにく	gyuuniku	beef
ぶたにく	butaniku	pork
ハム	hamu	ham
とりにく	toriniku	chicken
たまご	tamago	egg
さかな	sakana	fish
えび	ebi	shrimp, prawn, lobster
かに	kani	crab
たこ	tako	octopus

フルーツ(Furuutsu)/Fruit

Kana	Romaji	English
りんご	ringo	apple
ぶどう	budou	grapes
なし	nashi	Japanese pear
ようなし	younashi	(western) pear
かき	kaki	persimmon
オレンジ	orenji	orange
レモン	remon	lemon
ライム	raimu	lime
グレープフルーツ	gureepufuruutsu	grapefruit
バナナ	banana	banana
いちご	ichigo	strawberry
ブルーベリー	buruuberii	blueberry
さくらんぼ	sakuranbo	cherry
メロン	melon	green melon (honeydew)
すいか	suika	watermelon

やさい(Yasai)/Vegetables

Kana	Romaji	English
にんじん	ninjin	carrots
セロリ	serori	Celery
レタス	retasu	Lettuce
キャベツ	kyabetsu	cabbage
トマト	tomato	Tomato
ねぎ	negi	green onion (scallions)
たまねぎ	tamanegi	(round) onion
ポテト	poteto	potatoes
ブロッコリー	burokkorii	broccoli
ピーマン	piiman	bell pepper, green pepper (Fr. piment)
まめ	mame	beans (in general)
ピース	piisu	Peas
コーン	koon	Corn

にゅうせいひん(Nyuuseihin)/Dairy Products

Kana	Romaji	English
ぎゅうにゅう・ミルク	gyuunyuu/miruku	Milk
チーズ	chiizu	Cheese
ヨーグルト	yooguruto	Yogurt
アイスクリーム	aisukuriimu	ice cream

のみもの(Nomimono)/Drinks

Kana	Romaji	English
みず	Mizu	Water
おちゃ	Ocha	green tea, tea in general
にほんちゃ	Nihoncha	Japanese green tea
むぎちゃ	Mugicha	Japanese iced barley tea
こうちゃ	Koucha	black tea (lit. "crimson tea")
コーヒー	Koohii	Coffee
ぎゅうにゅう・ミルク	gyuunyuu/miruku	Milk
ジュース	juusu	Juice
オレンジジュース	orenjijuusu	orange juice
レモネード	remoneedo	Lemonade
ソーダ	sooda	soda, pop
おさけ	osake	sake (rice wine), alcohol in general
にほんしゅ	nihonshu	Japanese sake
ワイン	wain	Wine
ビール	biiru	Beer

And lastly, i will share information on how to offering, accepting, and refusing politely.

Offering food or drink

...わいかがですか？

...wa ikaga desu ka ?

Would you like to have ...?

Accepting the offer of food or drink

はい、いただきます。

Hai, itadakimasu.

Yes, I'll have some.

Refusing the offer of food or drink

いいえ、けっこーです。

Iie, kekkoo desu.

No thank you。

for example, 

Offering food or drink

魚わいかがですか？

sakana wa ikaga desu ka ?

Would you like to have fish ?

Accepting the offer of food or drink

はい、いただきます。

Hai, itadakimasu.

Yes, I'll have some.

Refusing the offer of food or drink

いいえ、けっこーです。

Iie, kekkoo desu.

No thank you。

* the one that had been is a noun, you can enter any kind of foods or drinks.

SO, THAT'S ALL FROM ME. THANK YOU. 

NOW YOU CAN ASK YOUR FRIEND ABOUT FOOD IN JAPANESE.