Nihongo Articles

One of my favourite foods is Japanese 洋食 (ようしょく/ yōshoku.) It’s a type of Japanese cuisine inspired by Western food.

The name “洋食 (ようしょく)” comes from 西洋 (せいよう), meaning “Western,” and 食事 (しょくじ), meaning “meal.” So some Japanese people still misunderstand it as simply Western cuisine. I used to think so too, actually. But many Westerners I know hadn’t heard of “オムライス,” an omelet filled with ketchup-seasoned fried rice, or “ハンバーグ,” a hamburger steak usually served with rice, before they came to Japan. And then, I realised it was not Western food.

Although they were strongly influenced by Western culture, their flavours have been adapted to suit Japanese tastes, often by using seasonings like soy sauce or mirin.

Like many other countries, Japan has developed its own versions of foreign dishes. Another example is ramen. We call the authentic Chinese-style ramen “中華 (ちゅうか) そば,” meaning “Chinese noodles,” — but Chinese people would never agree that it’s Chinese. Lol