The Most Popular Japanese Breakfast Foods You Need to Try
Breakfast is often cited as the most popular meal of the day, and Japanese breakfast is no different. In fact, many Japanese breakfasts aim to provide a balanced and healthy start to the day.
We're going to introduce you to some of these delicious Japanese breakfast foods including many of our favourites, and who knows, maybe you'll get some new breakfast ideas!
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What do Japanese people eat for breakfast?
Much like anywhere in the world, what Japanese people eat for breakfast varies from person to person. Popular items in everyday breakfasts are rice, miso soup and natto. Egg also tops the list of common Japanese breakfast foods.
It's also common for people to head to their local bakery or convenience store before work to grab a bite to eat.
Although these days it's less common to eat a traditional Japanese breakfast daily, hotels still serve them regularly!
Traditional Japanese Breakfast
A traditional Japanese breakfast consists of a compilation of various small dishes that compliment one another. It's a healthy and balanced start to the day that's been said to improve digestion and lower blood pressure. A fun fact is that traditional Japanese breakfast is supposed to exemplify the Japanese principle of "washoku", or harmony in food.
Our first traditional Japanese breakfast was in Fukuoka. It was a delicious and interesting experience. We'd definitely recommend trying a traditional breakfast when visiting Japan, especially if you're lucky enough to visit a Ryokan. Even if not everything is your cup of tea, it's a great insight into Japanese food culture.
Miso Soup
Miso soup is a common and very important element of most japanese meals and it's often eaten at breakfast. Typically, it's served with pieces of seaweed and tofu included. With a number of health benefits, including improved digestion, it's a staple in traditional Japanese breakfasts.
Tamagoyaki (Japanese Omelette)
Tamagoyaki is a Japanese egg roll or omelette, known for its rectangular shape. It's cooked in a rectangular or square pan and has a light, spongy texture. Seasoned with mirin and soy sauce, it's savoury with a subtle hint of sweetness. It can also be found served with other ingredients such as spinach or red ginger.
Shiozake (Salted Salmon)
Found at most Japanese breakfast tables, salted salmon is a tasty classic. It's a versatile item that you will find in many forms throughout Japan, but it's most common at breakfast. Made with only salmon, salt and sake, it's simple but flavourful. And who can resist its crispy skin?
Natto
You may have already heard of natto due to its reputation of having a distinctly pungent smell. But, in Japan, natto is a common dish during breakfast. It's a traditional Japanese food made from cooked and fermented soybeans and can be quite mild in flavour.
Tofu
Tofu is made from soy milk and is an essential Japanese ingredient used across Japanese cooking. For breakfast, it's often served as a cold block of silken tofu (also known as Hiyayakko), topped with soy sauce, spring onions, and ginger. Sometimes, you may even find it paired with bonito flakes.
Tsukemono (Pickled Vegetables)
A common element in Japanese food, and breakfast is no exception, pickled vegetables play an important part in Japanese cuisine. The most common types of tsukemono are cucumber, eggplant, daikon radish, and slices of ginger.
Rice (Gohan)
Gohan means "cooked rice" or "meal", which makes sense because no Japanese meal is complete without fluffy, sticky rice. And breakfast is no exception to the rule. You'll almost always be served a small bowl of rice on the side of your breakfast.
Japanese Bakery Breakfast Treats
Japanese bakeries are like a whole other world, with sweet treats and pastries that you may not encounter elsewhere. Although you can visit at any time of the day, we're obsessed with Japanese bakeries and their delicious breakfast options.
From french toast, to bagels, and the classic melon pan, Japanese bakeries are full of delicious options for breakfast. Curry buns and japadogs are also absolutely worth a try - they make for a decadent breakfast
Melon Pan
Melon Pan is a classic Japanese sweet bread found in bakeries and stores all around Japan. Covered in a thin, cookie-like crust, the bread itself resembles melon. Despite the name, melon pan is usually not melon flavoured.
Japanese Milk Bread (Shokupan)
A light and fluffy bread that feels almost like you're biting into a cloud, Japanese milk bread is sweet and tender. The bread can be eaten on its own, or with jam and butter. You can even use it as sandwich bread, if you like.
Anpan
A classic Japanese red bean pastry, anpan is a soft, sweet bread. Although red bean is the most common and traditional filling, you can also find anpan with other fillings, such as white beans or sesame.
Curry Pan (Curry Buns)
Curry buns are a popular Japanese food and snack. They can be eaten at any time of day and work great as a late breakfast treat. It's made with Japanese curry wrapped in a bread dough with a crispy coating of bread crumbs.
A More Convenient Breakfast: Family Mart & 7-Eleven
Often thought of as fantastic places to find snacks, convenient stores (known as Konbini) in Japan are so much more than that. Family Mart and 7-Eleven are among the most popular stores you'll come across, but you might also see Lawson or Mini Stop - all fantastic places to shop.
As the name suggests, these are all convenient places to grab breakfast if you're in a rush. You can never go wrong with buying onigiri from any konbini, and they have so many different flavours to choose from too.
Konbinis will also stock a range of bento boxes of sandwiches if you're in the mood for something more substantial. They're usually good quality and worth a try!
And, like Japanese bakeries, convenience stores in Japan will also stock a range of pastries. You can find anpan and melon pan in most stores. A lot of the time, they'll also be stocked up on warm curry or steamed pork buns as well. Perfect for a late breakfast!
Final Word
Japan has a wide variety of breakfast foods, all as delicious as the last. So, if you're ever in the country, you absolutely need to invest in a Japanese breakfast. But until then, consider making some dishes at home.
