2. Japanese cuisine has developed over the centuries as a result
of many political and social changes throughout Japan.
Similar to Chinese cuisine, there is a concept of main foods
prepared from five carbohydrate-rich cereals : rice, wheat
and oat, millet, beans.

3. A standard Japanese
meal nearly always
consists of a bowl of
cooked white Japanese
rice as shushoku with
accompanying tsukemono
(pickles), a bowl of
soup, and a variety of
dishes known as okazu -
fish, meat, vegetable, etc.

4. Traditional Japanese meals are sometimes classified by the
number of okazu which accompany the rice and soup.
The simplest Japanese meal, for example, consists of
“one soup, one side” or “one dish meal”. This means
soup, rice and pickles, and one accompanying dish.

5. A traditional Japanese
breakfast, for
example, usually consists of
miso soup, rice, a pickled
vegetable and grilled fish.

6. The most popular all over the word dish of
Japanese cuisine is sushi. It is made of
seafood, rice and vegetables. There are
lots of types of sushi to suit different
tastes.

7. Noodles, originating from China, have become an
essential part of Japanese cuisine, usually (but
not always) as an alternative to a rice-based meal.
There are two traditional types of noodle, soba
and udon.

8. Although not known as a meat
eating country, very few
Japanese consider themselves
vegetarians. Beef, pork and
chicken are commonly eaten
and have become part of
everyday cuisine. Lamb is
eaten in colder parts of Japan
but is not well liked in the
remainder of the country.

9. Traditional drink of Japanese cuisine is
green tea. The most popular alcoholic drink is
sake.