Cooking at home in Japan is both different from and surprisingly similar to cooking elsewhere—the physical act of preparing food transfers; the challenge is building the pantry vocabulary and knowing where to source specific ingredients. Japanese cooking rewards understanding a small set of foundational flavor components: once you have dashi, shoyu, mirin, and sake in your kitchen, an enormous range of dishes becomes accessible. This guide focuses on what residents actually need to stock, where to find it, and how to navigate Japanese supermarkets efficiently.
The Japanese Pantry: Core Ingredients
Shoyu (醤油, soy sauce): Japan’s most essential condiment and cooking ingredient. Kikkoman is the global benchmark; Yamasa is close competition. For everyday cooking, koikuchi (dark soy, standard) covers most needs. Usukuchi (light soy, saltier but lighter color—used in Kansai cuisine where visual clarity matters) and tamari (wheat-free, thicker, used as dipping sauce) are worth having for variety. Stored in the refrigerator after opening.
Mirin (みりん): Sweet rice wine, essential for glazing, balancing acidity, and adding shine to cooked dishes. Hon mirin (本みりん, authentic mirin with 14% alcohol) is the quality version; mirin-fu chomiryo (みりん風調味料) is the cheaper, lower-alcohol substitute widely available. The difference matters for serious cooking; both work for daily use. Sake (cooking sake, 料理酒): Adds umami depth and tenderizes proteins. Cooking sake (ryōri-shu) is slightly salted to avoid alcohol tax classification; regular drinking sake works fine and often better. Rice vinegar (米酢): Gentler and sweeter than Western wine vinegar. Used in sushi rice, dressings, and nimono (simmered dishes).
Dashi (だし): Japan’s foundational broth, made from dried kombu (kelp) and katsuobushi (dried bonito flakes). Making dashi from scratch takes 30 minutes and produces an extraordinary base for miso soup, simmered dishes, and noodle broths. Hondashi powder (ほんだし, Ajinomoto brand) or dashi packets (だしパック, tea-bag style) provide a 2-minute alternative—acceptable for everyday cooking. Miso (味噌): Fermented soybean paste. Shiro miso (white, sweet, Kyoto-style) and aka miso (red, robust, aged) cover the range; awase miso (combined) is the everyday default. Stored refrigerated after opening; use within a few months. Sesame oil (ごま油): Toasted sesame oil as finishing flavor, not cooking fat—a few drops transform stir-fries, cold dishes, and dressings.
Navigating Japanese Supermarkets
Japanese supermarkets (sūpā, スーパー) require some orientation. Layout patterns: produce near the entrance, meat and fish along the back wall or dedicated sections, dairy near the checkout area, tofu and chilled prepared foods in a dedicated section, dry goods in the center aisles. Fish sections are extensive—far more variety than Western supermarkets—and include whole fish, fillets, sashimi-grade cuts, fish roe, and seafood items unfamiliar to most non-Japanese residents. Asking staff (kore wa nan desu ka—what is this?) is welcomed.
Larger chains: Ito Yokado, AEON/JUSCO, Maruetsu, Tokyu Store, Life, Seiyu, Yaoko (Saitama/Kanto, excellent quality). For premium produce and imported goods: Seijo Ishii (成城石井, excellent imported cheese, wine, and specialty foods), Kinokuniya (紀ノ国屋, high-end supermarket in Tokyo), Marunouchi Marché. For everyday value: neighborhood gyomu (業務スーパー, Gyomu Super) sells bulk restaurant-supply quantities at very low prices—imported frozen foods, large-format oils, and bulk rice. Quality is inconsistent but the prices on basics are hard to beat.
Finding International Ingredients
Major cities have specialty import supermarkets for ingredients unavailable at standard chains: National Azabu (Hiroo, Tokyo—long-established expat supermarket, European and American imports, deli, wine), Nissin World Delicatessen (Motomachi, Yokohama and Hiroo—German deli meats, cheeses, European goods), Meidi-ya (港区 locations—Japanese department-store-quality with premium Western imports), Jupiter Coffee (コーヒーと輸入食品, nationwide chain, strong on European imports, good cheese selection). Costco Japan (suburban locations in major metro areas) serves expatriate household staples in bulk: cheese blocks, butter, imported meats, and pantry items at competitive prices—membership required.
For South and Southeast Asian ingredients (fish sauce, coconut milk, curry pastes, lemongrass): New Koreatown Shin-Ōkubo (Shinjuku) and Shin-Nakamise shopping street in Asakusa have Asian grocery stores. Ueno’s Ameyoko market has Korean and Chinese dry goods. KALDI Coffee Farm (カルディ, nationwide chain) is perhaps the best broadly accessible source for imported pantry items—olive oil, tinned fish, pasta varieties, international snacks, coffee. A KALDI near your home or office is a genuine resident quality-of-life asset.
Rice and Rice Cookers
Japanese short-grain rice (Japonica variety) is the correct rice for Japanese cooking. Koshihikari (コシヒカリ, Niigata origin) and Akitakomachi (秋田小町) are the premium everyday varieties. Supermarket 5kg bags run 1,500-2,500 yen; premium brands from specific prefectures cost more and deliver noticeably better flavor. Washing rice (togu, 研ぐ) before cooking—swirling in water 2-3 times until the water runs clear—removes surface starch for better texture. A rice cooker (炊飯器, suihanki) is considered essential kitchen equipment in Japan; modern models from Panasonic, Zojirushi, and Tiger include settings for different rice varieties and even bread baking. Buying a mid-range rice cooker (8,000-15,000 yen) is one of the best early resident investments.
Dashi from Scratch
Making ichiban dashi (first extraction dashi): Soak 10g dried kombu in 1L cold water for 30 minutes (or overnight in the refrigerator for deeper flavor). Heat to just below a simmer (about 60°C)—do not boil kombu, which turns bitter. Remove kombu. Add 20g katsuobushi (bonito flakes), bring to just below boiling, remove from heat, steep 3-5 minutes, and strain. The result is ichiban dashi—pale gold, delicate, and deeply savory. Used immediately in miso soup, simmered vegetables, or chawanmushi (egg custard). The strained kombu and bonito can be simmered again with more water and a splash of soy and mirin for niban dashi (second extraction, more robust)—don’t waste them. Kombu and katsuobushi are in every supermarket dry goods aisle; the quality difference between generic and specialty products is real.