Japanese Food

Japanese Food The word for "meal" in Japanese is gohan. This word actually refers to steamed rice, but rice is such an important food to the Japanese that gohan has come to mean all sorts of meals. A traditional Japanese meal consists of a serving of plain, white rice, along with a main dish (fish or meat), some kind of side dish (often cooked vegetables), soup (often miso soup), and pickled vegetables. Japanese rice is sticky when cooked, making it ideal for eating with chopsticks.

Japanese today eat many dishes from around the world, notably from Europe, North America, and Asia. In addition to rice, Japanese people eat bread, noodles, and pasta and enjoy a wide array of meats, fishes, vegetables, and fruits. Sushi, tempura, sukiyaki, and other Japanese foods famous abroad are, of course, also popular in Japan.

Cities, in particular, have many fast-food restaurants offering hamburgers and fried chicken, which are especially popular with young people and children. Before eating, Japanese people say "itadakimasu," a polite phrase meaning "I receive this food." This expresses thanks to whoever worked to prepare the meal. After eating, people again express their thanks by saying "gochiso sama deshita," which literally means “It was quite a feast."

Japans National Flag and Anthem Japan's national flag is called the Hinomaru. It came to be used as the national flag in the late nineteenth century. The flag depicts the sun as a red disc against a white background.

The lyrics of Japan's national anthem, "Kimigayo,"trace their roots to a 31-syllable poem, or waka, that was written in the tenth century. "Kimigayo" took on its present form in the latter half of the nineteenth century, when a melody was added. The words of the song pray for enduring peace and prosperity in Japan.

Explore Japan Location: Japan's neighbors include the Republic of Korea, China, and Russia.

National flag: Known as the Hinomaru, the flag depicts the sun as a red ball against a white background.

National anthem: "Kimigayo" Population: 126,926,000 (as of 2000) Land area: 377,873 square kilometers

Japanese Money is called the Yen

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Language: Japanese (The written Japanese language uses a combination of three writing systems: kanji, hiragana, and katakana.)

Main religions: Shinto, Buddhism, and Christianity Main industries: automobiles, precision machinery, consumer electronics, computers, and other electronic goods

Number of Internet users: 55.93 million people (as of the end of 2001)