Japanese Breakfast healthy and varied

Breakfast is said to be the most important meal of the day. The Japanese share this opinion. They eat balanced and diverse meals in the morning, at noon, and in the evening. This way, they provide their bodies with all the important nutrients right from the start of the day. As with almost all Japanese meals, the breakfast table is set with various components. Breakfast is either served in small individual portions on a tray or as a buffet. The pictures show a lavish breakfast buffet that I was able to enjoy during one of my trips to Japan in a hotel.

All macronutrients in one meal

It’s no wonder that the Japanese are one of the slimmest, fittest, and healthiest nations in the world! A good balance of carbohydrates, protein, and healthy fats is therefore standard on the breakfast table. This is complemented by healthy vegetables and fresh fruit.

What does a typical Japanese breakfast look like?

If you see a Japanese breakfast for the first time, you might easily mistake it for lunch or dinner. However, in Japan, steamed rice and the like are already eaten in the morning. Standard components of a Japanese breakfast include:

• Steamed rice
• Miso soup
• Fish (usually grilled)
• Small side dishes, e.g. pickled vegetables ( Tsukemono ), Nori
• Vegetable side dishes/salad (Kobachi)
• Other protein sources: omelet, tofu, or Natto (fermented soybeans)

These foods might sound very filling, but they are served in small portions. Moreover, breakfast dishes are generally prepared light and low-fat. Fatty, heavy, or fried foods rarely appear on the table. Green tea is usually drunk for breakfast.

Rice, fish, vegetables, seaweed, and much more!

Japanese breakfast is anything but boring. Here are some dishes you’re most likely to find at a Japanese breakfast table. Of course, rice is also an absolute standard ingredient for breakfast!

Natto

This is a popular breakfast dish in Japan. Natto consists of fermented soybeans and has a very high protein content. It tastes quite intense and is usually served with dried bonito flakes, seasoned seaweed strips, and spring onions.

Tamago Kake Gohan

This simple breakfast dish combines carbohydrates and protein in a single dish. Hot, steamed rice is topped with a raw egg and seasoned with soy sauce. You mix rice and egg with chopsticks, and the heat of the rice causes the egg to foam and steam slightly. This dish is sometimes referred to as “Japanese risotto”.

Ongiri

This "breakfast sushi" essentially consists of filled rice balls, which are often wrapped in seaweed. The filling ranges from salmon to pickled plums to minced meat.

Nori Tsukudani

This paste is often served as a breakfast side dish. It consists of a mix of seaweed and soy sauce that are simmered together.

Fish is a must!

Fish is an important part of the Japanese breakfast. It can be served in various ways: grilled, pan-fried, or dried. Yakizakana (grilled fish) is very popular. It’s usually seasoned very simply with just salt. Salmon is often served for breakfast, but the horse mackerel is also a popular breakfast fish. Here you see a hotel breakfast in Japan where the fish was grilled right before my eyes. Delicious!

Preparation: Easy peasy!

You think this sounds too elaborate and complicated? It’s not at all! The breakfast that comes to the table in many Japanese households is mainly made up of dishes that are already almost ready or can be prepared very easily. In most Japanese kitchens rice is prepared in a rice cooker . Miso soup is available as a ready-made soup base. Often, there is still soup left from the previous day. Pickled vegetables and Nori are standard food items in Japanese households. And Natto (fermented soybeans) can be bought ready-made. If you want to put together a Japanese breakfast yourself, just focus on the easiest version of these four things for you: rice, soup, protein (fish, tofu, or omelet), and Kobachi (vegetable side dishes and salads).