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Lost in Translation

What English-language Japanese recipes get wrong, checked against Japanese sources.

"Yellowtail" Isn't One FishIn Japan one fish, buri, changes names as it grows and by region. In the US, several fish share the name amberjack. Hamachi, buri and kanpachi explained.
Is Katsuobushi Fermented? Arabushi vs. KarebushiNot all katsuobushi is fermented. Japan's JAS standard separates smoked fushi from mold-ripened karebushi. How each is made and how to read the label.
Is Tamari Gluten-Free? Not AlwaysJapan's standard lets tamari contain a small amount of wheat, and some US tamari lists wheat. What the rules say and how to read the label.
Real Wasabi vs. Horseradish: What's Actually in the TubePowdered wasabi is nearly all horseradish, and Japan's tourism agency says most non-"hon" products are too. What Japanese labels show about real wasabi.
Rice Vinegar Is Not a Mirin Substitute — Here's What Actually WorksRice vinegar adds acid that mirin doesn't have. What mirin actually is, what's in US bottles labeled mirin, and what to use instead.
Shokupan Isn't "Milk Bread": What Japanese Sandwich Bread Actually IsJapan's bread labeling code defines shokupan by its pan, not by milk or tangzhong. What the rules say, plus Nippn's basic loaf, adapted.
Silken Tofu Isn't Lightly Pressed Tofu: Kinugoshi vs. MomenJapanese silken tofu is soy milk set whole in a mold with no holes, never pressed. How kinugoshi and momen are made, and how they map to US labels.
Teriyaki Is Not a Sauce. It's a Technique.In Japanese, teriyaki names a way of glazing, not a bottled sauce. Where American teriyaki came from, and how the Japanese version is made.
The Vinegar in Japanese Kewpie Mayo Isn't Rice VinegarJapanese Kewpie uses egg yolk, a vinegar Kewpie brews from apple juice, malt and other ingredients, and no sugar. The US-made Kewpie is a different recipe.
What English-Language Japanese Recipes Get Wrong — And WhyEnglish-language Japanese recipes drift from the originals in predictable ways. Six mechanisms behind the drift, traced through Japanese primary sources.

Japanese Pantry, American Store

Japanese ingredients and seasonings, and what to buy in a US store.

Cooking Japanese Recipes in an American KitchenJapanese measuring spoons nearly match US ones, but a Japanese cup is 200 mL and a rice-cooker cup is 180 mL. How to convert recipes for a US kitchen.
Dashi Isn't Fish StockDashi is a gentle extraction, not a long simmer, and some versions use no fish at all. How Japanese makers do it, plus a vegetarian dashi.
How to Cook Japanese Rice — and Why It Isn't "Sticky Rice"Japanese rice is non-glutinous japonica, not glutinous "sticky rice." How to buy, wash, soak, measure and cook it in a rice cooker or on the stove.
In Japan, "Sauce" Means Something Specific: Worcestershire, Chūnō and Tonkatsu SaucePlain "sauce" in Japanese means a brown Worcestershire-style sauce. JAS sorts it into three thicknesses; the thickest is sold as tonkatsu sauce.
Japanese Soy Sauce Isn't One Thing — Koikuchi, Usukuchi, Tamari and MoreJapan's standard defines five soy sauces. Why usukuchi is light in color but saltier, how it differs from Chinese light soy, and which bottle to use.
Japanese Vegetables in American Stores: Sizes, Names and SwapsJapanese recipes count vegetables by the piece, but a Japanese onion, carrot or eggplant isn't a US one. Weights compared, plus negi, piman and yam names.
Miso Isn't One Thing: Rice, Barley and Soybean MisoJapan sorts miso by koji, taste and color. Why sweet white miso has half the salt of red, what US "white miso" can mean, and why miso soup isn't boiled.
The Three Umami Compounds: Glutamate, Inosinate and GuanylateUmami comes mainly from glutamate, inosinate and guanylate. Who found each one, which foods contain them, and why pairing them matters.
Thin-Sliced Meat: How Japanese Stores Sell It, and What to Buy in the USJapanese meat is labeled by dish and by cut: shabu-shabu, sukiyaki, kiriotoshi, komagire. What the labels mean, and how to find or slice thin meat in the US.
What A5 Wagyu and Kobe Beef Actually MeanA5 is a Japanese carcass grade, not a breed. Wagyu means four Japanese breeds, and Kobe Beef is a protected name with its own rules. Here's how they fit.

How Japan Eats

How dishes are eaten in Japan, and what Japanese cooks usually don't do.

Flipping Your Chopsticks for Shared Dishes: Polite Abroad, Frowned On in Japan?English guides say to flip your chopsticks for shared plates. Japanese etiquette guides call that sakasa-bashi and say to use serving chopsticks instead.
In Japan, Miso Soup Isn't Eaten with a Spoon: How It's Served, Drunk and FilledIn Japan, miso soup is sipped from the lifted bowl, with chopsticks for the solids. Which bowls you can lift, what goes in it, and where tonjiru begins.
Why Japanese Green Tea Has No Sugar, but Matcha Can Be SweetIn Japan, brewed green tea isn't sweetened, but matcha can be sweet or plain. Where the line falls, how sweet matcha got its start, and how Japan brews sencha.

Japan Isn't One Kitchen

Regional and household differences, and where one dish ends and another begins.

Karaage, Tatsuta-age and Zangi: What Separates Japan's Fried ChickenKaraage can use flour or potato starch; tatsuta-age means a soy marinade plus starch; zangi is Hokkaido's name. What Japanese sources say, plus a recipe.
Kyushu's Sweet Soy Sauce — Why Southern Japan's Soy Sauce Is SweetSoy sauce in Kyushu is far sweeter than elsewhere in Japan. What's in the bottles, why it got sweet, how it's used, and why it isn't kecap manis.
Sukiyaki: Kanto Warishita vs. Kansai StyleKanto sukiyaki simmers in premixed warishita; Kansai sears the beef first with sugar and soy. A Japanese survey, the history, and a Kanto recipe.

Crossed Borders

Dishes that changed as they moved between Japan and the rest of the world.

"Hibachi" Isn't a Griddle — Hibachi Fried Rice and Yum Yum Sauce ExplainedIn Japanese, a hibachi is a charcoal brazier. What the American hibachi griddle really is, what's known about yum yum sauce's origins, and a garlic rice recipe.
Japanese Curry Is Not Indian Curry. It's a Stew.Japanese curry reached Japan via Britain as a flour-thickened, stew-like dish. What's really in a roux block, and how to build one from scratch.
Katsu Curry in Britain, Philadelphia Rolls in America: "Japanese" Dishes Born AbroadKatsu curry, Philadelphia rolls, spicy mayo, sriracha, sushi burritos and Spam musubi: what's known about where each took shape, and what the words mean in Japan.
Mochi Ice Cream Started in Japan: Yukimi Daifuku and the US StoryLotte launched Yukimi Daifuku, ice cream wrapped in mochi, in Japan in 1981. Mikawaya's mochi ice cream debuted in Hawaii in 1994. How the two stories fit.
Yōshoku and Chūka: Japan's Own "Western" and "Chinese" FoodOmurice, napolitan, doria, ramen and tenshinhan grew up in Japan. What yōshoku and chūka mean, and who claims each dish, with sources.

Safety & Labels

Raw food, food safety rules and food labels in Japan and the US.

"No MSG" and "No Chemical Seasonings": Why MSG Is Still Argued Over in JapanMSG was patented in Japan in 1908. How the US and Japan label it, what “No MSG” may and may not mean, and what FDA, JECFA and Japan's regulators say.
"Sushi Grade" Isn't an Official Grade: What US and Japanese Rules Actually CoverWe found no US federal definition of "sushi grade." What FDA freezing guidance says, what Japan's raw-use label covers, and what to ask before buying raw fish.
Is Sashimi Safe in Japan? Anisakis, Wasabi Myths and Why Salmon Sashimi Is NewJapan reported 280 Anisakis food-poisoning incidents in 2025. What its agencies say about raw fish, wasabi myths, and how salmon sashimi began.
Okinawa Is No Longer Japan's Longevity CapitalOkinawa once led Japan in life expectancy. By 2020 it ranked 43rd for men and 16th for women at birth. What Japan's life tables and the prefecture say.
Raw Eggs and Tamago Kake Gohan: Why Japan Eats Eggs RawIn Japan, the best-before date on raw-use eggs marks how long they can be eaten raw. What that system involves, what US agencies advise, and how TKG is made.
What Japan Allows to Be Served Raw: Fish, Beef, Horse, Liver, Pork, Oysters and FuguJapan has no single raw-food rule. Freezing for fish and horse, a heat step for raw beef, bans on beef liver and pork, oyster waters, certified fugu processors.
Why Japan Doesn't Eat Freshwater Fish Raw (and the Exceptions)Japan's health agencies warn against eating raw fish and crabs from rivers and lakes. The parasites they name, the exceptions, and what the FDA says.
Why Japanese Tofu Expires So Fast: Japan's Two Date Labels vs. US DatesJapan prints a safety date (shōhi kigen) or a quality date (shōmi kigen). US federal rules require one only on infant formula. What it means for tofu and eggs.

Make It at Home

Japanese favorites to make at home, adapted from Japanese recipes.

Onigiri Isn't Made with Sushi RiceJapanese onigiri is plain cooked rice shaped with salted hands, not vinegared sushi rice. What Japanese sources say, plus a basic salted onigiri recipe.
Tamago Sando: The Japanese Convenience-Store Egg Sandwich at HomeHow Kewpie, the Japanese mayonnaise maker, builds a tamago sando: thin square bread, eggs boiled 13 minutes, yolks mashed, whites chopped.
Tempura and Tentsuyu: How Japan Does ItJapanese flour makers explain tempura batter: cold water, soft flour, barely mixed. Plus frying temperatures by ingredient and a 5:1:1 tentsuyu.
What "100% Buckwheat" Soba Means in JapanJapanese rules let soba contain wheat. What the fresh and dried noodle rules say, juwari vs. nihachi, gluten, buckwheat allergy and how to cook dried soba.