Topic Lesson: Japanese cuisine

UPPER BEGINNER
In this lesson, we'll start with an introduction to the way Japanese food is categorized. Then we'll learn some of the key styles of food, and dig deeper into some of the key ingredients that are used in almost all Japanese cuisine.
To complete this lesson, work through the activities below. Estimated time: 15 minutes
What is Japanese cuisine? While for many people sushi is the first food that may come to mind, Japanese cuisine actually incorporates an abundance of different dishes and styles of cooking.
にほんしょく
日本食
 and
わしょく
和食
 and are the two umbrella terms commonly used to categorize the different options.
日本食 covers a broad range of foods and means of preparation: sushi, donburi, udon, tempura, tonkatsu, curry and many more. Traditionally, a restaurant would specialize in one of these foods, but increasingly, Japanese restaurants around the world tend to include several of them. In Japan,
いざかや
居酒屋
 (literally 'drinking place') often tend to have extensive menus including dishes of each style, along with a few options unique to 居酒屋 themselves.
和食 refers to a style of presentation. At the base of 和食 is the concept of
いちじゅうさんさい
一汁三菜
 (literally 'one soup and three vegetables'). In a typical 和食 meal, 一汁三菜 is used to refer to the combination of soup, a main dish and two side dishes. A 和食 meal also always includes rice and and some kind of pickled vegetables. 和食 is what is often thought of as 'traditional' Japanese cuisine.
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