Japanese Breakfast

A classic morning set is a small version of the ichijū-sansai meal: rice, soup, and sides. At its centre is a bowl of freshly cooked rice (gohan) and a bowl of miso soup (味噌汁, miso-shiru), often with tofu and seaweed. Around them gather the sides: a piece of grilled fish such as salted salmon or mackerel, a rolled and faintly sweet omelette (卵焼き, tamagoyaki), pickled vegetables (tsukemono), and dried seaweed (nori) to wrap around rice. Very often there is nattō (納豆) as well, fermented soybeans that are sticky, pungent, and stringy. It is an acquired taste even for some Japanese, but for many people breakfast is not breakfast without it. A raw egg stirred into hot rice (tamago kake gohan) is another simple morning favourite.

For most people on a weekday this full spread has given way to something quicker, but it survives strongly in two places. The first is a weekend or special breakfast at home. The second, and the most celebrated, is the breakfast served at a traditional inn (ryokan), where guests are treated to an elaborate tray of a dozen small local dishes, often cooked right at the table. For many travellers that ryokan breakfast is the highlight of a stay in Japan: a quiet, generous meal that shows the everyday cuisine at its most careful.