- 17 Jul 2002
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Japanese cuisine is one of the most popular in the world. Yet if you had visited Japan 150 years ago, you would not have found most of the dishes that constitute Japanese cuisine today. I've compiled a list of Japanese dishes in chronological order from the time of their invention or importation to Japan. It is based on the information I found on Wikipedia (English and Japanese versions).
Old Japanese foods
Sengoku & Tokugawa periods
Dishes from the Meiji era to WWII
Post-WWII dishes
When we think about it, it's very likely that Chinese dishes like ramen, gyoza, chanpon and of course chahan existed in the USA and Australia before they arrived in Japan. The first Chinese restaurant in the US opened in California in 1849, while the first one in Australia dates from 1854.
Old Japanese foods
- According to archaeological research, the homemade production of mochi (rice cakes) dates back to at least the 6th century (Kofun period).
- Tofu and its production technique were introduced to Japan during the Nara period (710–794)
- Udon and sōmen are said to have been brought from China by envoys from the Tang dynasty around 900 (Heian period ).
- Dango (団子) were first mentioned in the Heian period (794-1185).
- Miso soup originated during the Kamakura period (1185–1333).
- Zen Buddhism and methods of preparing powdered tea (matcha) were brought to Japan by Eisai in 1191.
- A type of partially fermented sushi was invented during the Muromachi period (1336–1573).
Sengoku & Tokugawa periods
- The recipe for tempura was brought in Nagasaki by Portuguese missionaries in the late 16th century. Oddly enough it wasn't until the mid-1800s that tendon was invented (according to Japanese Wikipedia) although it's just tempura on rice.
- Soba noodles seem to have originated in Japan in the late 16th century (Sengoku period ).
- Famous Buddhist monk Takuan Sōhō (1573–1645) is popularly credited with creating the yellow daikon pickle that bears his name (takuan).
- The earliest mentions of yakitori are in the 17th century.
- Oden became a popular dish of the common people during the Edo period .
- During the Edo period, street stalls specialising in mugicha (barley tea) became popular among the common people.
- Norimaki and nori-wrapped onigiri appeared shortly after the invention of the sheet form of nori seaweed around 1750.
- Modern nigiri sushi became popular in Edo (present-day Tokyo) in the 1820s or 1830s.
Dishes from the Meiji era to WWII
- Chahan (fried rice) is thought to have been imported to Japan in the 1860s by Chinese immigrants arriving at the port of Kobe.
- Curry was introduced to Japan by British people during the Meiji era . India was part of the British Empire back then. The first mention of 'curry rice' was in 1872.
- Anpan was invented in 1874 by the bakery Kimuraya in Ginza.
- In 1887, the French croquette was introduced to Japan and renamed Korokke (コロッケ).
- Hayashi rice appeared in the 1880s and is apparently a corruption of the English 'hashed beef with rice'.
- Oyakodon (親子丼) was invented in Kōbe in 1884.
- Gyūdon (牛丼) became popular in the 1890s. Yoshinoya, now the largest gyūdon chain in the country, was founded in 1899 in Nihonbashi, Tokyo.
- Sukiyaki is a kind of dish found in many East Asian countries, but the modern beef sukiyaki became a traditional Japanese dish during the Meiji era.
- Champon was first served by Shikairō (四海楼), a Chinese restaurant founded in Nagasaki in 1899.
- Tonkatsu is a dish derived from a French dish known as côtelette de veau (veal cutlet), although pork cutlets also exist in France. It was first made in Japan using pork in 1899. Katsudon followed soon afterwards in 1906.
- Kaki fry (カキフライ) and Ebi fry (エビフライ) were first added to the menu of Rengatei (煉瓦亭), a Western restaurant in Ginza around 1900.
- Ramen is a dish of Chinese origin that arrived in Japan through the Yokohama Chinatown in the early 20th century.
- Omurice was invented in Japan in the early 20th century by the restaurant Rengatei in Ginza. It is considered Yōshoku (洋食, Westernised Japanese food) by Japanese people as omelette is of French origin while ketchup is American.
- Chicken karaage (唐揚げ) was popularised in the 1930s.
- Okonomiyaki first appeared in the 1930s in Osaka.
- Yakisoba is also a remarkably recent invention. It originated in the 1930s — apparently in Asakusa around 1935.
- Takoyaki was first popularised in Osaka, where a street vendor named Tomekichi Endo is credited with its invention in 1935.
- The first chankonabe restaurant, Kawasaki Chanko, opened in 1937 in the Ryōgoku district of Tokyo, home to many prominent sumo stables.
- Gyoza are a Chinese dish (jiaozi) brought back by Japanese soldiers returning from the Japanese-backed puppet state of Manchukuo in northeastern China during World War II.
- The present style of yakiniku restaurants are derived from Korean restaurants in Osaka and Tokyo, which were opened around 1945 by Koreans in Japan.
Post-WWII dishes
- Shabu-shabu appeared after WWII, probably inspired by a dish from Inner Mongolia in China. The name shabu-shabu itself was first registered in Osaka in 1952.
- The person who invented 'Chicken Nanban with Tartar Sauce' is said to be Yoshimitsu Kai, who worked in London. It first appeared in Japan in 1959 at Yoshokuya London, which opened as the second Ogura store in Miyazaki City. The dish became popular from 1965.
- Hamburg steaks (ハンバーグ, hanbāgu) originated in Germany and became popular in Japan during the 1960s.
- Japanese people started creating their own variations of pasta (Wafū pasta) in the 1960s.
- Japanese chains of burger restaurants (e.g. MOS burger) started opening from the 1970s.
When we think about it, it's very likely that Chinese dishes like ramen, gyoza, chanpon and of course chahan existed in the USA and Australia before they arrived in Japan. The first Chinese restaurant in the US opened in California in 1849, while the first one in Australia dates from 1854.
No, the real reason is that nobody knows when or where it was invented. Here is what the Wikipedia article says about it:
