The traditional cuisine of Japan which encompasses regional and traditional foods which have developed through centuries of social and economic changes. This type of cuisine is mostly based on rice (steamed or boiled), noodles (soba and udon), fish (raw or cooked), seafood (crustaceans, shellfish), pickled vegetables, vegetables cooked in broth, and deep-fried vegetables.

Note 1: Dishes inspired by foreign foods, notably Chinese (ramen and dumplings), Indian (curry), and Italian (spaghetti) have become adopted with variants for Japanese tastes and ingredients.

Note 2: Historically, meat-eating was shunned by the Japanese, but with the modernization of Japan in the 1880s, meat-based dishes became common. Sushi, in particular, has become popular throughout the world.

Note 3: An emphasis is placed on seasonality of Japanese food and dishes are designed to indicate the arrival of the four seasons and calendar months.