, also known as , is a
Japanese dish consisting of a bowl of
rice
Rice is a cereal grain and in its Domestication, domesticated form is the staple food of over half of the world's population, particularly in Asia and Africa. Rice is the seed of the grass species ''Oryza sativa'' (Asian rice)—or, much l ...
topped with
beef
Beef is the culinary name for meat from cattle (''Bos taurus''). Beef can be prepared in various ways; Cut of beef, cuts are often used for steak, which can be cooked to varying degrees of doneness, while trimmings are often Ground beef, grou ...
and
onion
An onion (''Allium cepa'' , from Latin ), also known as the bulb onion or common onion, is a vegetable that is the most widely cultivated species of the genus '' Allium''. The shallot is a botanical variety of the onion which was classifie ...
, simmered in a mildly sweet sauce flavored with ''
dashi
is a family of stocks used in Japanese cuisine. ''Dashi'' forms the base for miso soup, clear broth soup, noodle broth soup, and many simmering liquids to accentuate the savory flavor known as umami. ''Dashi'' is also mixed into the flour b ...
'' (
fish
A fish (: fish or fishes) is an aquatic animal, aquatic, Anamniotes, anamniotic, gill-bearing vertebrate animal with swimming fish fin, fins and craniate, a hard skull, but lacking limb (anatomy), limbs with digit (anatomy), digits. Fish can ...
and
seaweed
Seaweed, or macroalgae, refers to thousands of species of macroscopic, multicellular, marine algae. The term includes some types of ''Rhodophyta'' (red), '' Phaeophyta'' (brown) and ''Chlorophyta'' (green) macroalgae. Seaweed species such as ...
stock),
soy sauce
Soy sauce (sometimes called soya sauce in British English) is a liquid condiment of China, Chinese origin, traditionally made from a fermentation (food), fermented paste of soybeans, roasted cereal, grain, brine, and ''Aspergillus oryzae'' or ''A ...
and ''
mirin
is a type of rice wine and a common ingredient in Japanese cuisine, Japanese cooking. It is similar to sake but with a lower alcohol (drug), alcohol content and higher sugar content. The sugar content is a complex carbohydrate that forms natur ...
'' (sweet
rice wine
Rice wine is an alcoholic beverage fermentation, fermented from rice, traditionally consumed in East Asia, Southeast Asia and South Asia, where rice is a quintessential staple crop. Rice wine is made by the fermentation of rice starch, during wh ...
). It may sometimes also be served with toppings such as raw or soft poached
eggs, ''
negi'' onions, grated
cheese
Cheese is a type of dairy product produced in a range of flavors, textures, and forms by coagulation of the milk protein casein. It comprises proteins and fat from milk (usually the milk of cows, buffalo, goats or sheep). During prod ...
or
kimchi
Kimchi (; ) is a traditional Korean side dish (''banchan'') consisting of salted and fermented vegetables, most often napa cabbage or Korean radish. A wide selection of seasonings are used, including '' gochugaru'' (Korean chili powder), ...
. A popular food in Japan, it is commonly eaten with ''
beni shōga'' (pickled ginger), ''
shichimi
, also known as or simply ''shichimi'', is a common Japanese spice mixture containing seven ingredients. Tōgarashi is the Japanese name for ''Capsicum annuum'' peppers, and it is this ingredient that makes shichimi spicy.
Etymology
"Shic ...
'' (ground
chili pepper
Chili peppers, also spelled chile or chilli ( ), are varieties of fruit#Berries, berry-fruit plants from the genus ''Capsicum'', which are members of the nightshade family Solanaceae, cultivated for their pungency. They are used as a spice to ...
), and a side dish of
miso soup
is a traditional Japan, Japanese soup consisting of miso paste mixed with a ''dashi'' Stock (food), stock. It is commonly served as part of an meal, meaning "one soup, three dishes," a traditional Japanese meal structure that includes rice, sou ...
.
History
After the
arrival of Buddhism in Japan in the 6th century, consumption of meat became rare in Japanese culture (especially those of four-footed animals such as
cattle
Cattle (''Bos taurus'') are large, domesticated, bovid ungulates widely kept as livestock. They are prominent modern members of the subfamily Bovinae and the most widespread species of the genus '' Bos''. Mature female cattle are calle ...
or
pigs
The pig (''Sus domesticus''), also called swine (: swine) or hog, is an omnivorous, domesticated, even-toed, hoofed mammal. It is named the domestic pig when distinguishing it from other members of the genus '' Sus''. Some authorities cons ...
) and in many cases frowned upon, both for religious and practical reasons. It was only after the
Meiji Restoration
The , referred to at the time as the , and also known as the Meiji Renovation, Revolution, Regeneration, Reform, or Renewal, was a political event that restored Imperial House of Japan, imperial rule to Japan in 1868 under Emperor Meiji. Althoug ...
in 1868 and the subsequent westernization of the country that meat began to be widely eaten.
''Gyūdon'' is considered to be derived from ''gyūnabe'' (牛鍋), a beef
hot pot
Hot pot ( zh, c=, s=wikt:火锅, 火锅, t=wikt:火鍋, 火鍋, p=huǒguō, l=fire pot, first=t) or hotpot, also known as steamboat, is a dish (food), dish of soup/stock (food), stock kept simmering in a cooking pot, pot by a heat source on ...
originating in the
Kantō region
The is a geography, geographical region of Honshu, the largest island of Japan. In a common definition, the region includes the Greater Tokyo Area and encompasses seven prefectures of Japan, prefectures: Chiba Prefecture, Chiba, Gunma Prefe ...
of eastern Japan. ''Gyūnabe'' originally consisted of cuts of beef simmered with
Welsh onions and
miso
is a traditional Japanese seasoning. It is a thick paste produced by fermenting soybeans with salt and kōji (the fungus ''Aspergillus oryzae''), and sometimes rice, barley, seaweed, or other ingredients. It is used for sauces and spreads; p ...
(as the beef available in Japan at the time were usually of poor quality, the meat was cooked this way to tenderize it and neutralize its foul smell), but by the late 1800s, a variation that used a special
stock
Stocks (also capital stock, or sometimes interchangeably, shares) consist of all the Share (finance), shares by which ownership of a corporation or company is divided. A single share of the stock means fractional ownership of the corporatio ...
called ''
warishita'' (割下) – a combination of a sweetener such as sugar or ''mirin'' and
soy sauce
Soy sauce (sometimes called soya sauce in British English) is a liquid condiment of China, Chinese origin, traditionally made from a fermentation (food), fermented paste of soybeans, roasted cereal, grain, brine, and ''Aspergillus oryzae'' or ''A ...
– instead of miso and featuring additional ingredients such as ''
shirataki'' (
konjac cut into noodle-like strips) and
tofu
or bean curd is a food prepared by Coagulation (milk), coagulating soy milk and then pressing the resulting curds into solid white blocks of varying softness: ''silken'', ''soft'', ''firm'', and ''extra (or super) firm''. It originated in Chin ...
began to appear. This version of ''gyūnabe'' (known today as ''
sukiyaki'' – originally the name of a similar yet distinct dish from the
Kansai region
The or the lies in the southern-central region of Japan's main island Honshū. The region includes the prefectures of Nara, Wakayama, Kyoto, Osaka, Hyōgo and Shiga, often also Mie, sometimes Fukui, Tokushima and Tottori. The metropol ...
) eventually came to be served with rice in a deep bowl (''
donburi''), becoming ''gyūmeshi'' or ''gyūdon''.

By the 1890s, ''gyūmeshi'' had already become popular in Tokyo, but was yet unknown in other places such as
Kyoto
Kyoto ( or ; Japanese language, Japanese: , ''Kyōto'' ), officially , is the capital city of Kyoto Prefecture in the Kansai region of Japan's largest and most populous island of Honshu. , the city had a population of 1.46 million, making it t ...
or
Osaka
is a Cities designated by government ordinance of Japan, designated city in the Kansai region of Honshu in Japan. It is the capital of and most populous city in Osaka Prefecture, and the List of cities in Japan, third-most populous city in J ...
. In 1899, Eikichi Matsuda opened the first
Yoshinoya
is a Japanese multinational company, multinational fast food chain, and the second-largest chain of ''gyūdon'' (beef bowl) restaurants. The chain was established in Japan in 1899. Its motto is "Tasty, low-priced, and quick".
Etymology and log ...
restaurant, at the fish market in Tokyo's
Nihonbashi
is a business district of Chūō, Tokyo, Japan, which sprung up around the bridge of the same name that has linked two sides of the Nihonbashi River at this site since the 17th century. The first wooden bridge was completed in 1603. The curre ...
district. ''Gyūdon'', under the moniker ''kamechabu,'' were also being sold in food stands (
''yatai'') in the streets of
Ueno and
Asakusa
is a district in Taitō, Tokyo, Japan. It is known for Sensō-ji, a Buddhist temple dedicated to the bodhisattva Kannon. There are several other temples in Asakusa, as well as various festivals, such as .
History
The development of Asaku ...
.
Originally disparaged as working-class food, ''gyūdon'' experienced a surge in popularity that transcended class boundaries in the aftermath of the
Great Kantō Earthquake of 1923, when it was one of the food items readily available to the citizens of a devastated Tokyo. It was around this time that ''gyūdon'' evolved further into its present form: a bowl of rice topped with thin slices of beef with
onions
An onion (''Allium cepa'' , from Latin ), also known as the bulb onion or common onion, is a vegetable that is the most widely cultivated species of the genus ''Allium''. The shallot is a botanical variety of the onion which was classified ...
(''tamanegi'').
Although some establishments still offer ''gyūdon'' with a ''sukiyaki''-like topping (i.e. containing ingredients such as ''shirataki'' or tofu), the dish as served in most major food chains nowadays simply consist of rice, beef and onions.
As fast food
''Gyūdon'' can be found in many restaurants in Japan, and some
fast food
Fast food is a type of Mass production, mass-produced food designed for commercial resale, with a strong priority placed on speed of service. ''Fast food'' is a commercial term, limited to food sold in a restaurant or store with frozen, preheat ...
chains specialize exclusively in the dish. Many of these chain shops are open round the clock. The top three ''gyūdon'' chains in Japan are
Sukiya (currently the largest ''gyūdon'' chain in Japan, established in
Yokohama
is the List of cities in Japan, second-largest city in Japan by population as well as by area, and the country's most populous Municipalities of Japan, municipality. It is the capital and most populous city in Kanagawa Prefecture, with a popu ...
in 1981),
Yoshinoya
is a Japanese multinational company, multinational fast food chain, and the second-largest chain of ''gyūdon'' (beef bowl) restaurants. The chain was established in Japan in 1899. Its motto is "Tasty, low-priced, and quick".
Etymology and log ...
(the oldest and second largest, established in the
Nihonbashi
is a business district of Chūō, Tokyo, Japan, which sprung up around the bridge of the same name that has linked two sides of the Nihonbashi River at this site since the 17th century. The first wooden bridge was completed in 1603. The curre ...
district of what is now
Chūō,
Tokyo
Tokyo, officially the Tokyo Metropolis, is the capital of Japan, capital and List of cities in Japan, most populous city in Japan. With a population of over 14 million in the city proper in 2023, it is List of largest cities, one of the most ...
in 1899), and
Matsuya (established in
Nerima
is a Special wards of Tokyo, special ward in the Tokyo, Tokyo Metropolis in Japan. The ward refers to itself as Nerima City.
, the ward has an estimated population of 721,858, with 323,296 households and a population density of 15,013 persons ...
, Tokyo in 1968).
Some of these establishments might refer to ''gyūdon'' by other names: Matsuya for instance sells ''gyūdon'' under the name ''gyūmeshi'' (牛めし), while
Hanamaru Udon (はなまるうどん), a chain specializing mainly in
Sanuki udon (currently a
subsidiary
A subsidiary, subsidiary company, or daughter company is a company (law), company completely or partially owned or controlled by another company, called the parent company or holding company, which has legal and financial control over the subsidia ...
of Yoshinoya), includes what it calls ''gyūniku gohan'' (牛肉ごはん, lit. "beef rice") in its menu.
While many establishments charge for
miso soup
is a traditional Japan, Japanese soup consisting of miso paste mixed with a ''dashi'' Stock (food), stock. It is commonly served as part of an meal, meaning "one soup, three dishes," a traditional Japanese meal structure that includes rice, sou ...
or offer it as a part of a set, Matsuya is known for serving complimentary miso soup for customers who are eating in.
Customer specifications

There are chains that allow customers to specify how their gyūdon is served with code phrases like ''tsuyudaku'' (extra
tsuyu
Tsuyu may refer to:
* East Asian rainy season (梅雨)
* Dipping sauce or soup served with Japanese noodles
* Tsuyu Asui (蛙吹 梅雨), a character in the manga and anime series ''My Hero Academia''
* (ツユ), a mu ...
broth) at no extra charge.
''Tsuyudaku'', in regards to gyūdon, is jargon that refers to one kind of specification where the juice and tsuyu mixture is served in large amounts. ''Tsuyunuki'' is where the amount of tsuyu is specified to be less than usual. Also, the term ''tsuyudakudaku'' is code for a larger amount of tsuyu.
Sometimes, as with ''tsuyudakudakudaku'' ("dripping with soupiness"), people will request that the daku, or amount of tsuyu, be exceedingly increased.
One theory says that ''daku'' comes from the ''taku'' part of ''takusan'' ("many, a lot") which, when doubled as in ''daku-daku'', is also the
onomatopoeia
Onomatopoeia (or rarely echoism) is a type of word, or the process of creating a word, that phonetics, phonetically imitates, resembles, or suggests the sound that it describes. Common onomatopoeias in English include animal noises such as Oin ...
(imitative word) for the sound of dripping.
The origin of tsuyudaku comes from Japanese businessmen (
salaryman
The term is a Japanese word for salary, salaried workers. In Japanese popular culture, it is portrayed as a white-collar worker who shows unwavering loyalty and commitment to his employer, prioritizing work over anything else, including family. ...
) on their morning commute to work who, due to time restrictions, ask for extra soupy gyūdon (''gyūdon tsuyu ome ni'') so that they can eat it quickly.
This trend became so common, that the term ''tsuyudaku'' quickly spread among proprietors of popular gyūdon chains.
Ban of US beef
As a consequence of the fear of
mad cow disease
Bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), commonly known as mad cow disease, is an incurable and always fatal neurodegenerative disease of cattle. Symptoms include abnormal behavior, trouble walking, and weight loss. Later in the course of th ...
and a ban on imports of beef from the
United States
The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
, Yoshinoya and most competitors were forced to terminate gyūdon sales in
Japan
Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...
on 11 February 2004.
Yoshinoya
is a Japanese multinational company, multinational fast food chain, and the second-largest chain of ''gyūdon'' (beef bowl) restaurants. The chain was established in Japan in 1899. Its motto is "Tasty, low-priced, and quick".
Etymology and log ...
moved its business to a similar dish made with pork instead of beef, which it named ''
butadon'' (豚丼).
Sukiya continued to serve gyūdon (using
Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...
n beef) and also added a dish, ''tondon'', equivalent to Yoshinoya's ''butadon'', to its menu. (''Buta'' and ''ton'' are both Japanese words for ''pig'' or ''pork'', written with the same
Kanji
are logographic Chinese characters, adapted from Chinese family of scripts, Chinese script, used in the writing of Japanese language, Japanese. They were made a major part of the Japanese writing system during the time of Old Japanese and are ...
, 豚. See
tonkatsu
is a Japanese dish that consists of a breaded, Deep frying, deep-fried pork cutlet. It involves coating slices of pork with Bread crumbs#Panko, panko (bread crumbs), and then frying them in oil. The two main types are fillet and loin. Tonkatsu ...
,
tonjiru.)
The
Japanese Diet
, transcription_name = ''Kokkai''
, legislature = 215th Session of the National Diet
, coa_pic = Flag of Japan.svg
, house_type = Bicameral
, houses =
, foundation=29 November 1890(), leader1_type ...
voted to resume beef imports from the United States in early May 2005, but the ban was reinstated in January 2006 after detectable quantities of prohibited spine tissue were found in the first post-ban shipments arriving in Japan. As the issue was discussed between the United States and Japanese governments, gyūdon vendors and customers waited for a resolution. As of September 2006, the ban has been lifted.
[As reported by MediaCorp. (]
Fans celebrate return of Yoshinoya beef bowl after lifting of US beef ban
')
Gallery
File:Matsusaka beef bowl (37871901786).jpg, Matsusaka beef and miso soup
is a traditional Japan, Japanese soup consisting of miso paste mixed with a ''dashi'' Stock (food), stock. It is commonly served as part of an meal, meaning "one soup, three dishes," a traditional Japanese meal structure that includes rice, sou ...
File:Beef yakinikudon by shibainu in Tokyo.jpg, With '' yakiniku'' beef
File:YOSHINOYA BEEF BOWL(31).jpg, With sesame
Sesame (; ''Sesamum indicum'') is a plant in the genus '' Sesamum'', also called benne. Numerous wild relatives occur in Africa and a smaller number in India. It is widely naturalized in tropical regions around the world and is cultivated for ...
File:Centennial beef bowl of Asakusa Imahan.jpg, With tofu
or bean curd is a food prepared by Coagulation (milk), coagulating soy milk and then pressing the resulting curds into solid white blocks of varying softness: ''silken'', ''soft'', ''firm'', and ''extra (or super) firm''. It originated in Chin ...
and bok choy
Bok choy (American English, Canadian English, and Australian English), pak choi (British English, South African English, and Caribbean English) or pok choi is a type of Chinese cabbage ('' Brassica rapa'' subsp. ''chinensis'') cultivated as a le ...
File:すき家 牛丼 20230908 213505.jpg, With cheese
Cheese is a type of dairy product produced in a range of flavors, textures, and forms by coagulation of the milk protein casein. It comprises proteins and fat from milk (usually the milk of cows, buffalo, goats or sheep). During prod ...
File:SUKIYA PRODUCTS IN CHINA (5).jpg, With poached egg
File:Nagoya 20210215-30.jpg, With kimchi
Kimchi (; ) is a traditional Korean side dish (''banchan'') consisting of salted and fermented vegetables, most often napa cabbage or Korean radish. A wide selection of seasonings are used, including '' gochugaru'' (Korean chili powder), ...
and onion
An onion (''Allium cepa'' , from Latin ), also known as the bulb onion or common onion, is a vegetable that is the most widely cultivated species of the genus '' Allium''. The shallot is a botanical variety of the onion which was classifie ...
s
File:Negitama gyudon, at Sukiya (2013.06.09).jpg, With '' negi'' and raw egg
File:Sukiya edible chili sauce and bamboo shoots gyudon.jpg, With '' menma''
See also
*
Donburi
*
Sukiyaki
*
Katsudon
*
Oyakodon
*
Japanese curry
Japanese curry (, ) is commonly served in three main forms: (curry over white rice), (curry over thick noodles), and (a curry-filled pastry). It is one of the most popular Japanese cuisine, dishes in Japan. The very common curry rice dish is m ...
*
Matsuya
*
Sukiya
*
Yoshinoya
is a Japanese multinational company, multinational fast food chain, and the second-largest chain of ''gyūdon'' (beef bowl) restaurants. The chain was established in Japan in 1899. Its motto is "Tasty, low-priced, and quick".
Etymology and log ...
References
External links
Everyday Japanese Cooking
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gyudon
Donburi
Japanese beef dishes
Japanese rice dishes
Fast food