
In
Japanese cuisine
Japanese cuisine encompasses the regional and traditional foods of Japan, which have developed through centuries of political, economic, and social changes. The traditional cuisine of Japan (Japanese language, Japanese: ) is based on rice with m ...
, refers to a style of Western-influenced cooking which originated during 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 ...
. These are primarily Japanized forms of European dishes, often featuring Western names, and usually written in
katakana
is a Japanese syllabary, one component of the Japanese writing system along with hiragana, kanji and in some cases the Latin script (known as rōmaji).
The word ''katakana'' means "fragmentary kana", as the katakana characters are derived fr ...
. It is an example of
fusion cuisine
Fusion cuisine is a cuisine that combines elements of different cuisine, culinary traditions that originate from different countries, regions, or cultures. Cuisines of this type are not categorized according to any one particular cuisine style an ...
.
History
At the beginning of 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 ...
(1868–1912),
national seclusion was eliminated and the
Meiji Emperor declared Western ideas helpful for Japan's future progress. As part of the reforms, the Emperor lifted the ban on
red meat
In gastronomy, red meat is commonly red when raw (and a dark color after it is cooked), in contrast to white meat, which is pale in color before (and after) cooking. In culinary terms, only flesh from mammals or fowl (not fish) is classified ...
and promoted Western cuisine, which was viewed as the cause of the Westerners' greater physical size. ''Yōshoku'' thus relies on meat as an ingredient, unlike the typical Japanese cuisine at the time. Additionally, many of the Westerners who started to live in Japan at that time refused to touch traditional Japanese food (''
washoku''), so their private Japanese chefs learned how to cook them Western-style cuisine, often with a Japanese spin.
The first recorded print appearance of the term "''yōshoku''" dates back to 1872. In the past, the term was for Western cuisine, regardless of the country of origin (as opposed to
French,
English,
Italian
Italian(s) may refer to:
* Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries
** Italians, a Romance ethnic group related to or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom
** Italian language, a Romance languag ...
, etc.), but people became aware of differences between European cuisines and ''yōshoku'' in the 1980s, due to the opening of many European restaurants serving more authentically European (non-Japanized) food.
In 1872, Japanese writer
Kanagaki Robun
was the pen name of (9 February 1829 – 8 November 1894), a Japanese author and journalist.
Career
Kanagaki Robun, the son of a fishmonger, was originally known for light fiction in the ''gesaku'' genre. He is said to have met painter K ...
popularized the related term ''seiyō ryōri'' in his ''Seiyō Ryōritsū'' ('western food handbook'). ''Seiyō ryōri'' mostly refers to French and Italian cooking while ''Yōshoku'' is a generic term for Japanese dishes inspired by Western food that are distinct from the washoku tradition.
Another difference is that ''seiyō ryōri'' is eaten using a knife and fork, while ''Yōshoku'' is eaten using chopsticks and a spoon.
Earlier dishes of European origin – notably those
imported from Portugal in the 16th century such as
tempura
is a typical Japanese dish that usually consists of seafood and vegetables that have been coated in a thin batter and deep-fried. Tempura originated in the 16th century, when Portuguese Jesuits brought the Western-style cooking method of ...
(inspired by the fritter-cooking techniques of the Portuguese residing in Nagasaki in the 16th century), are not, strictly speaking, part of ''yoshoku'', which refers only to Meiji-era food. However, some ''yōshoku'' restaurants serve tempura.
''Yōshoku'' varies in how Japanized it is: while ''yōshoku'' may be eaten with a spoon (as in , ''karē'', curry), paired with bread or a plate of rice (called , ''raisu'') and written in
katakana
is a Japanese syllabary, one component of the Japanese writing system along with hiragana, kanji and in some cases the Latin script (known as rōmaji).
The word ''katakana'' means "fragmentary kana", as the katakana characters are derived fr ...
to reflect that they are foreign words, some have become sufficiently Japanized that they are often treated as normal Japanese food (''washoku''), served alongside rice 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 ...
, and eaten with
chopsticks. An example of the latter is
katsu, which is eaten with chopsticks and a bowl of white rice , and may even be served with traditional Japanese sauces such as
ponzu or grated
daikon
Daikon 大根 (だいこん) or mooli, (مولی) ''Raphanus sativus'' var. ''longipinnatus,'' is a mild-flavored winter radish usually characterized by fast-growing leaves and a long, white, root. Originally native to continental East Asia ...
, rather than katsu sauce. Reflecting this, katsu is often written in
hiragana
is a Japanese language, Japanese syllabary, part of the Japanese writing system, along with ''katakana'' as well as ''kanji''.
It is a phonetic lettering system. The word ''hiragana'' means "common" or "plain" kana (originally also "easy", ...
as , as a native Japanese word, rather than as (from , ''katsuretsu'', 'cutlet').
Another more contemporary term for Western food is ''mukokuseki'' ("no-nationality" cuisine).
Overview
Jihei Ishii, author of the 1898 ''
The Japanese Complete Cookbook'' , states that: "Yōshoku is Japanese food."
Created in the
Meiji era
The was an Japanese era name, era of History of Japan, Japanese history that extended from October 23, 1868, to July 30, 1912. The Meiji era was the first half of the Empire of Japan, when the Japanese people moved from being an isolated feu ...
, it may not have as long a history as ''
washoku'' (Japanese traditional dishes), yet there are ''yōshoku'' dishes which have themselves become traditional Japanese fare. ''Yōshoku'' is considered a field of Japanese cuisine, including such typical adapted meals as ''
katsu'', beefsteak, ''
korokke'', ''
naporitan'',
Hayashi rice and curry rice (
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 ...
).
Many of these meals are even assumed to be ''washoku''.
Yōshoku began by altering Western recipes for lack of information about foreign countries' cuisine, or adaptions to suit local tastes, but over time, ''yōshoku'' also evolved dishes that were not at all based on European foods, such as chicken rice and ''
omurice'' (omelette rice). Elaborate sauces were largely eliminated, replaced with tomato ketchup,
demi-glace sauce and
Worcestershire sauce
Worcestershire sauce or Worcester sauce (UK: ) is a fermented liquid condiment invented by pharmacists John Wheeley Lea and William Henry Perrins in the city of Worcester in Worcestershire, England, during the first half of the 19th century ...
.
During Japan's modernization, yōshoku was often too expensive for the common man. But after World War II, ingredients for ''yōshoku'' became more widely available and its popularity grew.
A is a restaurant where ''yōshoku'' dishes are served. During Japan's rapid economic growth people began eating ''yōshoku'' in department store restaurants, but now family restaurants such as
Denny's
Denny's (also known as Denny's Diner on some locations' signage) is an American table service diner-style restaurant chain. It operates over 1,400 Restaurant, restaurants in the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico, and several other internationa ...
and
Saizeriya are considered essential ''yōshoku'' establishments.
In addition, there are also a number of upscale ''yōshoku'' restaurants in Japan, such as Shiseido Parlor in Ginza and Taimeiken in Nihonbashi (two areas of
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 ...
).
Typical ''yōshoku'' dishes

*
Castella
*
Curry
Curry is a dish with a sauce or gravy seasoned with spices, mainly derived from the interchange of Indian cuisine with European taste in food, starting with the Portuguese, followed by the Dutch and British, and then thoroughly internatio ...
*
Stew
A stew is a combination of solid food ingredients that have been Cooking, cooked in Soup, liquid and served in the resultant gravy. Ingredients can include any combination of vegetables and may include meat, especially tougher meats suitable for ...
**
Hayashi rice
**
Cream stew
**''
Nikujaga''
肉じゃが
*''
Korokke''
*: fried chicken seasoned with vinegar and tartar sauce
*''
Piroshiki''
*Breaded dishes (''
furai'')
**: fried oysters
**: fried shrimp
**: fried
Japanese horse mackerel
The Japanese jack mackerel (''Trachurus japonicus''), also known as the Japanese horse mackerel or Japanese scad, is a species named after its resemblance to mackerel but which is in the Family (biology), family Carangidae, the jacks, pompanos, t ...
*: Steak with Japanese-style sauce
*
Meuniere
*Spaghetti
**
Naporitan: Ketchup spaghetti with sausage and vegetables
**: Japanese tarako (cod roe) spaghetti
**: Japanese style soy sauce and mushroom spaghetti
**: this dish is mainly eaten in Nagoya. Spaghetti with a spicy sticky sauce.
**
**
**
**: mizore had come from the name of the Japanese wet snow
*
Cutlet
In cuisine, cutlet (derived from French ''côtelette'', ''côte'', "rib") refers to:
# a thin slice of meat from the leg or ribs of mutton, veal, pork, or chicken
# a dish made of such slice, often breaded (also known in various languages as a ...
**''
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 ...
''
**Fried chicken (chicken katsu)
**Beef cutlet (beef katsu)
**Ham katsu
**
Menchi katsu
**Turkish rice (torukorice): Pilaf flavored with curry, naporitan spaghetti and tonkatsu with
demi-glace sauce
*
Omurice
*Steak
**
Hamburg
Hamburg (, ; ), officially the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg,. is the List of cities in Germany by population, second-largest city in Germany after Berlin and List of cities in the European Union by population within city limits, 7th-lar ...
* Mikkusu sando (ミックスサンド) – assorted sandwiches, especially egg salad, ham, and cutlet
*
Gratin
Gratin () is a culinary technique in which a dish (food), dish is topped with a Browning (food process), browned crust, often using breadcrumbs, grated cheese, egg or cheese.Courtine, Robert J. (ed.) (2003) ''The Concise Larousse Gastronomique' ...
*
Doria: Roasted pilaf with
béchamel sauce
Béchamel sauce or Biratta cream (, ) is one of the mother sauces of French cuisine, made from a white roux (butter and flour) and milk, seasoned with ground nutmeg.
Origin
The first recipe of a sauce similar to béchamel is in the book by ...
and
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 ...
*
Pilaf
Pilaf (), pilav or pilau () is a rice dish, or in some regions, a wheat dish, whose recipe usually involves cooking in stock or broth, adding spices, and other ingredients such as vegetables or meat, and employing some technique for achieving ...
See also
*
List of common yōshoku dishes
*
Hong Kong-style Western cuisine, a similar phenomenon in Hong Kong
*
Haipai cuisine, a similar phenomenon in Shanghai
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Yoshoku
Japanese fusion cuisine
Eastern cuisine
Western cuisine