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The Japanese food glossary

Otoro, nigiri, tonkotsu, uni — every term you'll meet on a Japanese menu, explained plainly.

Sushi

Sushi 鮨
Any dish built on seasoned, vinegared rice — including nigiri and rolls. The rice, not the…
Sashimi 刺身
Thin slices of raw fish or seafood served without rice. The purest way to taste a fish's q…
Nigiri 握り
A slice of fish or seafood pressed by hand onto a small mound of rice, often with a dab of…
Maki 巻き
Sushi rolled in seaweed (nori) with rice and fillings, then sliced into rounds. Where sush…
Temaki 手巻き
A hand roll — a cone of nori filled with rice, fish and vegetables, meant to be eaten righ…
Chirashi 散らし
"Scattered" sushi: a bowl of sushi rice topped with an assortment of sashimi and garnishes…
Otoro 大トロ
The fatty belly of bluefin tuna — the most prized, richest cut in sushi, prone to melt on …
Chutoro 中トロ
The medium-fatty cut of tuna between lean akami and rich otoro; a balanced favorite.…
Akami 赤身
The lean, deep-red flesh of tuna — clean and firm, the everyday heart of the fish.…
Uni 雲丹
Sea urchin roe — custardy, sweet and briny, "the ocean in one bite." A rite of passage for…
Ikura いくら
Salmon roe — glistening orange pearls that pop with clean, salty flavor.…
Unagi 鰻
Freshwater eel, grilled and lacquered with a sweet-savory sauce (kabayaki). Always served …
Hamachi はまち
Yellowtail — a buttery, rich fish that is a staple of the sushi bar.…
Wasabi 山葵
A pungent green paste from the wasabi root. Real wasabi is fresh-grated and mellow; most r…
Gari ガリ
Pickled ginger served alongside sushi — a palate cleanser between different fish, not a to…
Omakase お任せ
"I'll leave it to you" — a chef's-choice tasting menu served course by course from the bes…
Tempura 天ぷら
Seafood and vegetables in a light, airy batter, fried until delicate and crisp.…
Mochi 餅
Chewy pounded-rice cake, sweet or savory — the base of many Japanese desserts.…

Ramen

Tonkotsu 豚骨
A rich, cloudy ramen broth simmered from pork bones for many hours into a silky, collagen-…
Shoyu 醤油
Soy-sauce-based ramen broth — clear, savory and the classic Tokyo style.…
Miso 味噌
A hearty ramen broth flavored with fermented soybean paste, born in Hokkaido; deep and war…
Shio 塩
The lightest, saltiest-clear ramen broth, letting the stock and toppings shine.…
Dashi 出汁
The foundational Japanese stock — usually kombu (kelp) and bonito flakes — behind miso sou…
Umami 旨味
The "fifth taste" — a savory depth from glutamates in dashi, soy, miso and aged fish. Japa…

Izakaya

Izakaya 居酒屋
A Japanese gastropub — small plates, skewers, sake and beer, meant for lingering and shari…
Yakitori 焼き鳥
Skewered, charcoal-grilled chicken (every part of the bird), a cornerstone of izakaya menu…
Gyoza 餃子
Pan-fried dumplings — crisp on the bottom, filled with pork and vegetables.…
Sake 酒
Japan's rice wine, brewed and served warm or chilled; grades run from everyday to junmai d…

Hibachi

Teppanyaki 鉄板焼き
Cooking on a flat iron griddle — the hibachi-style tableside grill of steak, seafood and v…

Teriyaki

Teriyaki 照り焼き
A cooking method: grilling with a glossy glaze of soy, mirin and sugar. A friendly gateway…
Katsu カツ
A breaded, deep-fried cutlet — usually pork (tonkatsu) or chicken — crisp outside, juicy i…
Donburi 丼
A rice bowl topped with a savory main — from gyudon (beef) to katsudon and unadon.…

Poke

Poke ポキ
Hawaiian-Japanese cubed raw fish, marinated and served over rice — endlessly customizable.…