Japanese Comfort Foods That Everyone Should Try

One of Japan’s many culinary treasures is the country’s heartwarming and humble comfort food. Whether you’re looking for something to cook at home, order for takeout on a rainy day, or add to your itinerary on a trip to Japan, trying this satisfying fare is a necessity. Delicious dishes ranging from a cozy bowl of Japanese curry to a simmering pot of nabe will immediately earn a place in your heart and open up a window into the cooking that’s common at home and in everyday life in Japanese culture.

Comfort food isn’t defined by the same qualities across cultures, although there are certainly similarities. When I ask Masako Morishita — executive chef of Perry’s in Washington, D.C and an expert in Japanese comfort food who’s received wide acclaim for introducing it to her community — how she would describe the genre, she says: “Japanese comfort food typically consists of dishes that one might find in a Japanese home kitchen, rather than a high-end restaurant. They are the dishes that Japanese mothers and family members have been cooking for centuries, infused with love.” 

Another D.C-based chef, Katsuya Fukushima, who owns a collection of Japanese restaurants including the wafu Italian, or Japanese-style Italian, spot Tonari, echoes this sentiment, saying: “I mostly relate home cooking to comfort food. Granted, there are specific dishes that restaurants have taken to astronomical culinary levels, like sushi, udon, tempura, ramen, and soba. I’ve even been to shops specializing in tonkatsu that have put me in awe. But does that take away anything from when my mom shallow fries tonkatsu as I sit at the dining room table after a long drive from D.C. to go visit her? Not at all.”

Morishita also notes that presentation is less important when it comes to comfort food and that there’s a greater emphasis on the “warmth and wholesomeness” of the cuisine. There are a handful of ingredients that are important throughout Japanese cooking — miso, sake, soy sauce, mirin, and dashi — and Morishita believes there’s one technique particularly important to comfort food: nimono, which means “simmering” in Japanese. 

Of course a list of traditional or widely known comfort foods might not encompass every recipe that evokes nostalgia or happiness for us. For Morishita, the most meaningful comfort food is her Miso Butter Clams on the menu at Perry’s, a dish inspired by her father. For Fukushima, memories of his obachan (grandmother) making curry with ground beef and canned corn in Hawaii are what strike a chord. Determine what feels the most significant, and of course delicious, to you, with this non-exhaustive list of cozy Japanese comfort foods to seek out or try at home.

Nikujaga

With a name that translates to “meat and potatoes,” this stew is fairly straightforward. Thinly sliced beef or pork, potatoes, and onion are simmered together in a base of dashi seasoned with soy sauce, sugar, mirin, and sake. Nikujaga is a type of nimono, or simmered dish, and the ingredients are cooked until most of the broth has evaporated. Carrots and shirataki noodles — a translucent, gelatinous noodle made with glucomannan fiber from the konjac plant — are also frequently included, and other ingredients like snap peas or tomatoes can be added.

Okonomiyaki

You might already be familiar with this savory pancake, whose name means “grilled as you like,” reflecting the dish’s versatility. The wheat flour batter that forms the base of okonomiyaki is typically mixed with cabbage and/or a protein, before being cooked on a flat iron griddle, called a teppan. One of the best parts of okonomiyaki is the toppings, which are of course customizable and usually involve a signature sweet and savory okonomiyaki sauce (often made with ketchup or Worcestershire among the ingredients), Japanese mayo, nori, bonito flakes, and pickled ginger. In addition to all the choices you can make to personalize this fluffy, savory pancake, there are regional variations, like the Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki which is layered and includes noodles.

Hambagu

Hambagu are part of yōshoku, or a category of Japanese cuisine that’s influenced by Western dishes, and includes items like chicken nanban, sandos, and variations on spaghetti. Consequently, these ground meat patties may seem similar to Salisbury steak or meatloaf, and its name even references the influence of the Hamburg steak. The Japanese hambagu is a patty made with ground beef and pork, panko breadcrumbs, and egg, topped with a sweet ketchup sauce. Of course, the recipe can be adapted to your preferences and may be whipped up with other ground proteins or have finely chopped vegetables mixed in. The generally affordable ingredients of hambagu mean it’s accessible for many home cooks, and home-style cuisine is a hallmark of comfort food.

Udon

Noodles are a core part of Japanese cookery, and naming just one type as a form of comfort food is impossible, but I find thick and bouncy udon to be the most heartwarming. Udon may be served hot, cold, in broth or sauce, stir-fried as yaki udon, and so much more — depending on the regional style, person preparing it, and even the season. Most udon is characteristically thick, chewy, and made from wheat flour, but some versions may be thinner or produced with potato starch.

Nabemono

Nabemono or “nabe” for short is a category of hot pot dishes. Ingredients like vegetables, tofu, and thinly sliced meats are simmered together in a large pot of broth — often in a donabe, a traditional clay pot which is named after what it’s used for. Nabe is usually a communal affair, simmered in the center of the table for everyone to serve themselves from. There are many styles of nabemono, with broths ranging from light dashis to more rich and intense flavor profiles. The ingredients served with each nabe can change dramatically, too, but it’s important to start by adding the items that will take the longest to cook first, like tofu or heartier vegetables.

Curry

Similar to nabemono, Japanese curry is a wide category that encompasses a lot of iterations and forms of the iconic dish. The British brought Indian curry to Japan in the 19th century, but over the centuries it has been shaped into a distinctly Japanese comfort food. Most commonly served with rice — although it can certainly be eaten with udon or other vehicles — Japanese curry sauce is characterized by its more viscous, silky texture and notable sweetness, which can be achieved by adding honey or grated apples. A roux acts as the base of the sauce, helping to create a thick finish, and you don’t need to make it from scratch; the curry can be purchased in small blocks that simply need to be stirred into water. Japanese curry sauce is often mixed with potatoes, carrots, onions, and a protein. One of the most popular styles is katsu curry, which is topped with a crispy panko-breaded and fried cutlet.

Omurice

You may have come across a video of omurice on social media: a silky, semi-set omelet being cut open on top of fried rice paints a satisfying and appetizing picture. While this version of omurice, with eggs that are cooked until not quite firm in the center, is popular in restaurants, omurice is regularly homemade. The home-style rendition is more likely to have eggs that are cooked until fully set, with the omelet wrapped around pan-fried rice mixed with chicken and/or vegetables. This Japanese-style fried rice filling is usually seasoned with ketchup, soy sauce, and sometimes Worcestershire, and omurice is frequently finished with more ketchup on top. With such a comforting flavor profile and plenty of ketchup, it’s no surprise that omurice is a favorite with children.

Gyudon

Gyudon is an excellent option for an easy, affordable, comforting meal. Its name means “beef bowl,” which appropriately describes this rice bowl that simmers thinly sliced beef and onions in a soy-based sauce. Like all of the dishes on this list, gyudon can be customized and might be made differently depending on the household. It always includes rice, onions, and beef and can be topped with ingredients such as pickled ginger, sesame seeds, scallions, or an egg.