Japanese Food

What to order at the counter, how to decode specialist Japanese menus, and how to cook well at home using Japanese supermarket staples.

Where to start:

• At the sushi counter: Start with Sushi, then open the Sushi Vocabulary & Neta Field Guide to read the wooden plaques and order in the traditional progression from lean white fish to rich toro.
• At a yakiniku grill or izakaya: Use Motsu & Horumon to tell kopuchan, maruchō, and shimachō apart before you order.
• In your own kitchen: Read The Golden Path of Cooking and DIY Ramen to see how pairing store-bought Japanese soup bases with fresh protein beats both takeout and all-day prep.