Japanese Condiments

Miso is a Japanese paste made by fermenting soybeans with salt, the fungus kōji, and occasionally rice, barley, and water. It is regarded as the most popular Japanese condiment and seasoning, commonly used to flavor soups, stews,... READ MORE

Wasabia Japonica, better known as wasabi, is a plant native to Japan that is harvested for its lumpy rhizome, which is predominately used as a popular sushi condiment. The plant grows only in damp areas, usually in streams or artificial w... READ MORE

Often dubbed as Japanese vinaigrette, ponzu is a Japanese condiment that uses rice vinegar and citrus juice, usually lemon, sudachi, lime, or yuzu (the most traditional option), as its base. Additional ingredients may include sugar or mir... READ MORE

Japanese rice wine is similar to sake, but sweeter and with a lower alcohol content. Mirin is fermented with rice yeast, and a varying percentage of alcohol. Originally, it was invented as a drink, but today it is mainly used as a condiment in num... READ MORE

Kewpie is a popular brand of mayonnaise originating from Japan. Enjoyed since 1925, the mayonnaise is made with three main ingredients - oil, rice or apple vinegar, and egg yolks. No sugar or salt is added to the mayonnaise, and it’s bottled... READ MORE

Gomasio or gomashio is a traditional condiment consisting of sesame seeds (goma) and salt (sio). The sesame seeds are lightly toasted before they're used in the mixture. Although gomasio traditionally consists only of th... READ MORE

Yuzu kosho is a traditional condiment that’s a local specialty of the Kyushu region. It’s made with a fermented combination of minced yuzu peel, salt, and minced green chili peppers. This emerald green paste has a flavor that&... READ MORE

Mentsuyu is a flavorful Japanese sauce that is commonly used as a seasoning and condiment in many traditional Japanese dishes, or as the base for udon and soba noodles. It consists of varying amounts of soy sauce, strong sake wine, and the slightl... READ MORE

Tenkasu is a traditional condiment consisting of deep-fried tempura batter. Also known as tempura flakes and agedama, this crunchy tempura batter is often used as a topping for ramen, udon, and yakisoba dishes. It’s also used to add... READ MORE

Mizuame is a traditional ingredient that's most commonly used as a sweetener that's added to wagashi sweets in order to give them a shiny sheen. Similar in flavor to corn syrup, mizuame is made by converting starch into sugar, and the sta... READ MORE

Wasanbon is the light and fine Japanese sugar extracted from the traditional chikutō sugar cane. Characterized by a mild sweetness and unique flavor, it has been produced in Shikoku prefecture for more than two centuries. Before ... READ MORE

Kokuto is the black sugar from Okinawa. It is a type of unrefined sugar with a dark brown color and a rich, caramelized flavor. It is made by slowly cooking freshly pressed sugar cane juice until it turns into a thick, viscous syrup with ... READ MORE

Matcha shio is a traditional condiment that blends matcha green tea powder with salt. The preparation of matcha shio involves grinding natural salt (either rock or sea salt) until smooth and then blending it with matcha powder, typically in a 1:1 ... READ MORE

Okonomi is a traditional sauce for okonomiyaki, originating from Hiroshima and produced by Otafuku. This condiment is made with a combination of 20 different spices and ingredients such as vinegar, vegetables, tomatoes, apples, and dates.... READ MORE

Ishiri is a traditional fish sauce originating from Noto in Ishikawa Prefecure. On the western part of Noto, the sauce is made with Japanese sardines (iwashi), and on the eastern part it’s made with squid liver. The ingredients are fermented... READ MORE

Tentsuyu is a traditional condiment, a dipping sauce made for tempura that consists of dashi stock, soy sauce, and mirin. The basic recipe for tentsuyu is the same as the one for mentsuyu (used for noodles), but the ratio of dashi to soy sauce to ... READ MORE

Wasambonto is a traditional product, one of the oldest types of domestic sugar. It’s made with a rare type of sugar cane hailing from the Tokushima Prefecture. Due to the unique refining process, wasambonto has a powdery and smooth ... READ MORE