Japanese cuisine in the context of "Nattō"

Sake, saké (Japanese: 酒, Hepburn: sake; English: IPA: /ˈsɑːki, ˈsækeɪ/ SAH-kee, SAK-ay), or saki, also referred to as Japanese rice wine, is an alcoholic beverage of Japanese origin made by fermenting rice that has been polished to remove the bran. Despite the name Japanese rice wine, sake, and indeed any East Asian rice wine (such as huangjiu and cheongju), is produced by a brewing process more akin to that of beer, where starch is converted into sugars that ferment into alcohol, whereas in wine, alcohol is produced by fermenting sugar that is naturally present in fruit, typically grapes. This process is called Multiple Parallel Fermentation.

Although similar, the brewing process for sake differs from the process for beer, in which the conversion from starch to sugar and then from sugar to alcohol occurs in two distinct steps. Like other rice wines, these conversions occur simultaneously when brewing sake. The typical alcohol content also differs between sake, wine, and beer; while most beer contains 3–9% ABV and wine generally contains 9–16% ABV, undiluted sake contains 18–20% ABV (although this is typically lowered somewhat by diluting with water prior to bottling).

Japanese popular culture includes Japanese cinema, cuisine, television programs, anime, manga, video games, music, and doujinshi, all of which retain older artistic and literary traditions; many of their themes and styles of presentation can be traced to traditional art forms. Contemporary forms of popular culture, much like the traditional forms, are not only forms of entertainment but also factors that distinguish contemporary Japan from the rest of the modern world. There is a large industry of music, films, and the products of a huge comic book industry, among other forms of entertainment. Game centers, bowling alleys, and karaoke parlors are well-known hangout places for teens while older people may play shogi or go in specialized parlors. After the Meiji Restoration, Japan adopted European and American culture. Today, Japanese popular culture plays a major role in the country's soft power,tourism, and economy, standing as one of the most widespread and famous popular cultures around the world.

Jack mackerels or saurels are marine ray-finned fish in the genus Trachurus of the family Carangidae. The name of the genus derives from the Greek words trachys ("rough") and oura ("tail"). Some species, such as T. murphyi, are harvested in purse seine nets, and overfishing (harvesting beyond sustainable levels) has sometimes occurred.

It is often used in Japanese cuisine, where it is called aji, in Turkish cuisine, where it is called istavrit, and in Portuguese Cuisine, where it is called carapau.

Tempura (天ぷら or 天麩羅, tenpura; [tempɯɾa]) 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 coating foods with flour and frying, via Nanban trade.

In Japanese cuisine, Yakitori (Japanese: 焼き鳥; lit. 'grilled bird') is chicken cooked on a skewer over a charcoal fire and seasoned with tare sauce or salt. The term sometimes refers to kushiyaki (grilled and skewered foods) in general.

The Japanese giant spider crab (Macrocheira kaempferi) is a species of marine crab and is the largest crab found in the waters around Japan. At around 3.75 meters (12 ft), it has the largest leg-span of any arthropod. The Japanese name for this species is taka-ashi-gani, (Japanese: 高脚蟹; タカアシガニ), literally translating to "tall-legged crab". It goes through three main larval stages along with a prezoeal stage to grow to its full size.

The genus Macrocheira contains multiple species. Two fossil species of this genus have been found: M. ginzanensis and M. yabei, both from the Miocene of Japan. They are sought by crab fisheries, and are considered a delicacy in Japan. To prevent overexploitation from harming the species, conservation efforts have been put in place to protect them and their population from overfishing.

Takoyaki (Japanese: たこ焼き or 蛸焼) is a ball-shaped Japanese snack made of a wheat flour–based batter and cooked in a special molded pan. It is typically filled with minced or diced octopus (tako), tempura scraps (tenkasu), pickled ginger (beni shoga), and green onion (negi). The balls are brushed with takoyaki sauce (similar to Worcestershire sauce) and mayonnaise, and then sprinkled with green laver (aonori) and shavings of dried bonito (katsuobushi).

Yaki (焼き) is one of the cooking methods in Japanese cuisine, meaning 'to grill', and can be found in the names of other dishes in Japanese cuisine such as okonomiyaki and ikayaki (other famous Osakan dishes). Typically, it is eaten as a snack or between meals, but in some areas it is served as a side dish with rice. It is an example of konamono (konamon in the Kansai dialect), or flour-based Japanese cuisine.

Okonomiyaki (Japanese: お好み焼き; pronounced [okonomʲijakʲi] ) is a Japanese teppanyaki savory pancake dish consisting of wheat flour batter and other ingredients (mixed, or as toppings) cooked on a teppan (flat griddle). Common additions include cabbage, meat, and seafood, and toppings include okonomiyaki sauce (made with Worcestershire sauce), aonori (dried seaweed flakes), katsuobushi (bonito flakes), Japanese mayonnaise, and pickled ginger.

Okonomiyaki has two main variants from Hiroshima and the Kansai region of Japan, but is widely available throughout the country, with toppings and batters varying by area. The name is derived from the word okonomi, meaning "how you like" or "what you like", and yaki, meaning "grilled". It is an example of konamono (konamon in the Kansai dialect), or flour-based Japanese cuisine.