Curious about what the Japanese eat every day or want to plan a full-out Washoku meal? The mystery is all in One Soup Three Dishes called “Ichiju Sansai” (一汁三菜).
Thanks to Japanese food porn shows such as Midnight Diner: Tokyo Stories (Shinya Shokudo 深夜食堂), The Solitary Gourmet (Kodoku no Gourmet 孤独のグルメ), Samurai Gourmet (Nobushi no Gourmet 野武士のグルメ) and The Makanai: Cooking for the Maiko House (Maikosanchi no Makanaisan 舞妓さんちのまかないさん), we receive many questions from curious readers about the dishes featured on the shows (Nami has an entire section of recipes on Midnight Diner Recipe Series and The Makanai).
But most interesting were the questions like “What do the Japanese eat every day?” and “How can I plan and cook Japanese food at home?”
Contrary to popular belief, the Japanese do not live off a steady diet of ramen, sushi, and tempura (although I wish!) Japanese cuisine, or Washoku, is simple and has a nutritious balance of protein, fiber, and vegetables portioned in plates and bowls.
Called Ichiju Sansai (一汁三菜), literally “one soup three dishes,” this is the foundation of a Japanese meal.
Table of contents
What is Ichiju Sansai
A typical Japanese meal comprises four elements: rice, soup, side dishes, and pickled vegetables.
- Gohan (ご飯) – a bowl of plain steamed rice
- Shiru (汁) – a bowl of soup, which may contain vegetables or tofu
- Okazu (おかず) – main dish and two side dishes composed of vegetables, tofu, fish, or meat
- Kouno mono(香の物) – a small plate of Tsukemono, pickled vegetables
This meal format can be served for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. If you’ve been fortunate to spend a night at a ryokan (Japanese inn), you may have witnessed the elaborate spread of dishes for breakfast. Or perhaps you may have encountered something similar in the form of a teishoku (set menu) at Ootoya Restaurant (the Japanese chain restaurant) or other places.
Each dish is served as a light portion and is intended to not only fill you up but to also obtain the necessary minerals and vitamins to keep you charged throughout the day.
Origin Story
The style of “one soup three dishes” originates from Honzen Ryori (本膳料理), a highly refined system of meal-serving that was established as a banquet style of the upper nobility and the samurai class during the Muromachi period (1336–1573).
The elaborate dishes were arranged and brought to the guests on small four-legged tray tables called “zen” (膳). The tables would be presented to the guests in sets of three, five, or seven, starting with the main “zen” (Hon-zen 本膳), second “zen” (Nino-zen 二の膳), third “zen” (Sanno-zen 三の膳) and so forth.
The style of honzen ryori simplified over time from extravagance to the everyday meal, and what remains to this day are the dishes on the main “zen” (Hon-zen), featuring rice, soup, pickles, and three okazu dishes. This is the foundation of “one soup, three dishes.”
Rice in the Heart of Japanese Cuisine
Wondering why there’s no mention of rice or Tsukemono pickles in the Ichiju Sansai setup? This is because a Japanese meal always includes rice and pickled vegetables. Rice is not only a dish in itself, but it is also an essential component of the national cuisine.
It also has a symbolic place in the Japanese language: the term Gohan (ご飯) means both “cooked rice” and “meal.” The sticky, short-grain Japonica rice is the heart of a Japanese meal and also the staff of life.
It’s also a necessary ingredient in Japanese cuisine. Koji (麹) mold culture injected into steamed rice is essential in making Sake, Mirin, and Miso.
Plan an Ichiju Sansai Meal
So let’s get started! Ichiju Sansai is just a structure, so even if you’re vegetarian, pescatarian, vegan, or have dietary restrictions, you can easily swap and adjust recipes to suit your dietary needs for a filling meal.
Browse through the recipes below to pick out what you want to cook!
Rice (Gohan)
Traditionally, rice would be served plain. But if you’re seeking flavor and color in your rice, try Takikomi Gohan (炊き込みご飯), rice cooked with vegetables and seasonings.
Note that the rice bowl is placed on the left, close to you for right-handed people, and on the right for left-handed people.
Here are some ideas to get you started:
- How to Cook Rice (if you don’t own a rice cooker!)
- Ginger Rice (with a little spicy kick!)
- Gobo and Miso Takikomi Gohan (add oomph to your rice with burdock root and fish cake)
- Mame Gohan (fresh spring peas cooked with rice)
- Matsutake Gohan (an autumn delicacy)
- Chestnut Rice (another autumn specialty)
- Sweet Onion Takikomi Gohan (sweet sautéed onions cooked with rice)
Pickled vegetables (Tsukemono)
Cleansing your palate between meals may sound a little strange initially, but with all the different textures and flavors, you may get addicted to it! There’s a wide variety of pickling methods and ingredients in Tsukemono, ranging from daikon radish, Japanese plums, and cucumbers.
Soup (Shiru)
A soup is not just a side dish; it holds its own place in a Japanese meal. Miso soup is most commonly served, but feel free to serve whatever you wish!
Always place the soup bowl on the opposite side of the rice, so on the right for right-handed people and the left for left-handed people.
- Miso Soup (your everyday soup)
- Japanese Clam Soup with Clear Broth (a simple, clear broth with kombu dashi and Manila clams)
- Kenchinjiru (a hearty vegan soup)
- Matsutake Soup (a clear broth featuring an autumn delicacy)
- Sanpeijiru (originally from Hokkaido, a chunky salmon soup)
- Tonjiru (a pork and root vegetable miso stew)
Main + 2 Side Dishes (Okazu)
As eating meat has become popular only during the last 150 years, traditionally, the main protein would be grilled or simmered fish. But nowadays, you’ll see fried foods such as Tonkatsu, Karaage, or Gyoza as the main protein.
Meat & Fish dish
- Kakuni (braised pork belly)
- Catfish Kabayaki
- Hamachi Kama
- Nikujaga (potato and pork braise)
- Ootoya’s Sweet and Sour Chicken (vegetable and chicken stir-fry)
- Saba Misoni (mackerel poached in miso)
- Tonteki (pork loin)
- Yellowtail Teriyaki
Vegetable dish
Vegetables are served in cooked form and not served raw.
- Agedashi Tofu (deep-fried tofu cubes)
- Broccolini Gomaae (dressed in a nutty sesame sauce)
- Hijiki Seaweed
- Kinpira Renkon (stir-fried lotus root)
- Simmered Kabocha
- Spinach Ohitashi (blanched spinach in dashi)
- Vegetable Tempura
- Warm Mushroom Salad
Ichiju Sansai is just a format, so don’t worry if your meal doesn’t look perfect with the correct number of dishes. The point is to have a well-balanced meal of protein, vegetables, and carbohydrates.
Lastly, please let us see your Ichiju Sansai meals by posting your photos on Instagram with the hashtag #justonecookbook!
For further reading:
- Japanese Dining Etiquette 101 食事のマナー
- Japanese Dining Etiquette 101 (Part 2) – Reader’s Questions 食事のマナー
- What is Washoku? 和食とは
[…] Japanese style meal includes rice as a main dish, one soup, and 3 side dishes (it’s called Ichiju Sansai 一汁三菜), usually with 1-2 simmered dishes. Yeah, talk about elaborate. It’s no simple […]
Wonderful information! thankyou so much for explaining the japanese food system…it seemed so daunting and confusing but now I understand how it is utilised and “what goes where”. Arigatou gozaitmashita!
Hi Victoria, thank you for your kind words!
Thank you so much for this! My husband and I love Japan and the Japanese and are trying to switch to a Japanese lifestyle, to include the food. I was somewhat overwhelmed when trying to plan meals other than udon, ramen, or donburi, so this post is a lifesaver! Thank you for explaining the Ichiju Sansai in such a way that is so easily understandable and helps give me confidence that I, too, can prepare! 🙂
Hi Jenny, I’m happy to hear that this article was helpful in building a Japanese home meal for your family. Thank you also for your comment 🙂
[…] varieties and forms, and you can often find one or two varieties of tsukemono being served in an Ichiju Sansai 一汁三菜 meal or as an accompaniment to sushi or as a garnish to a yoshoku (Japanese-western […]
[…] I make Japanese style meal, I try to plan out the meal by following the Japanese Ichiju Sansai – “One Soup Three Dishes” rule, which involves one main dish, 2 sides, steamed rice, miso soup, and […]
[…] used in a non-typical Ichiju Sansai setting, you can use this medium plate for a toast, […]
[…] steamed rice and pickles. This is called Ichiju Sansai (一汁三菜), and we covered this topic in this post. Three dishes usually consist of one main protein dish and two small vegetable dishes, like a […]
[…] can serve the simmered taro in the Ichiju Sansai ‘one soup three dishes’ style, by complimenting it with braised pork belly (kakuni), chawanmushi, steamed rice, pickled […]
[…] In Japan, lunch menu typically comes in a “set (meal)” called Teishoku (定食). The set usually comes with a main dish of your choice, along with steamed rice, miso soup, some pickles, and 1-2 side dishes (you get to pick sometimes). The “set meal” menu is based on Japanese “One Soup Three Dishes” or “Ichiju-Sansai (一汁三菜)” concept when serving a meal, and you can read more details about it on this post. […]
First, I want to say I love your site. I’m slowly working through the recipes, finding things we all like (not always easy with picky eaters!).
I was curious about two things. Is there a specific position the many dishes should be put in when you set the table?
Second, I don’t have upper teeth (and, for the moment, my denture isn’t an option). Do you have good soft food suggestions? The rice, most fish, and soups, of course, are pretty easy. But a lot of vegetable dishes I’ve found so far are crunchy, which is hard on the gums.
Thank you for the work you do here! It’s a wonderful resource!
Hi Katy!
Thank you for your comment! As the author of this article, I’ll respond to your question on the plate placement.
If you scroll up to the image below “What is Ichiju Sansai?” you’ll see where to place the various plates and bowls. I’ve also covered the topic on why the rice bowl is placed on the left in my other article, “Japanese Dining Etiquette 101 (Part 2)” under “Where should the bowls of rice and soup be placed?” If you haven’t already, please check that out!
https://www.justonecookbook.com/japanese-dining-etiquette-guide/
I’ve passed along your request for soft foods to Nami. You could try boiling the vegetables to your desired softness (Japanese pickles unfortunately, will always be crunchy so you might have to pass on those…)
-Kayoko
Hi Katy! First of all, we just found your comment not being answered. We apologize for our late response.
We’re really happy to hear you enjoy our website. Thank you!
As for the softer vegetables, I agree with Kayoko on boiling/blanching, simmering, steaming, stir-frying vegetables. Usually, leafy vegetables don’t taste good when it’s over-cooked (when it gets too soft and mushy). However, root vegetables like daikon and kabocha may be a wonderful choice as when they are simmered in broth, it tastes delicious and it has a lot of nutritious values as well.
Here are some of the recipes I can suggest:
https://www.justonecookbook.com/simmered-kabocha-squash/
https://www.justonecookbook.com/simmered-kiriboshi-daikon/
https://www.justonecookbook.com/spinach-and-bean-sprout-namul/
https://www.justonecookbook.com/steamed-vegetables-with-miso-sesame-sauce/
https://www.justonecookbook.com/pickled-tomatoes/
https://www.justonecookbook.com/okra-ohitashi/
https://www.justonecookbook.com/sunomono-with-cucumber-and-wakame/
Or browse: https://www.justonecookbook.com/tags/vegetable/
Hope that helps! 🙂
Thank you very much! I look forward to going through these and testing them out! <3
Thanks for your response, Katy! Enjoy!
Thank you for your explanation on 一汁三菜, and that you include vegan options a lot in your posts. I’m a vegan and live in Japan with my Japanese husband and our two kids. I cook a lot of western dishes but the ingredients are so expensive in Japan. Your blog is a lifesaver because I can get all the Japanese food ingredients easily. My mother in law cooks amazing meals and thanks to you I can replicate them at home for my husband. I’d have loved to learn from her but with having two young children its impossible to learn whilst they are around. Much easier to read from your detailed recipes. I love how you include techniques and advice on cookware as well. I’d love to see a recipe for makomodake, I don’t know if you can get it where you are are though.
Hi Nicole, thank you for your comment! We receive lots of inquiries about vegetarian/vegan options, so I’m glad that the recipes have worked out for you and your family. I’ve let Nami know about your request for makomodake recipes, although I’m not sure if she can find it in the Bay Area.
This is gorgeous! My biggest problem tho isn’t coming up with different dishes, it’s knowing how to time the cooking. do you have any tips so i might achieve 一樹山菜 in less than 2 hours? It takes forever for me to amke all the dishes
Hi Erin!
Preparing a 一汁三菜 meal may seem daunting, especially if you want to prepare it on a daily basis. But there are a few tips that could hopefully ease the burden.
– There’s no need to prepare everything from scratch for every single meal! Make large batches of a side dish (like Kinpira or Hijiki) and don’t be afraid of serving leftovers the next day. These types of dishes also keep well for a few days.
– Prepare simple side dishes, like chilled tofu or a daikon salad. I always keep tofu at hand.
– You can always freeze leftover rice and microwave portions the next day. No need to cook rice at each meal.
The point is to keep it simple! You can always start with making one hearty main dish (like a stir fry) with rice and miso soup, then once you feel comfortable, prepare another side dish.
Konichiwa–I lived in Tokyo on an A=USAF base as a kid. One thing I loved was the sweet rice cakes we had on New Years-Mochi? The ones I find are frozen and not what we had. Where can I get them or make them?
Domo!
Hello Patti!
You should be able to find dried mochi in Asian or Japanese supermarkets, see this list for a grocery near you. Have you checked out Nami’s recipe? Making mochi at home will require tools that aren’t easy to buy, you need to pound steamed mochi rice, and most Japanese people buy the dried ones and toast them at home. Good luck!
Ichiju Sansai is quintessential Japanese home cooking. Alas sometimes we just do not have the time, but when we do there’s something just so right, so balanced and comfortable about this. To be honest, I didn’t know it had a name!
Hello Jim!
Ichijusansai isn’t a term we use daily, so no worries that you didn’t know it had a name! It’s just something we take for granted. Agreed, there is something comforting in the balance of the dishes.
A very refreshing post. I had to travel to Japan with my husband ( who is native Japanese) to learn how to properly serve ichijusansai. This is an important point that most of my translated Japanese cookbooks leave out. Before Japan, I served only misoshiru, a main protein, one vegetable, oolong cha or genmaicha, and gohan (my husband hates tsukemono). After staying with my wonderful in-laws in Chiba , and later visiting Kyoto, I learned by the examples of other cooks just how many set combinations there are! Anything is possible, even using leftovers to make okazu for other meals is acceptable.
Hi Tara! Thanks for your warm response 🙂
Glad to hear that you’ve been able to incorporate Ichijusansai into your meal plan!
“It also has a symbolic place in the Japanese language: the term Gohan (ご飯) means both “cooked rice” and ‘meal’.”
I learned about the above when I began studying Japanese and it reminded me how similar it is to the way, in Egypt, the Arabic word used for bread is “aish” (عيش) which literally means “life”, as opposed to the standard word for bread, khobz (خبز), used by other Arabic speakers. The linguistic symbolism similarly highlights the centrality and significance of bread in Egyptian food and lifestyle. I find it interesting to point out and compare these linguisric and cultural parallels.
P.s. Great article, very informative 🙂
Hi Mai! Thank you for your comment 😀
Interesting to hear about the linguistic similarities of the terms for food/life. It shows how much food is central to every culture!
In Tagalog as well, ‘kanin’ is cooked rice, ‘kaka-nin/kakainin’ can mean ‘meal’ or ‘something a person will eat’, and ‘kaka-ni-n’ (spelled ‘kakanin’) means sweet rice cake. ‘Alilang-kanin’ is an unpaid employee or servant paid only with food and lodging, ‘sundalong-kanin’ means a soldier who doesn’t fight but takes rice rations, i.e. a useless person. Thanks for a very informative article, Kayoko-san! 🙂