While we can always find familiar groceries from home, Japan offers a huge number of products that may be new and somewhat intimidating for those who just arrived from abroad.

Like, how do you eat a Lotus root? What is Umi-budou, which literally means Sea Grapes?

Undoubtedly, a big excitement of traveling to a foreign country is getting to explore its cuisine. And Japan is a perfect place to try out some of the most exquisite and unusual dishes.

Here you will enjoy browsing ubiquitous soba shops and minimalistic in-style sushi restaurants. But while going out is fun, cooking at home can become repetitive and boring if we only limit ourselves to familiar items. It would be a shame not to take advantage of the seasonal native vegetables, abundant and extravagant seafood, and a vast array of fermented products history of which goes back hundreds of years.

Below I have collected information on some of such products along with their health benefits. For Soy Products go here. If you are interested in seafood click here. This is for condiments and sauces. And finally types of most used seaweed.

If you have been in Japan for some time already and still cannot convince yourself to include Natto in your breakfast, reading about its amazing health benefits may just be the information you need!

Please note that all the data on health benefits is given here for your information only. It is not medical advice and is presented here to pique your interest and inspire you to try the food and further research its benefits on your own!

Enjoy!

Vegetables

Japanese name	English equivalent	Description	Dishes	Benefits/nutrition
Gobo  ごぼう	Burdock Root	Similar to carrot, but longer, usually sold unpeeled, often unwashed	Kinpira, Gobo salad, maki sushi,  gobo tea. Can be made into pickles, etc.	Magnesium, vitamin C and folate.  Is an excellent source of dietary fiber.
Sato Imo  里芋さといも	Taro potatoes	Similar to potatoes, tubers of the plant are used	Steamed or boiled in fish stock.	Water soluble dietary fiber, good to prevent diabetes, supports general gut health.
Satsumo Imo さつも芋	Sweet Potato	Red skin, large tuber, yellow on the inside	Used in variety of dishes, soups, tempura  Can be made into fries, crisps etc. Yaki-imo – baked potato is a healthy snack.	Great source of energy, contains good starches, wonderful for maintaining healthy microbiome. Vitamins C, A and B6.
Naga Imo長芋ながいも	Chinese Yum	White-ish root, longer than a sweet potato. Sold washed, but not peeled	One of the rare potatoes that can be eaten raw.  “Totoro” is a white sticky paste made of Chinese Yum often included into Soba noodle dishes.	Potassium, insoluble fiber, Vitamin B1 and amylase, an enzyme that helps to digest starch. It is lost at cooking, so eating this yum raw has more benefits.
Takenoko たけのこ筍	Bamboo Shoot	Fresh looks like a brown cone, but more often is sold pre-cut and boiled, off-white color	Takenoko can be used similar to potatoes, used in stews and with other vegetables.	Contains both, soluble and non-soluble fiber. Include B-complex vitamins, also phosphorus, iron, copper and calcium. Great source of potassium.
Komatsunaこまつな小松菜	Japanese mustard spinach	Dark green leafy vegetable, looks a bit like spinach, but more robust	Used for steaming, soups and other dishes.  Almost never served raw.	Contains Vitamin A Vitamin C, B6 and B9 (Folate) as well as Calcium, Iron and Manganese.
Renkon れんこん蓮根	Lotus root	Off-white potato, with holes that run through the root	Tempura, fried, steamed. Can be added to stews and soups.	Good source of carbohydrates, fiber and minerals, such as A and C.  Reduces blood sugar.
Konnyaku (Konjaku)　蒟蒻こんにゃく	Devil’s tongue root	The root is always graded into paste and then formed into variety of products which do not look like vegetables	Konnyaku steaks, konnyaku noodles, can be a dish on its own or added to dishes with meat and salads. There is even a dessert, called KynnakuBatake.	Dietary fiber, amylase, calcium, very low calorie. Contains glucomannan which makes it a powerful probiotic.  Promotes intestinal function, prevents constipation, reduces cholesterol. Contains ceramide (skin moisture-inducing component)
Daikon だいこん大根	Radish	Huge, carrot-shaped white reddish root. However there are varieties of colors from green to pink!	Salad, soups, oden. But most often you will see it served with Sashimi, as a display to stress the color of the fish on white reddish	Daikon is an excellent source of various nutrients, including calcium, magnesium, potassium, and copper. It is very high in vitamin C folate.
Kabu かぶ　蕪	Turnip	Small round turnips of white color. Usually sold washed and with upper greens in tact. Roots (turnips) and the greens contain different nutrients	Used in soups, made into various pickles. Can be eaten raw with a dip as well.	Roots contain a lot of potassium, vitamin C, and dietary fiber.  Leaves contain a lot of β-carotene, vitamin C, all of which have a strong oxidizing effect, and can be expected to have a cancer-preventing effect.
Moyashi もやし	Beansprouts	White-yellowish large sprouts	Can be eaten raw, but almost always cooked.  Crunchy texture adds to stir fries, rice and soups.	Minerals such as A, B vitamins, C, and E, as well as iron, potassium, calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus.
Mizuna みずな水菜	Japanese mustard green, spider mustard	Green cerated leaves	Used in Nabe (one-pot meal), salads and soups.  Has a fresh peppery taste, slightly spicy.	Like many leafy vegetables 90% of it is water.  Full of good dietary fiber.  Also it contains Calcium and Vitamin C.
Nanohanaなのはな菜の花	Rape blossom	Florets of small yellow flowers, picked up on a stock with some top leaves	Steamed and simmered in sauce. As a side dish for meat and as part of Japanese Kaiseki.	Potassium, Calcium, Beta-carotine, Vitamin K, Vitamin C. Vitamin K, fiber.
Mitsuba 三つ葉みつば	Mitsuba	“Three leaves” is the Japanese name, like a larger version of parsley.  Has a bit of taste of celery as well	Used as garnish for many foods and is found in soups, dumplings, noodle dishes and salads.	Contains plenty of vitamin A, vitamin C, iron, dietary fiber, and minerals.  It is said that to improve the condition of skin, relieve constipation, suppress arteriosclerosis.
Myoga みょうが	Myoga	Look like pinkish -purple-ish buds	Often used as condiment to noodles or sashimi.	Potassium, magnesium and Vitamin E/ Alpha-penine (aromatic component) which stimulates appetite (and perspiration :))
Nira にら	Chinees Chives	Look like flat leaks also known as garlic shoots	An important ingredient in Gyoza.	Full of minerals and vitamins and is believed to help weather fatigue, increase stamina.

Soy Products

Japanese name	English equivalent	Description	Dishes	Benefits/nutrition
Tounyu 豆乳	Soy Milk	Creamy texture. Usually sold in milk-like cartons	Used a lot in stead of milk	An alternative to cow’s milk (no lactose)
Natto  納豆 なっと	Japanese food made from whole soybeans that have been fermented with Bacillus subtilis (bacterium)	Powerful smell, strong taste and stringy, slimy texture.  Can be large beans or minced beans. Colors of the beans can vary from light brown to almost black.	Usually served with rice, tare or soy sauce sauce and mustard. Used in natty-maki sushi.  (Rarely added into other dishes)	Natto is full of nutrients and has some of the most amazing health benefits, such as Vitamin K!
Tofu　 豆腐 とうふ	Bean curd, can be soft and silky (絹ごし豆腐) or firm type called (木綿、もめん豆腐）	White-ish cheese-looking mass, but much softer and does not have much taste, unless made with a mixture of other ingredients such as sesame tofu or peanut tofu.	Used in variety of dishes and served and spiced in a myriad of ways. Every area of Japan has its own way of serving Tofu. When you travel, enjoy the presentation and taste!	Good source of complete protein, but less cholesterol, fewer triglycerides. Contains Vitamin B, magnesium and potassium.
Yuba  湯葉 ゆば	Thin tofu skin (beancurd skin)	During the process of tofu making a thin skin layer is formed on the surface. It is gathered and dried into sheets. Similar texture to tofu.	Yuba is a dish on it’s own.  In Kyoto it is a famous Kyo-Yuba, used in Syoujin cuisine (temple vegetarian food)	All the benefits of tofu, such as high protein content
油揚げ Aburaage	Dip-fried thick tofu skin	Brownish pockets of sweet tofu skins	Mostly used in Inarizushi (rice stuffed tofu) But can be used in salads and other dishes too	Has all the benefits of tofu, but could be a bit sweet for some people .
Okara おから	Pulp, fluff left from production of soy milk	Fluffy white-ish moist pulp	Used to make salads, dishes and also keto desserts	High in protein and all other benefits soy products offer.
Miso 味噌 　みそThere are a number of types, depending on what it is made of.	Fermented soy bean paste	Thick paste of colors varying from light brown to dark rusty brown. It can be made from soy beans and rice/seaweed/barley etc. with salt and fermenting enzyme “Koji”	Used in thousands of dishes, sauces, spreads, soups, noodles, stews, marinades and pickling mixtures, most famous  being miso-soup.	Miso is a good probiotic, contains oryzae, which  promotes gut health and improves digestion. Strengthens immune system.

Soy Sauce

Soy sauce is used extensively Japanese cuisine. It really deserves its own articles. Apart from being the main ingredient in most of the Japanese dishes, it is used as dipping sauce for sashimi, sushi.  As well as means to create pickles/preserved food. 

Soy sauce is a fermented product, full of antioxidants and vitamin K. Contains phytonutrients (similar to red wine) The product is somewhat high on sodium.

薄口醤 油 Light colored Soy sauce

This type of soy sauce if a lighter sauce which is used for seasoning so that the original color of the food is not effected much.

濃口醤油 Standard Soy sauce 

If the label says just “soy sauce” then by default it is the “thick standard sauce” used for cooking and seasoning

溜まり醤油 Tamari Soy Sauce

Tamari sauce is a byproduct of miso making. It is thicker and creamier. 

A few Seafood products

Japanese name	English equivalent	Description	Dishes	Benefits/nutrition
Surimi　 すり身	Fish paste	A paste made of seafood or fish	As such mostly used in imitation crab product.  Otherwise used to make Kamaboko	Good source of protein.
Chikuwa  竹輪	Fish cake stick	Fish paste is wrapped around a stick and either steamed or boiled.	Popular snack, can have stuffing inside, is quite cheap. Eaten on its own.	Relatively cheap source of protein. Usually low fat.
Kamaboko 蒲鉾かまぼこ	Cured type of surimi/fish cake/ fish sausage	Loafs of pureed processed fish and seafood.  Made into various shapes.	Steamed , deep fried. Can be used in tempura. Often sold separately in stores, either steamed, deep-fried or boiled.	Steamed kamoboko especially is low on carbs high on protein. Other nutrients content depends on type of fish used.
Ebi 　 海老 えび	Shrimp	Kuruma-ebi, Ama-ebi,Sakura-ebi (small translucent type) often is dried.	Virally of dishes with seafood. Tempura, fry, sushi, sashimi, pasta.	Good protein, with essential fatty acids EPA and DHA
Kani　 かに	Crab	There are different types of crab, depending on season and area they are from.	Virally of dishes with seafood. Tempura, pasta, nabe鍋 etc.	Very high quality protein, contains good amounts of Omega-3 FA
Asari　 あさり	Clam	Saltwater clams (small size)	Miso soup, fry, nabe, used to make dashi (soup stock)	Protein, calcium, iron and Vitamin B2
Robusuta-　ロブスター	Lobster		Steamed lobster, soup, pasta ets.	Higher contents of EPA and DHA than shrimp and crab meat.
Kaki　 牡蠣	Oyster	Oyster bars that serve raw oysters also have a menu of baked/grliied dishes.	Raw oysters. Kaki-fry. Oysters are in soups, even curry.	Must be careful of food poisoning when eating raw (kids are not advised eating) but fried are a good source of Vitamin D, copper and zinc!
Uni　 うに	Sea urchin	Orange soft, buttery texture (roe-producing organs of a sea urchin)	Sushi, sashimi, don (丼)-on top of a rice bowl.  Also can be found in Uni-pasta!	Vitamin E — fat-soluble vitamin which has a strong antioxidant effect, helps prevent lifestyle-related diseases such as arteriosclerosis and myocardial infarction. Vitamins B2, folic acid, beta-carotene.
Hotate　 帆立	Scallop	Round fleshy medallions, sold separately from shell. Shells are big and wavy on the outside	Sushi, sashimi, fried, tempura, seafood pasta, etc.	Good source of Taurin, it works by reducing the absorption of cholesterol in the digestive tract. Also reduces cholesterol, and enhances the functions of the heart and liver.  B12
Muru-gai　ムール貝	Mussel	Black longish shape shell	Steamed, simmered, with other seafood and in soups and stews.	B12, copper, zinc, iron
Ikura  いくら	Salmon roe (caviar)	Big fish eggs of dark orange color	In Sushi, (Don 丼) on top of a rice bowl	Almost 30g of high quality protein per 100g! DHA, EPA
Mentaiko  明太子(Karashi)	Spiced cod roe	Dark red sack of fish roe	Can be eaten raw just as sold, when the sack is opened and the fish eggs are scraped out. Can be cooked, made into pasta sauces, etc.	Vitamins A, B1(helps to convert sugar into energy), B2(helps metabolism) B6(helps convert protein into energy), B12 (promotes production of hemoglobin in the blood)
Talako  たらこ	Cod roe (salted)	Light red sack of fish roe	Same as above	Same as above
Shirasu  しらす	Tiny sardines	Tiny white boiled fishes	They are not exactly sardines, there are several types of fish used.	A great source of calcium and Vitamin D.  Also contains DHA
縮緬雑魚ちりめんじゃこChirimenjako	Tiny dry sardines	Tiny white/gray dried fishes	Can be used with rice, salad, on top tofu, etc.	Contains even more Vitamins D because of a process of drying it in the sun.
Kazunoko 数の子	Herring Roe	Yellow firm sack of fish row, with crunchy texture.	Most often used in New Year food set (o-sechi ryori) Marinated in dashi and soy sauce.	A good source of DHA, DPA, helps maintain healthy blood cholesterol

Condiments

Japanese name	English equivalent	Description	Dishes	Benefits/nutrition
漬物つけもの　Tsukemono	Japanese pickles	Variety of veggies can be made into pickles, such as daikon, radish, cucumbers, egg plants, etc.	Served on their own as part of Japanese traditional multi-course meal Kaiseki	Can be made with anything starting from salt and vinegar and ending with rice bran and miso. All the benefits of fermented food!
きむち Kimuchi	Kim’chi  (fermented spicy korean cabbage)	Often sold on its own in small containers.  The deeper the red color, the spicier the taste.	Served by itself with pickles, sometimes made into soup or ramen broth.	Very high in Vitamin K, which is necessary for proper assimilation of calcium.
しそ Shiso	Perilla Leaves (can be green or purple)	Is a type of mint, but has very sharp (a bit citrusy) taste. Purple Shiso is used for making pickles to give them bright magenta color.	Often served as a part of a sashimi set. Also with rice, onigiri, etc.	Vitamins contained in perilla include vitamin B2, vitamin B6, vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin K, niacin, and minerals include iron, potassium, magnesium, and zinc.
ふりかけ Fujikake	Furikake	Dried condiment of different contents	It is a mix of dried seaweed, fish, salts, seeds. It can be a great topping not only for rice but also for pasta.	Depending on the contents there are different benefits, but mostly it is used to add taste to white rice.
めんま Menma	Fermented bamboo shoots in ramen and other noodles	Strips of dried bamboo	Noodle soups, soups, ramen etc.	Mostly good for its fiber and some beneficial fermentation effects.
山椒　Sansho		This powder spice offers a subtle citrusy scent and a strong peppery kick	Often used in grilled eel dishes, as well as grill meats and seafood	Sansho is known to have effects such as activating the functions of internal organs and improving indigestion.
七味　Shichimi	Japanese pepper	Japanese spice blend consisting of ground chili flakes, citrus peel, seaweed flakes, sesame seeds, and so on	It has a great mix of taste and makes for a wonderful taste enhancer for a lot of dishes.	Pepper, mandarine orange peel, poppy seeds, sesami, hempseed, Shiso, etc. A number of spices with various benefits, but usually is used in small quantities to deliver much benefit apart from taste enhancement.
つゆ　Tsuyu麺つゆMen-tsuyu	Noodle broth	Soy-sauce looking, usually dark brown.	Used to dip noodles, also can be an ingredient in other dishes.	Tsuyu contains histidine and inosinic acid, which have anti-obesity effects. Pantothenic acid improves metabolism. Niacin promotes blood circulation.
みりん Mirin	Cooking rice wine	Clear sauce based on rice wine	Used frequently in cooking and has a lower sake content than usual rice wine.	Brings sweetness to the food, tames fish smell in dishes.
ぽん酢　Ponzu	“Ponzu”	Citrus-based sauce	A lot of the ponzu sauces are actually ponzu with soy sauce mixed into it. Real ponzu sauce is light yellow in color.	Since Ponzu is made with citrus, vitamin C is expected to have a certain effect in preventing aging and lifestyle-related diseases caused by active oxygen because it is involved in boosting the immune system and has a strong antioxidant effect.
鰹節 Katsuobishi	Dried Bonito Flakes	Thin shavings of dried Bonito fish.  Either smoked and dried or smoked and fermented and dried.	Used in making dashi, or used by itself as a topping on dishes.
お酢　Osu	Vinegar	A variety of vinegars of different types. Such as rice vinegar, black vinegar, apple cider vinegar, etc.	Vinegar is used extensively Japanese cuisine.	Stimulates digestion, along with other benefits.
お酒	Sake, cooking sake	Clear, white liquid.	Sake is used extensively Japanese cuisine. (Apart from being a national liquor)	Enhances unique Japanese taste in many favorite dishes.

Seaweed

Japanese name	English equivalent	Description	Dishes	Benefits/nutrition
もずくMozuku	Scientific name: Nemacystus decipiens	Slimy thin branched seaweed	Used as a dish by itself with some vinegar or added into Miso-soup.	This seaweed is full of fucoidan, which has amazing effects on the body including rejuvenation -moisturizing skin and preventing wrinkles.
のりNori	Seaweed	Sheets of paper-thin dried seaweed	Used for making such and onigiri.	Seaweed generally has an amazing mineral contents profile. More minerals than any on-land vegetable.
ひじきHijiki	Hijiki seaweed	Look like small black thick leaves	Hijiki salad, miso soup.  Advised to be eaten in small amounts.	It is rich in dietary fiber and essential minerals such as calcium, iron, and magnesium
昆布　こんぶ　Konbu	Kelp	Thick leaf of seaweed	Usually used for making dashi(broth)	Very alkaline food. Contains alginic acid and fucoidan. Suppresses cholesterol and enhances immunity. Contains iodine.
青のり Ao-nori	Green seaweed	Green seaweed or laver that’s been dried and powdered or crumbled into fine flakes	Usually is used as a topping for Okonomiyaki, Yakisoba (fried noodles with veggies and meat) and Takoyaki (dough balls with octopus inside)	Potassium, calcium and other minerals generally found in seaweed.
わかめ　Wakame	Wakame Seaweed	Small pieces of dark green seaweed.	Good in soups and salads, often sold dried so needs to be soaked.	Rich in minerals, low in calories, boosts energy and is good for weight loss
海ぶどう　Umibudo	Literal meaning: sea grapes	Resembles tiny grapes of green color,	Tastes slightly salty and is served on its one with Ponzu	Rich is minerals such as iron.  And improves bowel function.