Breakfast is indeed the best and most important meal of the day.
Thanks to the exquisite Japanese culture and cuisine, you will start your day on a high note.
Their unique spread of unexpected food items is delicious and filling, making it the champions’ breakfast.
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Hotel Breakfasts In Japan
Whether staying at a hotel in Japan or anywhere worldwide, breakfast is an integral part of your day.
It sets the mood for your day and prepares you to tackle that day’s activities.
Although scrambled eggs and coffee are standard passable breakfast items when in Japan, choose a different meal.
Their impressive range of traditional breakfast items is awe-inspiring, and an opportunity to taste some of their famous foods.
A traditional Japanese breakfast is well-balanced, containing all the necessary nutrients to fuel one’s body.
Besides having a main dish, several side dishes are available for those with an adventurous spirit to sample.
List Of The 9 Best Japanese Hotel Breakfasts
Although some hotels have western breakfast options, a traditional Japanese breakfast buffet will give you the energy to tackle the day.
Whether you stay at a Ryokan, local or international hotel, most of them provide a wide variety of traditional Japanese cuisine for breakfast.
Take a chance and experience the nine delicious and unusual breakfast items on Japanese hotels’ menus below.
1. Natto
Natto is a protein-filled meal that consists of fermented soybeans. Usually served with rice, this breakfast meal is fragrant and fibrous.
However, you may have to eat it a few times to get used to its taste. Despite Natto’s sticky and unpleasant smell, it is a healthy meal that is good for one’s health.
The main ingredients in Natto for breakfast are:
- Cooked and fermented soybeans
- Karachi, spiced mustard
- Kizami Nori, seasoned sea weed
- Dry bonito shavings
- Green onions
Some hotels use different ingredients to enhance the flavor and include fresh produce.
Alternatively, you can buy traditional ready-to-eat Natto in any Japanese store.
2. Otsukemono
Otsukemono is a variety of pickled vegetables such as cucumbers, eggplant, radishes, and turnips.
To prepare this dish, hotels ferment the vegetables in a pickling liquid, either vinegar or salt, for a particular period. They also use bacteria, such as Koji mold or bran, to ferment the vegetables.
For breakfast, you will eat Otsukemono with rice as it helps absorb the intense flavor.
However, the taste will depend on the pickling fluid used. Once you taste this meal, you will finish a whole bowl in record time.
3. Gohan
Steamed rice, whether white or brown, is the main dish for a traditional Japanese breakfast.
Hotels then serve protein-rich side dishes as accompaniments. Vegetables are also available as salads.
A simple rice meal breakfast, for example, includes:
- White or brown rice. One can have it chilled.
- Chopped green onions.
- Eggs. Cooked to one’s preference.
- Sliced avocado.
- Soy sauce. You can use sesame sauce to enhance the flavor
Rice goes with almost everything, so try different accompaniments to find what you like.
4. Dorayaki
Dorayaki is the perfect mix of sweet and sour for those who prefer pastries for breakfast.
It is two Japanese-style honey pancakes with a red bean paste center.
Although most people eat it as a snack, it also makes a satisfying breakfast accompaniment with tea.
Some hotels use different fillings such as custard, peanut butter, or jelly, especially for foreigners who still want a taste of home.
Consider dipping it in syrup for extra sweetness. It is the perfect breakfast snack for picky eaters, especially children.
5. Yakizakana
Yakizakana is well-grilled fish commonly eaten with rice for breakfast.
Hotels and restaurants use readily available fish to make this meal.
Some of the fish varieties you will find are:
- Salmon
- Mackerel
- Saury
- Horse mackerel
- Atka mackerel
You can also cook Yakizakana at home using a simple recipe.
Sprinkle salt onto your open fresh fish of choice and grill it until it browns. One can also enhance the flavor of the fish by pouring Sake over the meat and rice.
6. Tamagoyaki
If you crave an omelet, the Japanese kind, Tamagoyaki, is the best choice.
Unlike the western-style omelet that mixes eggs with meat, vegetables, and cheese, Tamagoyaki has soy sauce, mirin, and dashi.
Hotels serve the soft eggs in clean rectangles, which do not require extra sauce.
They also add some sugar to reduce the tanginess of the soy sauce, making it an omelet you will love to try.
7. Miso Shiru
Another standard traditional Japanese breakfast food item is Miso Shiru soup.
It contains nutritional benefits for good gut health.
To make this savory soup, one must boil various raw ingredients and dissolve miso paste in the hot mixture.
The common elements of Miso soup are wakame seaweed and tofu.
Other recipes also use:
- Mushrooms
- Dashi stock
- Scallions
- Deep-fried tofu
- Eggplant
- The red, yellow, or white miso paste
The rich soup is a warm delicacy that is a typical breakfast meal all year round.It will warm you up in cold weather; you can eat it with any starchy accompaniment.
Although the Japanese prefer it bland, to improve the taste, you can add onions.
8. Okayu
Another unusual yet tasty Japanese breakfast choice is Okayu, a delicious rice porridge.
You can eat it like a pudding with any accompaniment, including fish, pickled vegetables, and seaweed.
However, if you do not like the toppings or bland rice taste, you can add some vanilla or cinnamon to sweeten it.
Due to its flat rice base, it is the best breakfast option for anyone with a sensitive stomach early in the morning.
9. Ohitashi
Ohitashi is a vegetable breakfast food that consists of dipping boiled vegetables in a seasoning mixture of soy sauce and dashi stock.
The common vegetables for this dish are Komatsuna and spinach.
It is the perfect healthy breakfast dish with plenty of iron for your body.
For a healthier lifestyle, ensure you eat vegetables as part of your balanced diet whenever you have breakfast.
Conclusion
Look out for hotels that serve traditional Japanese breakfasts whenever you are in Japan.
There is always something new to try, as the idea of what a breakfast meal should look like doesn’t exist in Japan.
We recommend you try Dorayaki for those with a sweet tooth early in the morning or Miso Shiru soup to warm you up on a cold day.
Whichever item you choose, it will be a delicious and comforting breakfast.
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