So many similar bottles—and that is part of the fun.
The seasoning aisle is where a Japanese supermarket can suddenly feel much more difficult.
Rows of bottles contain liquids in almost the same shade of brown. The labels say things like tsuyu, dashi, ponzu, and shirodashi. You may recognize some of the words and still have no idea what to buy.
But this aisle is also a collection of everyday Japanese flavors.
The broth from the noodles you had for lunch. The citrusy sauce served with tofu. The slightly sweet, glossy flavor of something in a bento. Many of the tastes you encounter during your trip are sitting here in ordinary bottles and little tubes.
You do not need to understand everything on the shelf. Start with a few seasonings you are likely to see again and again.
Dashi is a flavor you have probably already tasted
Dashi can be difficult to describe if you do not already know what you are looking for.
But if you have been eating in Japan, you have probably tasted it many times.
It is behind the flavor of miso soup, udon, soba, simmered vegetables, and chawanmushi. It does not always announce itself. It simply helps everything taste more complete.
Dashi can be made with kombu, dried bonito, dried sardines, shiitake mushrooms, or a combination of ingredients. Each one brings a slightly different flavor.
At the supermarket, you will find dashi as powder, liquid concentrate, and tea-bag-style packets. You do not need to make a complicated traditional meal to use it. It can be added to a simple soup, noodles, or vegetables.
Dashi packets are also light and easier to pack than a bottle, making them a practical item to take home. Just check the ingredients carefully, as some products contain fish, wheat, soy, or other ingredients you may need to avoid.
There is more than soy sauce next to the soy sauce
Soy sauce is easy to recognize. The bottles standing beside it may look very similar, but some of them are even easier to use while traveling.
Ponzu
Ponzu is a refreshing, citrusy, soy-based sauce.
It is commonly used with hot pot, but it also works with tofu, salad, meat, fish, and vegetables.
A small bottle of ponzu is one of the easiest seasonings to try during your trip. Pour a little over chilled tofu or supermarket chicken, and you already have something different to eat at the hotel.
Mentsuyu
Mentsuyu is a concentrated soup base made for noodles such as soba, udon, and somen.
In Japanese homes, it is also used as a shortcut for simmered dishes, rice bowls, soups, and sauces. One bottle can do much more than its name suggests.
The important thing to check is the concentration.
Some products can be used directly. Others need to be diluted two, three, or four times. If you see a large number on the label, it is worth checking before you pour.
Otherwise, your first taste may be much stronger than expected.
Shirodashi
Shirodashi looks gentle because of its pale color.
That does not mean the flavor—or the salt level—is gentle. It is usually concentrated, and a small amount can be enough.
It is used when people want to add dashi flavor without making the dish dark, including soups, udon broth, chawanmushi, and lightly colored simmered dishes.
Mentsuyu and shirodashi can seem confusingly similar at first. You do not need to master the difference immediately. Finding both bottles on the shelf is already a small supermarket discovery.
Mirin and cooking sake are similar-looking bottles with different jobs
Mirin and cooking sake are usually placed close together, often in very similar bottles.
At first, it is not obvious why a kitchen would need both.
Mirin brings gentle sweetness and a glossy finish. It is part of what gives teriyaki-style dishes their slightly sweet flavor and shine.
Cooking sake has a different role. It adds sake flavor and is often used with meat or fish to soften strong aromas.
If you are not planning to cook during your trip, you probably do not need to buy either one. Still, knowing the difference makes Japanese recipes—and the supermarket shelf—a little easier to understand.
Both may contain alcohol, and some cooking sake products contain added salt. Mirin-style seasonings with little or no alcohol are also available. If this matters to you, check the label rather than relying only on the name.
Even Japanese shoppers sometimes pause in front of the miso
Choosing miso is not always as simple as finding one package with the word miso on it.
There are pale varieties, red varieties, and plenty in between. Labels may mention rice, barley, soybeans, or a blend. Different regions also have their own familiar styles.
Paler miso is often milder or sweeter, while darker miso may have a deeper and saltier flavor. But these are only general clues. Every product is a little different.
There is no single correct choice.
Trying an unfamiliar miso can be a small way to experience the everyday flavor of the area you are visiting.
A large tub is not the most convenient thing to carry around, so individually packed instant miso soup may be a better place to start. Variety packs are especially useful if you want to compare several flavors.
Small but interesting
Small seasonings worth trying
Not every interesting seasoning comes in a large bottle. Some of the easiest things to try—and take home—are found in small tubes, packets, and jars.
Yuzu kosho
Yuzu kosho is a concentrated paste made with yuzu peel, chili, and salt.
It is bright, fragrant, salty, and often hotter than it looks. Start with a very small amount.
Try it with grilled chicken, fish, hot pot, noodles, or soup. A tiny tube is enough to change the flavor of several meals.
Furikake
Furikake is a dry seasoning sprinkled over rice.
Supermarkets carry an enormous range of flavors, including seaweed, sesame, egg, shiso, bonito, salmon, and spicy varieties. Choosing one can be as much fun as using it.
The small packets are easy to try and easy to pack. Ingredients vary widely, though, especially when it comes to fish, seafood, egg, sesame, and dairy.
Shichimi togarashi
Shichimi is a Japanese spice blend often used with noodles, soups, grilled food, and rice dishes.
It brings more than heat. Depending on the blend, it may include citrus peel, sesame, sansho pepper, seaweed, and other aromatic ingredients.
The containers are usually small, so it is an easy item to slip into your luggage.
Sesame dressing
Japanese sesame dressing is creamy, nutty, and usually a little sweet.
It is mainly sold as a salad dressing, but it is also good with chilled tofu, steamed vegetables, noodles, and prepared meat.
It may not look like the most unusual product on the shelf, but it is one of the easiest to use immediately.
Try it during your trip
You do not need a kitchen
A few easy hotel combinations are:
- Chilled tofu with ponzu
- A supermarket salad with sesame dressing
- Plain rice or an onigiri with extra furikake
- Prepared chicken or fish with a tiny amount of yuzu kosho
- Instant miso soup made according to the package instructions
This is also where the difference between a supermarket and a convenience store becomes more noticeable.
Convenience stores are excellent when you want one complete meal immediately. Supermarkets usually give you more choice: several kinds of tofu, larger seasoning sections, regional products, and more ingredients you can combine yourself.
What is easy to take home
A large glass bottle may look tempting on the shelf, but it is not always the easiest souvenir.
Packets, tubes, dry seasonings, dashi bags, and individual soup portions are lighter and easier to pack. They also let you try several flavors without committing to a full-size product.
Easy places to start include:
- Dashi packets
- Furikake
- Shichimi
- A small tube of yuzu kosho
- Instant miso soup
- Small bottles of ponzu or mentsuyu
Before packing food: Check the ingredients and storage instructions before buying. Airline rules for liquids and customs restrictions also vary, especially for products containing meat, fish, or fresh ingredients.
You do not need to understand every bottle
The seasoning aisle becomes easier once you recognize a few basic roles.
Dashi builds the foundation. Soy sauce adds saltiness and depth. Mirin brings sweetness and shine. Cooking sake supports the dish in a different way. Ponzu adds citrus and acidity. Mentsuyu and shirodashi make everyday cooking faster. Miso has an entire world of flavors of its own.
Everything else can remain a mystery for a little longer.
Finding something you cannot immediately identify does not mean you have failed to understand Japan.
It is part of the fun of exploring an ordinary supermarket in a place you are still getting to know.