For a nutritionally balanced and wholesome start to your day, during your trip to Japan, choose to eat a Japanese breakfast! This article goes into detail on what makes a Japanese breakfast and gives examples on how to enjoy it at accommodations like hotels. Additionally, discover some of the finest restaurants in Tokyo offering delightful Japanese breakfast options.
Start Your Mornings in Japan With a Japanese Breakfast!
Many hotels in Japan offer a choice between Japanese and Western breakfasts. If you're unsure which to pick, why not seize this opportunity to savor a Japanese breakfast experience?
A Japanese breakfast consists of dishes commonly enjoyed at a Japanese home, such as simmered dishes, grilled fish, rolled omelets, miso soup, white rice, pickles, and more. While the allure of a full-course Japanese feast is tempting, simple Japanese fare tastes even better to a freshly awakened body.
Although these dishes are staples at home, they are often expertly prepared by professional chefs at restaurants. You’re sure to fall in love with the taste of dishes like beautifully rich miso soup and perfectly grilled fish.
What Are the Fundamentals of a Japanese Breakfast?
The basic format for Japanese food is ichiju sansai, which combines rice as the staple food with a soup and three side dishes. A traditional Japanese breakfast is typically prepared in this style.
This style of Japanese meal provides a well-balanced mix of the five major nutrients (carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, and minerals). It supplies the body with all the energy you need, keeping it in good shape—an ideal breakfast choice during any kind of travel, which is when fatigue can easily slip in!
Embark on a Breakfast Adventure! Restaurants Known For Their Breakfasts
Ginza Inaba (Shinbashi / Japanese Cuisine)
Masanobu Inaba, the owner of Ginza Inaba, served as the executive chef at Amanem, a luxury resort in Ise-Shima, Mie Prefecture, that was awarded five stars by a renowned guidebook in 2016. His breakfast earned a spot in "The Best Hotel Breakfasts in the World,” according to the American magazine BRIDES.
Inaba's quest for genuine culinary luxury in the modern age inspired the creation of the [breakfast] (8,800 JPY), drawing inspiration from Zen Buddhist meals. The breakfast is simple yet hearty and gentle on the body, featuring a special juice to invigorate the body, tofu dishes, egg dishes with rich dashi, carefully selected meats or fish grilled over charcoal, and rice freshly cooked in an earthenware pot.
The restaurant's exterior, fashioned in the likeness of Tokyo’s iconic Imperial Palace, exudes a sense of luxury and tradition.
There are private rooms accommodating up to eight people, along with counter seating, which is highly recommended. The counter has just eight seats, all positioned right in front of the chef, beyond which is the restaurant’s one-of-a-kind okudo-san (traditional stove). The steam rising from the stove is sure to whet your appetite.
Upon entering, you'll notice the words “yuzu umuge” inscribed on a large pillar, which translates to “free and spontaneous, unrestrained in thought and action.” True to this motto, the restaurant presents a succession of dishes that break free from conventional wisdom, such as a small hotpot dinner with shark's fin, a classic Chinese dish, all while staying rooted in the tradition of Japanese cuisine.
Ginza Inaba
Closed: Irregular
Average price: [Dinner] 40,000 JPY
Access: 5 minutes walk from the Shimbashi Station on the Tokyo Metro Ginza Line.
Address: 8-12-15, Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo Map
More Details Reservation
Hotel's (Omotesando / Italian)
The star of the [Ideal Morning Set Meal] is the grilled salmon, which is carefully cooked to make the skin fragrant and the meat plump and juicy, while the side dish, nikujaga (meat, potatoes, and onions stewed in soy sauce), boasts lavish wagyu beef fillet. The set meals also include rice cooked fresh as you arrive, tonjiru (pork soup) with the subtle addition of white miso, and various small appetizers that change each day. While these are typical meals for Japanese people, the chef's talent transforms them into something spectacular.
The restaurant is located in Nonoaoyama, a commercial complex spanning approximately 3,500 m² containing greenery, stores, and restaurants. It is the latest gem in Tokyo's Omotesando district, which is known for its cutting-edge fashion and dining, and is a popular spot to unwind. Be sure to walk around and check out the shops after your breakfast!
Hotel's
Closed: Monday
Average price: [Dinner] 20,000 JPY / [Lunch] 10,000 JPY
Access: 7-minute walk from Omotesando Station Exit A3 (279m from Omotesando Station)
Address: 2F, Nonoaoyama Minkatsuto, 3-4-3, Kita-aoyama, Minato-ku, Tokyo Map
More Details Reservation
![[2023 Edition] What Is the Difference Between Kappo and Ryotei? A Look Into the Deep World of Japanese Cuisine](/gg/content_image/tn0013_001_150x105z.jpg)
