We wanted to make a list of our pantry necessities because it’s the foundation of all of our recipes. By having these essentials, you can cook most Japanese dishes at home!

Our recommendation is to buy the Japanese products that are produced in Japan or locally (or both if you can buy it from your local Asian groceries).Don’t stress if you can’t find all of them, you can always make substitutions!

Must haves for Japanese dishes:

• Soy Sauce
• Mirin (Japanese Sweet Vinegar)
• Sake (Cooking sake)
• Ajinomoto (MSG)
• Dashi (Ajinomoto bonito)
• Miso
• Japanese Mayo (e.g. Kewpie)

Other extra, but must haves:

• Bonito flakes
• Toasted sesame oil
• Toasted sesame
• Mentsuyu (homemade, recipe found here)
• Soba noodles
• Seaweeds of all kinds
• Curry roux
• Instant miso soups
• Nabe cubes (hotpot broth)