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Japanese Grocery & Comfort Foods I Buy in the U.S. 🇯🇵
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items I’m Japanese and grew up in Tokyo, and these are Japanese grocery staples I buy while living in the U.S. I keep many of these items in my kitchen for everyday Japanese cooking.
Sections
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Japanese Pantry Staples
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Quick & Easy Meals
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Flavor Boosters
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Japanese Tea & Drinks
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Japanese Snacks & Treats
Japanese Pantry Staples
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I always use Japanese soy sauce because the flavor is deeper and more balanced than regular ones.
Kikkoman Soy Sauce 1000 ml
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Shiro dashi is one of my favorite shortcuts for Japanese cooking. It gives a light, clean umami flavor perfect for soups, eggs, and vegetables.
Kikkoman Kaori Shiro Dashi - Soup and Sauce Base for Hot or Cold Noodles
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I always keep mentsuyu at home because it makes cooking so much easier.
I use it for noodles, rice bowls, and even simple stir-fries.
Kikkoman® HonTsuyu Soup Base 33 fl.oz 1000 ml
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I keep miso paste in my refrigerator because it’s easy to make a quick miso soup. Just add hot water, tofu, and green onions for a simple Japanese soup.
Japanese Organic Miso Paste
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’This is the type of rice I usually buy. I grew up eating Koshihikari rice in Japan, and I still prefer it because it has the soft, slightly sticky texture that works perfectly for Japanese meals.
Koshihikari Japanese Rice
Quick & Easy Meals
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I keep Japanese udon noodles in my pantry because they are quick and easy to cook. They are perfect for simple noodle soups.
Japanese Udon Noodles
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I like keeping Japanese soba noodles at home because they are quick and easy to prepare. Soba is made from buckwheat and has a light, slightly nutty flavor.
Sometimes I eat it cold with dipping sauce, and other times I make a simple warm soba soup. ...
Japanese Soba Buckwheat Noodles
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I keep Japanese curry roux at home because it’s one of the easiest comfort meals to make. I usually cook it with onions, potatoes, carrots, and meat and serve it over rice.
Japanese Curry Roux
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Hayashi rice is another easy Japanese comfort meal I make at home. I usually cook sliced beef and onions, then add the roux to make a rich sauce to serve over rice.
Japanese Hayashi Rice Roux
Flavor Boosters
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I often sprinkle furikake over warm rice. It’s a simple seasoning that instantly adds flavor and reminds me of meals growing up in Japan.
Japanese Furikake rice seasoning combo
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I like keeping Japanese mayonnaise in my kitchen because it has a richer flavor than regular mayonnaise. I use it for sandwiches, salads, and sometimes Japanese dishes.
Kewpie Japanese Mayonnaise
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I like using Japanese sesame dressing for salads. It has a creamy, nutty flavor that works very well with vegetables.
Kewpie Japanese Deep-Roasted Sesame Dressing
Japanese Tea & Drinks
If you live in the U.S. and want easy access to Japanese groceries, Weee! is one of the easiest places to order online. These are some of the Japanese foods I usually buy.
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I keep matcha powder at home because it’s very versatile. I use it to make warm matcha lattes, iced matcha drinks, and sometimes add it to smoothies or baking. It’s an easy way for me to enjoy authentic Japanese green tea flavor while living in the U...
Japanese Matcha Powder for Lattes, Smoothies & Baking
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Genmaicha is green tea blended with roasted brown rice. I really enjoy the slightly nutty and toasty flavor. It’s a simple tea I like to drink at home because it feels comforting and reminds me of everyday tea in Japan.
Japanese Genmaicha Green Tea with Roasted Rice ...
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Hojicha is one of my favorite Japanese teas. It has a warm roasted flavor and very little bitterness, so it’s easy to drink any time of the day. I like having hojicha at home because it’s comforting and relaxing, especially in the evening.
Japanese Hojicha Roasted Green Tea I Drink Regularly
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I drink Japanese green tea regularly at home. It’s a light and refreshing drink that I often have during the day or after meals.
Japanese green tea - Premium Shizuoka Sencha
Japanese Snacks & Treats
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I love Japanese rice crackers like these. They are light, crispy, and have a savory umami flavor from seaweed and seafood. I sometimes keep snacks like this at home when I want something small with tea.
Japanese crackers like this are a very common ...
Japanese Sea urchin and Seaweed Tempura Crackers
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I sometimes buy mochi as a sweet treat. The chewy texture and mild sweetness make it a very popular dessert in Japan.
Daifuku Mochi - Japanese Kurogoma Red Bean Cake