I walked down every aisle at my local Japanese grocery store to help prepare the ultimate guide for stocking a Japanese pantry. You can watch the extended cut of that video right here on Patreon or dive into the written guide below.

PRODUCE

Daikon Radish — 大根 (daikon) — Essential

Daikon is a large white Japanese radish with a mild flavor and crisp, juicy texture. Eat it raw, pickle it, or simmer thick pieces in dashi, mirin, and soy sauce, where it becomes tender and absorbs the broth. Grated daikon is a common condiment for tempura, noodles, grilled fish, and other rich foods.

Potential Substitutes: Korean radish works well for cooking and pickling. Other mild radishes can work raw, though the texture and flavor will differ.

Scallions — ねぎ (negi) — Essential

Scallions show up constantly as both an aromatic and a garnish, particularly in dishes that came into Japan from China, such as ramen or gyoza. You’ll use them in soups, yakitori, donburi, on tofu, in fried rice, in hot pots, and as a garnish.

They're inexpensive and easy to find, and they'll cover most of your Japanese green-onion needs.

Potential Substitutes: Tokyo negi or other tender green onions.

Yellow Onions — 玉ねぎ (tamanegi) — Essential

Regular yellow onions are staples of Japanese home cooking, particularly in dishes influenced by Western cooking. They're essential for Japanese curry and common in donburi, nikujaga, hamburg steak, and other simmered meat and vegetable dishes.

Potential Substitutes: White or sweet onions.

Ginger — 生姜 (shōga) — Essential

Fresh ginger is a fundamental aromatic in Japanese cooking, used both as a seasoning and as a garnish. You'll find it grated or finely chopped in gyoza, marinades, simmered dishes, and sauces, or freshly grated alongside tofu, noodles, and grilled foods. I generally smash, chop, microplane, or pound ginger as needed rather than using a specialized ginger grater.

Potential Substitutes: Frozen grated ginger works well in many cooked dishes. Ground dried ginger has a very different flavor and isn't a good general substitute for fresh.

Japanese Cucumbers — きゅうり (kyūri) — Nice to Have

Japanese cucumbers are slender, thin-skinned, and relatively low in seeds, with dense flesh and a particularly crisp texture. They're excellent raw, lightly brined, pickled, or used in vinegar-dressed salads.

Potential Substitutes: Persian cucumbers are excellent. English cucumbers also work.

Japanese Eggplant — 茄子 (nasu) — Nice to Have

Japanese eggplants are smaller than typical Italian globe eggplants, with tender skin, relatively few seeds, and flesh that readily absorbs sauces and marinades. They're especially good grilled with miso, but also work well fried, simmered, pickled, or fried as tempura. I also like to use them in Italian dishes like eggplant parm, or Chinese dishes like Yu Xiang Qie Zi (Hot and Sour Eggplant)

Look for eggplants that feel heavy, with taut, shiny skin; soft or wrinkled ones have generally been sitting around and losing moisture.

Potential Substitutes: Chinese eggplant is the closest substitute. Small Italian eggplants also work.

Shiso — 紫蘇 (shiso) — Nice to Have

Shiso is a distinctive aromatic herb that's particularly good with sushi and sashimi, especially richer fish. Green shiso is commonly eaten fresh, while purple shiso is also used to flavor and color pickles and umeboshi. It can also be fun anywhere you might otherwise reach for an aromatic herb like mint or basil.

Potential Substitutes: There isn't a direct substitute. Mint or basil can sometimes fill a similar aromatic role but won't taste like shiso.

Japanese Mushrooms — きのこ (kinoko) — Nice to Have

Japanese markets are particularly good sources for shiitake, enoki, shimeji, king oyster, maitake, and seasonal mushrooms. Use them in soups and hot pots, cook them with rice, grill or stir-fry them, or fry them as tempura.

Potential Substitutes: Most mushroom varieties can substitute for one another when the specific flavor or texture isn't critical.

Kabocha Squash — 南瓜 (kabocha) — Nice to Have

Kabocha is a dense, sweet Japanese winter squash with relatively dry, starchy flesh. My kids love it, and I love it because unlike most hard squashes, this one has thin, edible skin making prep really simple. It's commonly simmered in seasoned dashi, fried as tempura, or roasted and grilled. Its sweetness works particularly well with salty, savory Japanese seasonings.

Potential Substitutes: Buttercup squash is very similar. Butternut or acorn squash will work but are wetter and have different textures.

Shishito Peppers — 獅子唐辛子 (shishitōgarashi) — Nice to Have

Shishitos are thin-skinned Japanese green peppers with a generally mild flavor, though the occasional pepper can be surprisingly hot. They're excellent blistered in a hot pan or over a grill with a little salt, and they're also a classic vegetable for tempura. They are quite common in Western supermarkets these days.

Potential Substitutes: Padrón peppers are very similar. Other thin-skinned mild green chiles can work for grilling or frying.

Japanese Mountain Yam — 長芋 (nagaimo) — Extra Credit

Nagaimo is a long Japanese yam with crisp, juicy flesh when raw that becomes slippery slimy when grated. Grated nagaimo, called tororo, is eaten stirred into rice or noodles to give them a light, almost foamy texture. The yam is also used as a binder and textural ingredient in dishes like okonomiyaki.

Potential Substitutes: There isn't really a substitute I can think of.

Tokyo Negi — 東京ねぎ (Tōkyō negi) — Extra Credit

Tokyo negi fall somewhere between scallions and leeks in both flavor and texture. Slice them very thin for ramen and other noodle dishes, or cut them into sections and grill them alongside yakitori.

They're delicious, but regular scallions will get you through most Japanese recipes.

Potential Substitutes: Scallions; leeks work well in cooked preparations.

Garlic Chives — ニラ (nira) — Extra Credit

Nira are flat garlic chives with a mild garlicky aroma and sweet, grassy onion flavor. They're excellent stir-fried, cooked into omelets, added to soups, or chopped into gyoza filling.

Potential Substitutes: Chinese garlic chives are essentially the same ingredient. Otherwise, use scallions with a little garlic for cooked applications.

Mitsuba — 三つ葉 (mitsuba) — Extra Credit

Mitsuba is a delicate Japanese herb sometimes called Japanese parsley, though its flavor is quite different. It's most commonly used as an aromatic garnish in clear soups, chawanmushi, donburi, and other delicate dishes.

Potential Substitutes: There isn't a direct substitute. Celery leaves are perhaps the closest I can think of flavorwise.

Myoga — 茗荷 (myōga) — Extra Credit

Myoga are young ginger flower buds with a mild gingery aroma, much less bite than mature ginger, and a crisp texture. Slice them thin as a garnish for bonito, tofu, noodles, and other simple dishes, or pickle them.

Potential Substitutes: There's no direct substitute. Finely julienned young ginger can provide a similar aromatic effect but will be sharper.

Burdock Root — 牛蒡 (gobō) — Extra Credit

Gobo is a long root with a distinctive earthy flavor and firm, crisp-tender texture. It can be simmered, stir-fried, pickled, or added to soups and rice dishes; one of the most common preparations is kinpira gobo, where it's cut into thin strips and stir-fried with a sweet-savory soy-based seasoning.

Potential Substitutes: There isn't a good direct substitute. Lotus root or another crunchy root can sometimes fill a similar textural role.

Ginkgo Nuts — 銀杏 (ginnan) — Extra Credit

Ginkgo nuts have a firm, slightly chewy texture and a distinctive, mildly bitter flavor. One of their classic uses is in chawanmushi, though they can also be cooked and eaten as a snack. My mother used to harvest them from Central Park. You can always find a fruiting female ginkgo tree by following its distinctive aroma—an unpleasant combination of dog vomit and feces. Use gloves when harvesting fruit, removing the nuts, and washing them. Once they're clean, you can use bare hands.

Potential Substitutes: Usually best omitted when unavailable. Boiled peanuts or cashews have a similar sort of texture.

Fresh Wasabi — 生わさび (nama wasabi) — Extra Credit

There's a good chance you've never tried true wasabi root. The vast majority of restaurants—both in Japan and abroad—use a wasabi-flavored horseradish substitute that bears some resemblance to the real thing, but is far harsher. True wasabi is sweeter, more complex, and generally less aggressively hot than the familiar green paste. Traditionally it's finely ground on a sharkskin grater immediately before serving with sushi, sashimi, soba, and other simple foods where its flavor can come through.

It's difficult to cultivate and extremely expensive—the roots we found during this trip were $299.99 per pound—so this is very much an optional luxury.

Potential Substitutes: Powdered or prepared wasabi is the practical substitute and what most restaurants use.

MISO, TOFU, AND REFRIGERATED FOODS

Miso — 味噌 (miso) — Essential

Miso is fermented soybean paste and, other than soy sauce, probably the most essential Japanese seasoning. Use it for miso soup, broths, dressings, dips, marinades, and glazes for things like miso-glazed eggplant.

There are dozens of varieties, but I'd start with an all-purpose miso in the yellow to light brown range. As a general rule, darker misos are stronger in flavor, but most everyday misos can substitute for one another and the differences come largely down to a matter of taste or regionality.

Avoid miso pastes that have dashi already added to them (dashi miso), as these are designed to be an all-in-one miso soup base rather than a staple ingredient.

Potential Substitutes: Most everyday misos can substitute for one another, though sweetness, saltiness, and intensity vary. There's no good non-miso substitute when miso is a primary flavor.

Silken Tofu — 絹ごし豆腐 (kinugoshi-dōfu) — Essential

For Japanese cooking, I generally keep silken-style tofu around, either soft or firm. Unlike cottony tofu, which is made by forming and pressing curds, silken tofu coagulates into a smooth, homogeneous block, giving it that characteristic texture that shears rather than crumbles.

Use it in miso soup, hot pots, beef and tofu stew, or simply serve it cold with soy sauce, scallions, ginger, and bonito flakes. It's also the tofu used for yudofu, where it's gently heated in kombu-infused water. I often buy shelf-stable aseptic packages so I can always have some around.

Potential Substitutes: Another tofu of similar firmness. Cottony or pressed tofu works in some dishes but has a substantially different texture.

Thinly Sliced Beef — 牛薄切り肉 (gyū usugiri-niku) — Nice to Have

Japanese markets sell beef sliced much thinner than you'll typically find at a Western supermarket, with different cuts and thicknesses intended for dishes like sukiyaki and shabu-shabu. I usually buy the less expensive, well-marbled cuts like chuck rather than splurging on premium beef; they're great in hot pots, udon, gyudon, or beef and tofu stew.

(Psst... they're also great for cheesesteaks or bulgogi hoagies)

Potential Substitutes: Partially freeze a well-marbled piece of beef until firm, then slice it as thinly as possible across the grain.

Umeboshi — 梅干し (umeboshi) — Essential

Umeboshi are intensely salty, sour preserved Japanese plums, commonly colored and flavored with red shiso. Put one on hot rice, tuck one inside an onigiri, or mash the flesh into sauces and dressings. They're potent, keep extremely well, and I always have some in the refrigerator. (Be careful: They have pits!)

Potential Substitutes: Ume paste works when you don't need the whole fruit. Nothing else really duplicates their salty, sour, fruity flavor, though sumac mixed with some chopped basil comes close when mixed with rice.

Japanese Pickles — 漬物 (tsukemono) — Essential

I virtually always have some kind of Japanese pickle in my refrigerator: cucumber, eggplant, daikon, or shiso-flavored pickles, as well as the red mixed pickles commonly served with curry rice (fukujinzuke, see below). They're one of the easiest ways to round out a Japanese meal—if I've got some fish and a vegetable and need one more thing, the answer is very often rice and pickles.

Potential Substitutes: This is a category rather than a specific pickle, so buy and substitute according to what you like.

Fukujinzuke — 福神漬け (fukujinzuke) — Nice to Have

Fukujinzuke is a sweet, salty, crunchy Japanese pickle made from finely chopped vegetables, commonly including daikon, eggplant, lotus root, and cucumber. The most familiar use is alongside Japanese curry, where its acidity, sweetness, and crunch balance the rich curry sauce.

Potential Substitutes: Other crunchy Japanese pickles work well alongside curry, though they won't have the same sweet-savory flavor.

Saikyo Miso — 西京味噌 (Saikyō miso) — Nice to Have

Saikyo miso is a pale, distinctly sweet miso that's different enough from everyday brown or red miso to be worth keeping separately. It's especially useful for sweet-savory marinades and glazes, including miso-marinated black cod and miso-glazed eggplant.

Potential Substitutes: Yellow miso thinned with a touch of water and sweetened with sugar can do in a pinch.

Fried Tofu Pouches — 油揚げ (aburaage) — Nice to Have

Aburaage is thin tofu that's been deep-fried until light and slightly chewy, with a porous texture that readily absorbs broth and seasoning. You can find it plain, or marinated in a sweet soy marinade. Slice it into miso soup, simmered dishes, or mixed rice, or top your noodles with it to make kitsune udon; seasoned aburaage pouches are also what you use to make inari sushi (sushi rice stuffed into a fried tofu pouch).

Aburaage freezes well, so it's easy to keep a package around and pull out a few pieces as needed.

Potential Substitutes: Other fried tofu can work in soups and simmered dishes. There's no good substitute when you specifically need the thin pouches for inari sushi.

Yakisoba Noodles — 焼きそば麺 (yakisoba men) — Nice to Have

Yakisoba noodles are Chinese-style wheat noodles used for Japanese stir-fried yakisoba. They're typically sold refrigerated or frozen and are already steamed or partially cooked, so dinner is as simple as stir-frying the noodles with meat and vegetables and seasoning with yakisoba sauce.

Potential Substitutes: Fresh ramen or other alkaline wheat noodles work well. In a pinch, dried ramen noodles can be boiled, drained, and stir-fried.

Sushi Ginger — ガリ (gari) — Nice to Have

Gari is thinly sliced young ginger pickled in a sweetened vinegar brine. It's the familiar pale pink or yellow ginger served alongside sushi, where its sweet, sharp flavor works as a palate cleanser between different pieces of fish. (Please don't put it in your soy sauce.)

Potential Substitutes: Homemade sweet pickled young ginger. Other pickled ginger styles tend to be saltier and more assertive.

Red Pickled Ginger — 紅生姜 (beni shōga) — Extra Credit

Beni shoga is finely shredded ginger pickled in the red ume vinegar left from making umeboshi. It's sharper, saltier, and less sweet than sushi ginger, and is commonly used as a garnish for dishes like gyudon, yakisoba, okonomiyaki, and Japanese curry.

Potential Substitutes: Other pickled ginger can provide acidity and ginger flavor, but gari is substantially sweeter and isn't a direct substitute.

Konnyaku/Shirataki — 蒟蒻 (konnyaku)/しらたき(shirataki) — Extra Credit

Konnyaku is a firm, springy product made from konjac yam with very little flavor of its own, which makes it great at picking up the flavors of whatever it's cooked with. You'll find it sold in blocks as well as noodles called shirataki. I generally blanch or rinse it before using to remove the slightly funky aroma it can have straight from the package.

It's especially common in simmered dishes, hot pots, oden, and sukiyaki, where its pleasantly bouncy texture provides contrast to softer vegetables and meats. I love it in shirataki form in cold noodle dishes.

Potential Substitutes: There isn't a direct substitute for konnyaku's texture. Shirataki works when the shape isn't important; otherwise it's generally better to omit it than substitute something unrelated.

Natto — 納豆 (nattō) — Extra Credit

Natto is fermented soybeans with a strong flavor and famously sticky, stringy texture. It's typically stirred vigorously and eaten over hot rice with soy sauce and often mustard, scallions, or egg.

I like it, and individual packages keep well in the freezer, but it's definitely a love-it-or-hate-it ingredient.

Potential Substitutes: None. Natto is its own thing.

Shio Koji — 塩麹 (shio kōji) — Extra Credit

Shio koji is rice inoculated with the same fungus responsible for fermenting foods like miso and soy sauce (Aspergillus oryzae), then fermented with salt and water. It adds savory flavor to marinades and dressings, while its enzymes can also tenderize meat and fish in overnight marinades or rubs. It comes in liquid, paste, or dried form (usually on the rice grains it was inoculated on).

It's versatile and fun to play with, but not necessary for a basic Japanese pantry.

Potential Substitutes: It depends on the application. Miso or sake and salt can provide some similar seasoning, but won't duplicate shio koji's enzymatic effects.

FROZEN FISH AND OTHER FROZEN STAPLES

Frozen Udon — 冷凍うどん (reitō udon) — Essential

Frozen udon is one of my favorite Japanese convenience foods and something I almost always have in the freezer. The thick wheat noodles have an excellent chewy texture and cook in just a few minutes; combine them with concentrated soup base and sliced scallions and dinner is basically done.

Use them for hot noodle soups, cold udon, yaki udon, or hot pots.

Potential Substitutes: Fresh or dried udon, though frozen generally has the best combination of convenience and chewy texture.

Fresh or Frozen Ramen Noodles — ラーメン (rāmen) — Essential

Good fresh ramen noodles are much easier to find at Japanese supermarkets than they used to be, and many are frozen immediately after production so they retain a texture much closer to fresh noodles. They're a real upgrade when you're making ramen at home.

Look for alkaline wheat noodles appropriate to the style of ramen you're making; thickness, shape, and hydration can vary quite a bit.

Potential Substitutes: Other fresh alkaline wheat noodles. Dried or instant ramen works when appropriate but has a substantially different texture.

Gyoza Wrappers — 餃子の皮 (gyōza no kawa) — Essential

You can make dumpling wrappers from scratch, but we eat enough gyoza that I virtually always have packaged wrappers around. Plenty of Japanese restaurants use them too, and for everyday gyoza I don't see much reason not to.

Look for round wrappers for gyoza; the square ones nearby are generally wonton wrappers.

Potential Substitutes: Other thin, round dumpling wrappers, or homemade wrappers.

Unagi — 鰻 (unagi) — Nice to Have

Pre-cooked, sauced, frozen freshwater eel is something I almost always keep in my freezer. Heat it in a toaster oven, broiler, or air fryer until hot and lightly crisp, finish it with a little sauce, and serve it over rice.

And don't feel like buying frozen eel is cheating: even many very good sushi restaurants start with pre-cooked frozen unagi and finish and glaze it at the restaurant.

Potential Substitutes: There isn't a direct substitute. Other rich, oily fish can be glazed and served over rice in a similar style.

Frozen Tamagoyaki — 玉子焼き (tamagoyaki) — Nice to Have

Pre-cooked frozen tamagoyaki is the same basic product you'll find at many sushi restaurants, and it's surprisingly convenient and reasonably priced. I keep a couple around because my son loves it: thaw, slice, and it's ready to eat.

Potential Substitutes: Make tamagoyaki from scratch with eggs, sugar, and seasonings.

Pollock Roe — たらこ (tarako) — Nice to Have

Tarako is salted pollock roe and another thing I like keeping frozen. Eat it raw as-is with rice or inside onigiri, or grill or broil it like my grandmother did until the exterior firms up and the roe inside becomes pleasantly crumbly.

You'll also commonly see mentaiko, the seasoned and chile-spiked version, which can be used in the same way, or in favorite mentaiko dish: mentaiko spaghetti.

Potential Substitutes: Other salted fish roe can play a similar role, though the flavor and texture will differ.

Salmon Roe — いくら (ikura) — Nice to Have

Ikura is salmon roe cured with salt or soy-based seasoning, with large eggs that pop when you bite into them. Spoon it over rice for an easy ikura don, use it for sushi, or add a small amount to other seafood, rice, egg, or pasta dishes as a garnish.

It freezes well, so a Japanese market is a good place to pick some up and keep it around in small portions.

Potential Substitutes: Trout roe is very similar. Other fish roes can fill the same general role but will have different sizes, textures, and flavors.

Arabiki Sausages — あらびきソーセージ (arabiki sōsēji) — Nice to Have

Arabiki sausages are small Japanese-style pork sausages with a lightly smoky, slightly sweet flavor and a juicy, snappy texture. They're a nostalgic food for me—my grandmother bought them when I was a kid, and my kids love them now—and they're one of those products that can still be difficult to find outside a Japanese supermarket.

I pop mine in the toaster oven alongside some sliced shokupan (see below) while I fry some eggs. The sausages heat and plump just as the toast reaches the perfect shade of golden brown, and they're the perfect size for dipping into egg yolks. (My kids and I also like to bite off the ends, make a fist and stick them upright on our thumb joint and declare "I give this sausage one thumb up!" I urge you to join in the fun and games.)

Potential Substitutes: None

Edamame — 枝豆 (edamame) — Nice to Have

Frozen edamame are one of the easiest Japanese staples to keep around: they're picked and frozen while fresh, so the quality is consistently good. Boil or microwave them and serve simply with salt as a snack or side dish, or buy shelled edamame to add to rice dishes and salads.

Potential Substitutes: Fresh edamame when available. Green peas can fill a similar role in mixed dishes but have a different flavor and softer texture.

Pre-Marinated Black Cod — 銀鱈 (gindara) — Extra Credit

Black cod is an exceptionally fatty fish that becomes buttery and flakes into large, succulent pieces when cooked. Japanese markets often sell it already marinated in miso or sake lees, making it an extremely easy main course: just grill or broil it and serve with rice and vegetables.

It's not something you need to keep around, but it's a particularly good Japanese-market convenience food.

Potential Substitutes: Salmon or another rich, fatty fish works well with similar marinades.

Yellowtail Collar — ハマチカマ (hamachi kama) — Extra Credit

The collar is the fatty meat surrounding the neck and jowl of the yellowtail, and it's one of my favorite parts of the fish. It's exceptionally rich, juicy, and difficult to overcook; marinate it simply with soy sauce and sake and grill until the skin crisps, or grill it plain and serve with lemon and salt.

Japanese markets are one of the most reliable places to find fish collars already cleaned and frozen.

Potential Substitutes: Salmon collars or collars from other fatty fish.

SAUCES, OILS, VINEGARS AND COOKING WINE

Dark Soy Sauce — 濃口醤油 (koikuchi shōyu) — Essential

If you're buying only one Japanese soy sauce, make it koikuchi, the standard dark Japanese soy sauce. Kikkoman is my everyday workhorse: use it for marinades, dipping sauces, teriyaki, stir-fries, soups, simmered dishes, and general seasoning. You can also typically find various fancy bottles of koikuchi soy sauce that have been aged in particular ways intended to be used as dipping sauces or for final seasoning of broths and sauces.

Note that Japanese and Chinese dark soy sauces are quite different and cannot be substituted for one another.

Potential Substitutes: Any Japanese all-purpose soy sauce brand, such as Kikkoman or Yamasa. Chinese light soy sauce or tamari can work in many dishes but have slightly different flavors.

Cooking Sake — 料理酒 (ryōrishu) — Essential

I keep a big bottle of inexpensive dry sake specifically for cooking (either Ozeki or Sho Chiku Bai work just fine). Along with soy sauce, mirin, dashi, and sugar, it's one of the foundational seasonings for Japanese simmered dishes, sauces, marinades, and teriyaki.

There's no reason to cook with expensive sake here.

Potential Substitutes: Any dry sake intended for drinking. Cooking sake can be used, but be careful of seasoning, as it contains salt.

Mirin — 本みりん (hon-mirin) — Essential

Mirin is a sweet rice wine that adds sweetness, fermented flavor, and gloss to Japanese sauces and simmered dishes. Many "mirin-style" seasonings are largely water and glucose or corn syrup with flavorings. These will work in a pinch, but look for hon-mirin—the actual brewed product—if you want better flavor. Check the ingredients list if you are unsure!

Potential Substitutes: a two to one mix of sake to sugar stirred until the sugar dissolves is the most useful substitute.

Rice Vinegar — 米酢 (komezu) — Essential

Japanese rice vinegar is mild and versatile enough for sushi rice, vinegar-dressed salads, pickles, dressings, and sauces. Buy unseasoned rice vinegar rather than seasoned sushi vinegar, which already has sugar and salt added.

You can always season plain vinegar yourself; you can't take the seasoning back out.

Potential Substitutes: Other mild vinegars such as cider can work in some dishes, but the flavor will be different.

Light Soy Sauce — 薄口醤油 (usukuchi shōyu) — Nice to Have

Usukuchi is lighter in color, not in sodium—in fact, it's generally saltier than koikuchi and somewhat less sweet. It's useful in clear soups, dashi-based dishes, tamago kake gohan, and Japanese-style fried rice where you want soy flavor without turning everything dark brown.

Don't confuse it with "light" or low-sodium soy sauce. Those are completely different products.

Potential Substitutes: Koikuchi works, but will darken the dish and change the flavor. Use a little less and adjust the salt if necessary.

Toasted Sesame Oil — ごま油 (goma abura) — Nice to Have

Sesame oil isn't as ubiquitous in Japanese cooking as it is in some other East Asian cuisines, but it's common enough that I always keep a small bottle around. Its strong toasted aroma makes it useful for dressings, noodles, gyoza fillings, and certain stir-fries; a little goes a long way.

Potential Substitutes: Usually best omitted if you don't have it. Other strongly flavored nut or seed oils will substantially change the character of a dish.

Yuzu Juice — 柚子果汁 (yuzu kajū) — Nice to Have

Fresh yuzu is difficult to find in the U.S. outside its short season, but bottled yuzu juice keeps for ages in the refrigerator. Its floral, slightly piney citrus aroma is distinctive enough that lemon or lime doesn't really duplicate it.

Use it for ponzu, dressings, soups, noodle salads, dipping sauces, grilled fish, hot pots, desserts, or anywhere you want acidity and yuzu aroma.

Potential Substitutes: Lemon provides acidity but not the same aroma; a mixture of lemon and grapefruit gets somewhat closer.

Ponzu — ポン酢 (ponzu) — Nice to Have

Ponzu is a citrusy Japanese seasoning made with citrus, soy sauce, and mirin steeped with katsuobushi and kombu (see the Seaweed & Dashi section below). It's great with hot pots, fresh fish, tofu, or salads. I love drizzling it over slices of cold leftover roast beef or lamb.

If you already have yuzu juice at home, there's no reason to buy pre-made ponzu.

Potential Substitutes: Combine equal parts soy sauce, yuzu juice, mirin that has been boiled to drive off its alcohol in a sealable container along with a 2-inch square of kombu and a big handful of katsuobushi shavings. Let it sit in the refrigerator for a week or two before straining and using.

Concentrated Noodle Soup Base — めんつゆ (mentsuyu) — Nice to Have

Mentsuyu packages the core Japanese combination of dashi, soy sauce, mirin, and sugar into a concentrated bottle. Dilute it according to the label for cold soba or somen dipping sauce, hot udon broth, or use it as a shortcut seasoning for simmered dishes.

I always have some in the refrigerator: frozen udon, mentsuyu, and scallions is a several-minute dinner.

Potential Substitutes: Homemade dashi seasoned with soy sauce, mirin, and sugar.

Tonkatsu Sauce — とんかつソース (tonkatsu sōsu) — Nice to Have

Tonkatsu sauce is a thick, fruity, sweet-savory Japanese Worcestershire-style sauce; Bulldog is the classic brand. Some variation on this family of sauces is found in virtually every Japanese household and is useful far beyond just tonkatsu.

Use it on breaded cutlets, croquettes, fried foods, and other Japanese snack foods.

Potential Substitutes: Worcestershire sauce mixed with ketchup and a little sugar gets into roughly the same territory.

Yakisoba Sauce — 焼きそばソース (yakisoba sōsu) — Nice to Have

Yakisoba, tonkatsu, okonomiyaki, and takoyaki sauces are all variations on a related family of fruity, sweet-savory brown sauces, so you don't need a bottle of every one. I generally keep yakisoba sauce because it makes an exceptionally quick noodle dinner.

Stir-fry cooked ramen noodles with whatever meat and vegetables you have, add the sauce, and you're basically done.

Potential Substitutes: Tonkatsu or Japanese Worcestershire-style sauce adjusted with soy sauce and other seasonings.

Yakiniku Sauce — 焼肉のたれ (yakiniku no tare) — Nice to Have

Yakiniku sauce is a sweet, soy-based marinade and dipping sauce for Japanese-style grilled meat, a tradition heavily influenced by Korean barbecue. Bottled versions are good and widely used, and I'm perfectly happy to use them for tabletop or backyard grilling.

This is exactly the kind of convenience product that a Japanese supermarket does well.

Potential Substitutes: Make your own with soy sauce, sake, sugar, garlic, sesame oil, and other aromatics.

Tamari — たまり醤油 (tamari shōyu) — Extra Credit

Standard Japanese soy sauce is brewed from soybeans and wheat; tamari uses a much higher proportion of soybeans and is often made without wheat. It tends to have a stronger, more concentrated soybean flavor and is particularly useful when cooking for someone who avoids gluten—though always check the label.

You don't need it if you already have koikuchi unless you specifically want its flavor or gluten-free properties.

Potential Substitutes: Koikuchi soy sauce if gluten isn't a concern.

Bottled Eel Sauce — うなぎのたれ (unagi no tare) — Extra Credit

Bottled eel sauce is a thick, glossy soy-based glaze for unagi. You can easily make your own, but I sometimes keep a bottle in the refrigerator for emergencies because it's convenient and some brands taste perfectly good, though they are invariably gloppy in texture.

Potential Substitutes: Reduce soy sauce, mirin, sake, and sugar into a glaze.

NB: Bottled Teriyaki Sauce — 照り焼きのたれ (teriyaki no tare) — Skip It

I've never had a bottled teriyaki sauce I particularly like. Most taste very different from either traditional Japanese teriyaki or Seattle-style teriyaki, and homemade teriyaki sauce is exceptionally easy once you have the basic ingredients in this section.

If bottled teriyaki is the flavor you associate with the dish, make it yourself once and see how different it is.

SEAWEED AND DASHI

Kombu — 昆布 (konbu) — Essential

Kombu is dried kelp and one of the two foundational ingredients in dashi, the basic stock at the heart of Japanese cooking. You'll find different varieties, regions, and grades, but don't overthink it: good, solid sheets of dried kombu will work for most purposes.

The whitish coating you sometimes see on the surface is a normal deposit of crystallized minerals that form as the kelp dries and doesn't need to be scrubbed away.

Potential Substitutes: There's no good direct substitute when kombu is central to the broth. Instant dashi works when you simply need the finished stock.

Bonito Flakes — 鰹節 (katsuobushi) — Essential

Katsuobushi is bonito that's cooked, smoked, dried, fermented, and shaved into papery flakes. Along with kombu, it's the foundation of classic dashi, but the flakes are also used directly as a savory, smoky topping for tofu, vegetables, rice, noodles, and okonomiyaki.

For dashi, I generally buy the larger, rougher flakes that look like wood shavings; for eating directly, I prefer finer, more delicate flakes.

Potential Substitutes: Hondashi works in dishes where homemade dashi isn't the focus. Other dried fish make excellent dashi but have their own distinct flavors.

Instant Dashi — ほんだし (Hondashi) — Essential

Hondashi is technically a brand name, but it's become nearly synonymous with powdered instant dashi. It's essentially concentrated bonito flavor with salt and MSG, and it turns water into a perfectly serviceable dashi in seconds.

I always have some around. For a dish where beautiful, delicate dashi is the main event, I'll use kombu and katsuobushi; for something that's going to be strongly seasoned with miso, meat, soy sauce, or sugar, Hondashi often works just fine.

Potential Substitutes: Homemade kombu-and-katsuobushi dashi. Dashi packets are another convenient middle ground.

Nori — 海苔 (nori) — Essential

Roasted nori is the crisp, dark green sheet used for sushi and onigiri, but I use it just as often cut or shredded over rice and noodles or simply eaten as a snack. I generally buy full sheets rather than individually packaged snack-size pieces—they're more versatile and involve a lot less packaging. Lightly passing a sheet of nori over a hot burner (gas or electric!) will release its aroma and give it a crackly crispness. Use a pair of chopsticks or tongs to just wave it over the heat for a second or two.

Potential Substitutes: There's no real substitute with the same flavor, crisp texture, and ability to wrap food.

Wakame — わかめ (wakame) — Nice to Have

Wakame is the tender green seaweed you'll commonly find floating in miso soup. A tiny amount of dried wakame expands enormously when hydrated, and it's exceptionally convenient: add it to hot broth and within a couple minutes it's ready to eat.

It's also useful for seaweed salads, simple vinegar-dressed dishes, or as an addition to noodle dishes or simmered dishes.

Potential Substitutes: Other tender dried seaweeds can work, though their flavors and textures will differ.

Dashi Packets — だしパック (dashi pakku) — Nice to Have

Dashi packets are essentially tea bags filled with dried dashi ingredients. Some contain straightforward combinations of bonito and kombu, while others include dried sardines, mackerel, mushrooms, or other ingredients for a more distinctive broth.

They're a convenient middle ground between scratch dashi and instant granules, though I generally prefer a relatively neutral dashi that I can season differently depending on the dish.

Potential Substitutes: Homemade dashi or Hondashi.

Dried Shiitake Mushrooms — 干し椎茸 (hoshi shiitake) — Nice to Have

Dried shiitake have a much more concentrated savory flavor than fresh shiitake and keep practically forever in the pantry. Soak them in water to rehydrate them for simmered dishes, soups, and rice; the soaking liquid itself makes an excellent vegetarian dashi.

Potential Substitutes: Fresh shiitake work when the mushroom itself matters more than the broth. For vegetarian dashi, kombu can be used on its own.

Dried Sardines — 煮干し (niboshi) — Extra Credit

Niboshi are small dried sardines used to make a stronger, more assertively fishy dashi than the classic kombu-and-katsuobushi version. They're particularly good for miso soup and robust noodle broths where you want the flavor of the dried fish to come through.

Potential Substitutes: Katsuobushi makes a milder, smokier dashi. Other Japanese dried fish can produce similar but distinct stocks.

Aonori — 青のり (aonori) — Extra Credit

Aonori is a finely dried green seaweed with an intense marine aroma, generally used as a seasoning rather than eaten in sheets like nori. Sprinkle it over rice, okonomiyaki, yakisoba, takoyaki, fried foods, or other dishes where you want a little briny seaweed flavor. You'll often find it sprinkled over street fair or festival foods where it's paired with beni-shoga, katsuibushi, Japanese mayo, and brown sauce.

A small package lasts a long time since you generally use only a pinch at once.

Potential Substitutes: Crushed or finely shredded nori works in a pinch, though it has a different flavor and coarser texture.

Hijiki — ひじき (hijiki) — Extra Credit

Hijiki is a dried sea vegetable with tiny dark strands and a firmer texture than wakame. It's typically rehydrated and simmered with seasonings and vegetables as a small side dish rather than used as a soup garnish.

It's much more specialized than kombu, nori, or wakame, so I wouldn't consider it necessary for a starter pantry, but it's a favorite of mine.

Potential Substitutes: Other sea vegetables can fill a similar general role but won't duplicate hijiki's texture.

RICE AND RICE SEASONINGS

Japanese Short-Grain Rice — 日本米 (nihonmai) — Essential

"Japanese rice" doesn't necessarily mean rice grown in Japan; plenty of excellent Japanese varieties are grown in California. Koshihikari is a prized variety, and Tamaki Gold is one of my everyday favorites, but there are plenty of good choices. If you see newly harvested rice in season, it's worth trying for its especially fresh aroma and texture.

Use it for plain steamed rice, donburi, Japanese curry, onigiri, sushi, tamago kake gohan, fried rice, and virtually any Japanese meal built around rice. (I.E. pretty much all of them.)

Potential Substitutes: Other Japanese-style short-grain rice. Calrose works well for many everyday applications, though its texture differs from premium Japanese varieties.

Furikake — ふりかけ (furikake) — Essential

Furikake is a whole category of dry rice seasonings, not just a Japanese "spice blend." Classic versions combine ingredients like nori, sesame, dried egg, or sweet-savory dried bonito, while others feature shiso, salmon, or simple sesame and salt.

I always have a few around for rice and onigiri; the sweet, crunchy bonito-and-nori styles are particular favorites in my house. My kids eat it straight out of their hands. Try a few and find the ones you like.

Potential Substitutes: None

Brown Rice — 玄米 (genmai) — Nice to Have

Genmai is Japanese short-grain rice with the bran and germ left intact, giving it a nuttier flavor and firmer, chewier texture than white rice. It takes longer to cook and generally needs more water, but otherwise you can serve it anywhere you'd serve ordinary steamed rice.

Potential Substitutes: Any short-grain brown rice.

Haiga Rice — 胚芽米 (haigamai) — Nice to Have

Haigamai is partially milled rice with the bran removed but the nutrient-rich germ left attached. It lands nicely between white and brown rice: more nutty and substantial than white rice, but softer, less chewy, and quicker-cooking than genmai.

It's a great everyday option if you like some of the flavor and texture of brown rice but still want something that eats more like Japanese white rice.

Potential Substitutes: Japanese white rice is closest in texture; brown rice is closer in flavor, though chewier.

Shelf-Stable Cooked Rice — パックご飯 (pakku gohan) — Nice to Have

These are one of the convenience foods I truly lean on. My kids love rice for breakfast, and if I forgot to make some the night before, 90 seconds in the microwave gets them remarkably good hot rice. It's mushier than properly steamed white rice, but that's OK when I'm topping it with an egg or a saucy Japanese dish.

They're also useful for quick rice bowls, curry, or any time you need one portion of rice without turning on the rice cooker.

Potential Substitutes: Freshly cooked rice, or individual portions of cooked rice frozen at home.

Sweet Rice — もち米 (mochigome) — Extra Credit

Mochigome is an exceptionally sticky short-grain rice used to make mochi and other Japanese rice preparations. Traditional mochi is made by cooking the rice and pounding it until it becomes a smooth, cohesive mass, then forming it into cakes. My family, like most Japanese families, would eat fresh mochi on New Years Eve, grilled over charcoal, brushed with soy sauce, and wrapped in toasted nori.

Unless you're specifically making mochi or another dish that calls for sweet rice, you don't need it for everyday Japanese cooking.

Potential Substitutes: None

DRIED NOODLES, BREADS, AND INSTANT FOODS

Japanese Milk Bread — 食パン (shokupan) — Essential

Shokupan is Japanese-style sandwich bread: soft, slightly sweet, and exceptionally fluffy, with a fine, elastic crumb. It's made by shaping multiple balls of dough into rolls, then packing them into a pullman loaf, giving the finished bread its distinct lightly layered texture.

It's my favorite sandwich bread and, I think, the best bread for toast. I prefer the thick-sliced versions you'll find at Japanese bakeries and supermarkets.

Potential Substitutes: Pullman bread, pain de mie, or another soft, enriched white sandwich loaf.

Japanese Curry Roux — カレールウ (karē rū) — Essential

You can make Japanese curry roux from scratch, but realistically, most Japanese households buy it in boxes. The roux comes in breakable blocks containing the fat, flour, spices, and seasonings you need. Just simmer meat and vegetables, add water, then dissolve the blocks into the broth to thicken and season it.

I usually bounce between brands like Golden Curry and Vermont Curry, and I always have a box around. This is one convenience product where the packaged version isn't just a compromise. It's kind of like bisto gravy granules at a British Sunday roast or French's fried onions on top of an American green bean casserole: the packaged product is almost a fundamental part of the dish.

Potential Substitutes: Homemade Japanese curry roux made from fat, flour, curry powder, and seasonings.

Soba Noodles — そば (soba) — Essential

Soba are thin buckwheat noodles with a nutty, toasty flavor. They're excellent served hot in dashi-based broth or chilled—one of my favorite summer meals—with a concentrated dipping sauce and simple garnishes like scallions, grated daikon, nori, or wasabi.

Dried soba keep virtually forever and cook quickly, which makes them an excellent pantry staple. Pair them with a bottle of mentsuyu for a quick meal any time.

Potential Substitutes: Other Japanese noodles work with similar broths and toppings, but won't have soba's characteristic buckwheat flavor.

Somen Noodles — そうめん (sōmen) — Nice to Have

Somen are extremely thin wheat noodles that cook in just a few minutes and are particularly good served ice-cold in hot weather. Chill them thoroughly after cooking and serve with a concentrated dashi-based dipping sauce and garnishes like scallions, ginger, shiso, or myoga.

Potential Substitutes: Other very thin wheat noodles can work, though the texture will differ.

Dried Udon — 干しうどん (hoshi udon) — Nice to Have

I generally prefer frozen udon for its thick, chewy texture, but dried udon is worth keeping around because it lasts practically forever. Use it for hot noodle soups, chilled noodles with dipping sauce, or anywhere you'd otherwise use udon. I particularly like dried udon served in a thinned Japanese curry broth.

Potential Substitutes: Frozen or fresh udon generally have a better chewy texture.

Instant Ramen — インスタントラーメン (insutanto rāmen) — Nice to Have

There's absolutely a place for cheap fried instant ramen, but if you want something with a texture closer to fresh noodles, look for brands whose noodles are air-dried rather than fried. You can often tell through the package: fried noodles are brittle and crumbly, while air-dried noodles feel harder and more solid. My favorite brand—Myojo Chukazanmai—unfortunately stopped distributing in the U.S., but there are other premium noodle brands available.

Potential Substitutes: Fresh or frozen ramen noodles for a more restaurant-style texture.

Instant Miso Soup — 即席味噌汁 (sokuseki misoshiru) — Nice to Have

Sometimes you make miso soup from scratch with kombu-and-katsuobushi dashi; sometimes you use Hondashi; and sometimes you pour hot water over a packet. I always keep instant miso soup around for that last situation, particularly the versions with little pieces of freeze-dried tofu.

Potential Substitutes: Stir regular miso into homemade or instant dashi for a quick version with more control over the seasoning.

Japanese Mapo Tofu Sauce — 麻婆豆腐の素 (mābō dōfu no moto) — Extra Credit

In the same way that boxed mac and cheese is a distinct food from scratch mac and cheese, boxed Japanese mapo tofu sauce is its own convenience food, distinct from both the Sichuan original and the milder Japanese homemade version. I make mapo tofu from scratch regularly, but I also have a soft spot for the Japanese boxed version and usually keep a couple around.

Potential Substitutes: Homemade Japanese-style or Sichuan-style mapo tofu sauce.

CONDIMENTS, SPICES, PANKO AND STARCHES

MSG — 味の素 (Ajinomoto) — Essential

MSG is pure monosodium glutamate, the sodium salt of the same glutamate responsible for much of the savory flavor in kombu, soy sauce, and other umami-rich foods. Growing up, we kept an MSG shaker right next to the salt, and I still use it as a basic seasoning for soups, stir-fries, fried rice, vegetables, meat, and sauces.

Ajinomoto is the classic Japanese brand and the company that first commercialized MSG.

(These days I use Badop to season most of my food. It's my own brand of salt cut with just the right amount of MSG to let you use it exactly like table salt in all your recipes. Stay tuned for the release.)

Potential Substitutes: Other MSG brands are identical for practical purposes. Dashi, kombu, soy sauce, or miso can add umami but also bring their own flavors.

Sesame Seeds — ごま (goma) — Essential

I always keep both white and black sesame seeds around. They're used constantly as a garnish and seasoning for rice, noodles, grilled meat and vegetables, salads, and dressings; toast or lightly crush them for a stronger nutty aroma.

Potential Substitutes: White and black sesame seeds can generally substitute for one another when appearance isn't important.

Panko — パン粉 (panko) — Essential

Panko are Japanese breadcrumbs with large, irregular flakes that produce a lighter, crunchier coating than fine Western-style breadcrumbs. They're essential for tonkatsu, ebi fry, croquettes, and other breaded Japanese foods.

When shopping, I prefer a clear package so I can actually see the crumbs: look for large, flaky pieces rather than fine granules. Restaurants sometimes use fresh nama panko, but good dried panko works perfectly well at home.

Potential Substitutes: Frozen sandwich bread run through the large holes of a box grater or the grating disk of a food processor makes excellent panko.

Cornstarch — コーンスターチ (kōn sutāchi) — Essential

Cornstarch is the standard starch I keep around for lightly thickening Japanese sauces, soups, and broths. It gives liquids that glossy, lightly viscous texture you'll find in many Japanese dishes with Chinese roots.

Potential Substitutes: Potato starch works for many thickening applications, though the finished texture can differ.

Potato Starch — 片栗粉 (katakuriko) — Nice to Have

Potato starch is particularly useful for frying: when hydrated and fried it creates an irregular, craggy coating with a distinctive brittle crunch. It's what I reach for when I want the characteristic crust on karaage.

It can also thicken sauces and soups, though I tend to use cornstarch as my everyday thickener.

Potential Substitutes: Cornstarch works for both frying and thickening, though fried coatings tend to be a little different.

Japanese Mayonnaise — マヨネーズ (mayonēzu) — Nice to Have

Japanese mayonnaise—Kewpie being the classic brand—is richer, more acidic, slightly sweeter, and more savory than typical American mayonnaise, with a higher proportion of egg yolk and added MSG. I always have some around for okonomiyaki, cold vegetables, sandwiches, salads, and fried foods.

I treat Kewpie primarily as a condiment rather than a cooking fat. Its extra egg and particular flavor can get funky when heated, so if a recipe calls for coating something in mayonnaise before cooking, I generally use regular mayo instead. (Do NOT fry your grilled cheese in Kewpie).

Look for Kewpie imported from Japan. The American-made product has a different formulation and flavor.

Potential Substitutes: Regular mayonnaise works, though it won't have quite the same rich, tangy, savory flavor.

Shichimi Togarashi — 七味唐辛子 (shichimi tōgarashi) — Nice to Have

Shichimi is a Japanese chile blend that typically combines chile with ingredients like sesame, citrus peel, and seaweed. I always have some around for noodle soups, grilled meats and vegetables, rice dishes, and anything that needs heat plus a little aromatic complexity.

Potential Substitutes: Ichimi togarashi provides straightforward chile heat without the other aromatics. Other red chile flakes work for heat but taste different.

Japanese Ground Chile — 一味唐辛子 (ichimi tōgarashi) — Nice to Have

Ichimi togarashi is simply ground Japanese red chile. Use it when you want straightforward heat without the additional flavors of shichimi, particularly on noodles, soups, grilled foods, and rice dishes.

Potential Substitutes: Ground cayenne or other pure ground red chiles work well; adjust the amount according to heat level.

Sesame Paste — 練りごま (nerigoma) — Nice to Have

Nerigoma is a smooth Japanese sesame paste made from toasted sesame seeds, available in both white and black varieties. Use it for sesame dressings, goma-ae, dipping sauces, noodle dishes, and rich sesame-based hot pot broths.

Potential Substitutes: Tahini is the easiest substitute, though it generally has a different roast level and flavor. Chinese sesame paste is usually darker and more intensely toasted.

Powdered Wasabi — 粉わさび (kona wasabi) — Nice to Have

Most prepared wasabi served in restaurants is based primarily on horseradish rather than expensive fresh wasabi root, and that's perfectly fine. Powdered wasabi is inexpensive, keeps for ages, and can be mixed with water whenever you need it for sushi, sashimi, soba, or dipping sauces.

One trick I like is mixing the powder into finely grated daikon, which gives it a fresher vegetable flavor and more interesting texture.

Potential Substitutes: Prepared wasabi paste. Fresh wasabi is the luxury upgrade.

Japanese Hot Mustard — からし (karashi) — Nice to Have

Karashi is a very hot Japanese mustard, commonly sold as a powder that you mix with water as needed. Use a small dab alongside tonkatsu, oden, grilled or simmered meat, or stir it into natto.

You use so little at a time that a container lasts practically forever. Like all powdered mustards, rehydrating it in vinegar will give it a much milder heat than rehydrating in water.

Potential Substitutes: Chinese hot mustard is very similar. English mustard powder like Colman's also works.

Yuzu Kosho — 柚子胡椒 (yuzu koshō) — Nice to Have

Yuzu kosho is a salty paste of yuzu zest and chiles with a powerful citrus aroma and clean heat. It's a classic accompaniment to yakitori and other grilled meats, but it's also excellent in hot pots, soups, marinades, dressings, and dipping sauces.

It keeps practically forever in the refrigerator, and I always have some around.

Potential Substitutes: There's no direct substitute. Citrus zest pounded with fresh chile and salt gets at the basic idea but won't taste the same.

Sansho Pepper — 山椒 (sanshō) — Nice to Have

Sansho is the Japanese relative of Sichuan peppercorn, with a similarly floral, citrusy aroma and mild tingling or numbing effect. The classic use is sprinkled over unagi and rice, but it's also excellent with yakitori, grilled meats, and other rich foods.

Potential Substitutes: Sichuan peppercorn has some similar qualities but a noticeably different flavor.

Crunchy Garlic Chili Oil — 食べるラー油 (taberu rāyu) — Nice to Have

Japanese crunchy chile oils combine fried garlic and other crunchy bits with savory chile oil and are generally milder than many Chinese-style chile crisps. S&B Crunchy Garlic is the one I usually have around, and it's great spooned over eggs, rice, noodles, soups, and tofu.

Potential Substitutes: Another crunchy chile oil or chile crisp; sweetness and heat vary substantially by brand.