What does the traditional Japanese meal consist of?

Question:

Hi there, I'm doing a project about 5 countries I want to visit for Geography homework, and I'm just wondering about Japan ...
What is the traditional Japanese meal? What do the majority of Japanese people eat usually?

Thank you!

Answer:

Typically a standard Japanese meal will consist of cooked white Japanese rice (gohan) accompanied by a number of different side dishes made from fish, meat, tofu or vegetables. These side dishes are known as okazu. They add flavour to the rice. The meal will also include soup (e.g. miso) and pickles (Tsukemono).

The most standard meal comprises three okazu (and is called "ichijū-sansai" literally "one soup, three sides"). Each ozaku will be prepared a different way (e.g. raw (sashimi), grilled, boiled in stock, deep fried, steamed, or vinegared). An emphasis is placed on balance and on presentation as well as taste. Most dishes will be flavoured with dashi stock, made with dried tuna flakes.

Noodles are often eaten as an alternative to a rice-based meal.

As Japan is an island nation, fish tends to be eaten much more than meat. Meat eating until quite recently was rare due to the influence of Buddhism.

During meals there is also etiquette to pay attention to.

It is customary to say "itadakimasu" (literally "I receive") before starting to eat a meal, and gochisōsama deshita, (literally "It was a feast") to the host after the meal and the restaurant staff when leaving.

You are often given a hot towel or wet napkin before the meal. This is for cleaning your hands before eating and should NEVER be used to wash any other part of the body (e.g. face).

Rice is eaten by picking up the rice bowl with the left and and using using chopsticks with your right hand, although it is now acceptable to reverse this if you are a leftie. Bowls may be lifted to the mouth to make getting food into it easier BUT it should never touch the mouth unless you are drinking soup.

You should never, ever, ever leave your chopsticks sticking vertically into rice. This is because they are said to resemble the incense sticks used at funerals. It is the height of bad manners. It is also bad manners to chew or lick your chopsticks, or use them to point to or spear food.

Soy sauce is not usually poured over most foods at the table - you use a dipping dish. In particular, soy sauce should never be poured on to rice or soup. You can pour soy sauce on to tofu. It is considered very rude to waste soy sauce.

You should eat everything you are given. It is considered rude not to.