| Term | Definition |
| SASHIMI | The finest raw fish and seafood are garnished with crisp shavings of Daikon radish and then dipped in soy and wasabi. |
| SAKE | Rice wine used for cooking and drinking. |
| MISO, AKA MISO, or RED MISO | A savory paste made from fermented soybeans. It is used in soups, marinades, and a wide range of sautéed dishes. |
| GUNKENMAKI | Gunken means boat. This is sushi that is rolled and then an indentation is made in the rice and filled with soft toppings that otherwise might fall off, such as roe. |
| DASHI | Japanese soup stock made from kombu (seaweed) and katsuobushi (dried bonito flakes), which are stained out before the dashi is used. It is a staple of Japanese cooking. |
| TOFU | Bean curd made from soybean milk. It is high in protein, custard-like in texture, and bland in taste so it takes on other flavors during cooking. |
| KAISEKI RYORI | The traditional Japanese multi-course meal. |
| GARI | Pickled ginger. |
| UDON | A noodle made from wheat. |
| MAKISU | Bamboo mat used to roll sushi. |
| BENTO BOX | Used in Japan for take-out food. A lacquered wooden box with compartments of various sizes filled with Tempura, sushi, rice, salad, teriyaki, gyoza and other varieties of dishes. |
| TEMPURA | Battered and deep-fried vegetables and fish. The crisp coating, if done correctly, is very light in texture and comes from the Portuguese, who developed the recipe after the Roman Catholic Church ruled that no meat shall be consumed on Fridays. |
| WASABI | An extremely pungent paste made from the powdered root of the wasabi plant (Wasabia japonica). It is traditionally served with raw fish such as sushi and sashimi. |
| MIRIN | Sweetened rice wine used for cooking |
| NORI | Best known of the seaweeds used in Japanese cooking. It is used as a wrapper for sushi, a garnish, a variety of snacks, and as tiny crisp crackers. It is rich in Vitamins A, D, and B12. |
| KATSUOBUSHI | Dried bontio flakes that are used as a flavoring agent when making dashi. |
| WAGASHI AND OHIGASHI | Traditional Japanese delicate sweets. |
| SOBA | Flat, brown buckwheat noodles. |
| NIGIRIZUSHI | The most common type of sushi. It is simply an oval of rice topped with wasabi and a slice of fish or egg. |
| KOMBU (KONBU) | Kelp, one of the best-known seaweeds used in Japanese cooking. This is the seaweed variety used to make dashi and to season rice. |
| MAKIZUSHI | “Maki” means roll. This is the basic name for sushi. |
| SHOYU | Japanese soy sauce made from an extract of soybeans, wheat, barley, salt, malt, and water. |
| TEPPANYAKI | A flat metal teppan grill built on the side of a table with the chef on one side and the diners sitting around the table. The chef cooks the food tableside with the diners watching. |
| YAKI | Term for broiled or grilled foods such as Teriyaki, where the ingredients are first marinated in soy and Mirin. |
