Nigiri, sashimi, robatayaki (robata), toban-yaki, yakitori, tataki: strange sounding words that make Japanese cuisine appear complex and as distant as its country of origin, but also words that prove that Japanese cuisine is not just raw fish.

So, apart from the raw dishes (nigiri, sashimi), Japanese cuisine includes a wide range of charcoal-grilled dishes (robata), dishes cooked on a hot ceramic dish (toban-yaki), as well as dishes with food that has only been seared at very high temperatures (tataki), skewered chicken (yakitori) dishes, as well as dishes with other meats – including beef and fish. And thus, we realize that Japanese cuisine uses some very familiar techniques. In the centuries of its existence, the cuisine of Japan has been influenced by cultures and religions as well as by other international cuisines. What has remained unchanged is the emphasis on the aesthetics of each dish, as well as of the whole table, the use of fresh seasonal ingredients, the variety of seafood and vegetables used, as well as the clarity of flavours.

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