The Japanese Breakfast vs. The American Breakfast

Above, the Hotel Asia Center of Japan, their restaurant buffet features both styles.  Photo by Armand Vaquer.

You're in Japan and it is breakfast time on your first morning there. What should you have for breakfast? American-style or Japanese-style?

GaijinPot.com has a new article on just this subject. They start it with:

Please close your eyes for a second and think about your idea of the perfect, most delectable breakfast you could have. Think about every nuance. Are you eating it at a restaurant that really makes your tummy smile every time you go? Perhaps it’s at your Mom’s house or another family member. What breakfast foods are running through your mind?

Those of you reading this may be unfamiliar with what constitutes a Japanese-style breakfast. Fortunately, the article gives a description of a typical Japanese-style breakfast:

What exactly does a Japanese breakfast consist of? Well, much like back home, it depends on who you ask, but the standard breakfast that I’ve heard Japanese friends and co-workers mention consists of the following: miso soup (味噌汁), natto (納豆), steamed rice (ご飯 or gohan), and grilled fish (焼き魚 or yakizakana).

My first trip to Japan was in 2001. I like Japanese food (especially sushi), but I prefer an American-style breakfast. Fortunately, I found (of all places) a Denny's restaurant near the ryokan I was staying at in Shibuya (there's another in Asakusa near Nakamise Street). That solved the breakfast "problem."

Since then, my tastes evolved somewhat. I still prefer an American-style breakfast, but since I usually stay at the Hotel Asia Center of Japan in Tokyo, I can eat at their breakfast buffet and have a mix of American-style and Japanese-style food.

To read the article, go here.