7 Savory and Nutrient-Rich Japanese Breakfast Ideas

In modern Japan, everything from doughnuts to egg sandwiches trend as breakfast choices, just like America. Traditional Japanese breakfasts, called Ichiju Sansai, still served at small inns or ryokans, are unique experiences with multiple dishes, including rice, salted fish, miso soup, seaweed, pickles, eggs and vegetables. It translates to "one soup, three sides" (and pickles). Placing an emphasis on the idea of eating a good meal to start your day, these sets have lots of savory protein and nutrients with lower sugar. Here are recipes for traditional components of a Japanese breakfast so you can build your own healthy meal.

A dish you're probably used to, as it's often served here as a side with a sushi dinner, miso soup can be a warming energy booster first thing in the morning. This recipe gives you all the tools for a basic bowl with broth and tofu but also offers options based on regional tastes.

Salted broiled salmon isn’t difficult to make. You just need a little time, salt and sake to make this traditional dish.

Nutty and savory, this is what we should be eating with breakfast to get our daily requirement of vegetables. If spinach for breakfast is too shocking, this and any of the components can be part of a healthy lunch or dinner too.

Not the dill-y deli pickles you get with a sandwich, these are lighter with a little bit of sweetened rice vinegar and soy sauce. You can add a little chili pepper for heat, too.

Simply stated, this dish is eggs and rice, but it becomes silky and custardy from mixing. Season with toppings like salt, furikake or nori.

You've probably seen this dish on TikTok where an egg is cooked in a long pan and rolled and cooked repeatedly until you have a fluffy omelet of sorts. It just requires patience, a pan (a small cast iron will do), and some basic Japanese seasonings.

Similar to Tamago Kake Gohan, the other eggs and rice dish, this recipe cooks the rice in Dashi broth, pours the egg on top and then lets it set for a half a minute before stirring, so it’s even more custard-like. Top with spring onion and nori.