Celebrating the Western-influenced Japanese Food

Today, and August 8th annually, is Western-style Food Day 洋食の日 (Yōshoku no Hi) in Japan. While "yoshoku" literally translates to "Western food," it is a distinct category of domestic fusion cuisine created entirely within Japan. Food that was inspired by Western dishes but adapted to suit Japanese tastes, ingredients, and cooking methods. 

The August 8th "Western-style Food Day" commemoration was created by a hotel operator in Fukuoka to celebrate and promote Japan's unique Yoshoku culture. They chose August 8th for the anniversary because it can be read as "ha(8) ya(8) shi" as in the rice, an iconic yoshoku dish.

Western-style Food Day highlights how cuisine evolves alongside culture. Whether its hayashi rice, omurice, doria or another, these dishes show how Japan has taken inspiration from abroad and transformed it into something uniquely its own.