Jun 24, 2026

Summer only foods

Are there any foods you only eat in the summer in Japan? Or, if you prefer, foods that you associate with summer? One that comes to mind for my family is somen - we usually only eat somen in summer, with the very odd exception. One of my kids sometimes craves somen when she's feeling poorly! 'Goya' is another. Do you eat somen and goya only in summer or would you eat it at other times of the year too?

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BigfamJapan

Irish, Mom of 4, currently also living beside the In-Laws. 25+ years back and forth between Ireland and Japan! I also write on my personal website: insaitama.com

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helloalissa

on Jul 20

For sure seasonal fruit like watermelon, apricots, figs, and grapes. We also make kakigoori and smoothies at home. Regular meals are essentially fancy salad all the time, although this summer I'm making a lot of pasta salad and cold noodles. (Looking forward to trying some homemade maze soba sauces.)

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TonetoEdo

on Jun 24

I'm a big fan of chilled somen. I haven't prepared it often at home. Goya chamburu, champloo, whatever you prefer to call it, is a summer staple in my kitchen. I tend to make chilled hiyashichuuka, soba, and hiyakko in summer.

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genkidesu

on Jun 25

The biggest one that comes to mind for me is fruit, since so many things here are extremely season-dependent. Peaches and watermelon are a couple of favorites that I have during summer but never outside that period. Another one, more on the sweet treats front, is chocolate mint flavored things! I only really see them during summer.

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genkidesu

on Jun 25

As for goya, I really have only eaten that in Okinawa in goya champuru! I guess because of that, I associate it with warmer weather. Somen to me is definitely a summer food.

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TonetoEdo

on Jun 27

When it's too hot too hot for elaborate cooking, chilled soba. I put ice in the tsuyu!

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genkidesu

on Jun 29

Another summer only food for me is kakigori, because I don't really see it anywhere other than during summer! Most of my local cafes that sell it have limited timeframes, it's usually gone from their menus by September or so.

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genkidesu

on Jun 29

My husband would probably say unagi, since he loves the stuff and gets his fix every summer. I actually saw an article today that even MOS Burger is getting in on the unagi fun this year, but phew is it expensive! https://soranews24.com/2026/06/29/japans-mos-burger-goes-super-premium-for-summer-with-eel-burgers-that-require-pre-orders/

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Summer only foods

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