“What is Teishoku?”
“What types of Teishoku are there?”
If you are also having similar questions, then this article is for you.
Teishoku is a pre-prepared meal according to the standard “1 soup, 3 dishes” to ensure nutritional balance for the body.
Teishoku has many types depending on the main dish in the meal. Not only fried chicken, stir-fried pork…, in Japan people also use raw fish (Sashimi) or grilled meat (Yakiniku) as the main dish for Teishoku.
In this article, I will introduce what Teishoku is and the 12 most popular types of Teishoku in Japan.
Please refer to it to find your favorite type of Teishoku.
What is Teishoku?
Teishoku is a form of food presentation in Japanese culinary culture.
Teishoku is said to have been born during the Edo period (1603~1868), and still holds an important position for the Japanese.
Japanese home cooks also arrange dishes in Teishoku style. The lunch that office workers choose is often Teishoku.
It can be said that Teishoku is the most popular form of eating in Japan.
A basic Teishoku will include 5 dishes: main dish, side dish, soup, pickles and rice.
All will be neatly arranged on a tray and served at the same time.
- Main dish: is the main food of the meal, usually meat or fish.
- Side dishes: usually vegetables, beans, seaweed…
- Soup: usually Miso soup.
- Pickles: depending on the restaurant, it may be pickled radish or pickled ginger…
- Rice: usually white rice. Depending on the restaurant, sometimes there will be brown rice, cereal rice…
With the principle of “one soup, three dishes”, Teishoku contains enough starch, protein, fat and fiber.
Teishoku is the perfect meal to help you balance nutrition and live energetically every day.
Suggested 12 most popular types of Teishoku
There are many types of Teishoku in Japan.
In this section, I will introduce the 12 most common types of Teishoku that you can find at Teishoku shops.
Karaage Teishoku
Name on menu: 唐揚げ定食 (Karaage Teishoku)
Price is around 700~800 yen
Karaage Teishoku is a meal whose main dish is Karaage – fried chicken rolled in flour.
This is the most popular type of Teishoku that most Teishoku shops have.
Karaage is characterized by being crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside and rich in meaty flavor. Depending on the restaurant, it will be served with mayonnaise or sometimes simply a slice of lemon for you to squeeze before enjoying.
It can be said that Japanese people, whether children or adults, love Karaage Teishoku.
This is a typical type of Teishoku that you must try when eating Teishoku in Japan.
Shōga Yaki Teishoku
Name on menu: 生姜焼き定食 (Shōga Yaki Teishoku)
Price is around 700~800 yen
Shōgayaki Teishoku is a dish whose main dish is stir-fried pork with ginger.
This type of Teishoku is extremely popular in Japan.
The pork is sliced thinly and stir-fried with sweet and salty sauce, making it very easy to eat.
Because it goes well with rice and is also cheap, Shōgayaki Teishoku is very popular.
Tonkatsu Teishoku
Name on menu: とんかつ定食 (Tonkatsu Teishoku)
Price is around 900~1,200 yen
Tonkatsu Teishoku is a meal whose main dish is Tonkatsu – fried pork rolled in breadcrumbs.
Tonkatsu is covered with bread crust so it has a crispy outer layer, while the inner meat layer is soft and succulent, giving a very enjoyable feeling when eating.
Sprinkle a little Tonkatsu sauce on the meat before enjoying, you may be able to eat up to 2~3 cups of rice.
Chikin Namban Teishoku
Name on menu: チキン南蛮定食 (Chikin Namban Teishoku)
Price is around 800~900 yen
Chikin Namban Teishoku is a meal whose main dish is fried chicken with vinegar sauce and a topping of Tartar sauce.
The sweet and sour taste of vinegar sauce combined with the fatty taste of Tartar sauce will make it difficult for you to stop chopping.
Chikin Namban Teishoku is the perfect dish to help you eat a lot without worrying about getting bored.
Hambāgu Teishoku
Name on menu: ハンバーグ定食 (Hambāgu Teishoku)
Price is around 700~800 yen
Hambāgu Teishoku is a dish whose main dish is Hambāgu meat.
Hambāgu Teishoku is especially loved by children in Japan. This is a popular type of Teishoku that any family restaurant has.
Hambāgu is pork or beef (or both) that is pureed, mixed with onions, breadcrumbs… and fried.
The meat is plump and plump. When you bite into it, the meat juices will flow out, fragrant and sweet.
Yakiniku Teishoku
Name on menu: 焼肉定食 (Yakiniku Teishoku)
Price is about 800~1,000 yen
Yakiniku Teishoku is a meal whose main dish is grilled meat.
You can find this dish at most barbecue restaurants in Japan.
Yakiniku Teishoku usually uses beef or pork, depending on the restaurant, sometimes tripe dishes are also served.
They will serve raw meat for you to grill at your table and enjoy while it’s still hot.
The meat has been marinated to best suit the rice, or you can also add Tare sauce to make it more flavorful.
Yakizakana Teishoku
Name on menu: 焼き魚定食 (Yakizakana Teishoku)
Price is around 700~900 yen
Yakizakana Teishoku is a meal whose main dish is grilled fish.
Depending on the season of the year, restaurants will serve different types of fish, the most popular of which are Saba fish, salmon, Hokke fish…
Fish is usually just salted and then grilled so you can feel the natural sweetness of the fish.
Yakizakana Teishoku is a dish that is not only perfect in taste but also very nutritious.
If you like eating fish, you definitely should not miss Yakizakana Teishoku.
Nizakana Teishoku
Name on menu: 煮魚定食 (Nizakana Teishoku)
Price is about 800~1,000 yen
Nizakana Teishoku is a dish whose main dish is braised fish.
Fish is usually braised in two ways: either with Miso sauce, or with soy sauce. Each type has a rich flavor and is perfect to eat with rice.
Not as popular as other types of Teishoku, Nizakana Teishoku is usually only sold at lunch at Izakaya (Japanese pubs).
In Japan, if men often choose high-energy Teishoku (like Karaage Teishoku or Yakiniku Teishoku), women or middle-aged people often choose Nizakana Teishoku because this dish is very good for health.
Tempura Teishoku
Name on menu: 天ぷら定食 (Tempura Teishoku)
Price is about 1,000~1,500 yen
Tempura Teishoku is a meal whose main dish is Tempura – a very famous Japanese fried dish.
Tempura is a dish made by coating ingredients such as seafood, meat and vegetables with a flour mixture and deep-frying in hot oil.
With almost no seasoning, Tempura Teishoku is the perfect dish so you can feel the natural flavors of the ingredients along with the rice.
Tempura Teishoku is usually only sold at specialized shops and is a bit more expensive than other types of Teishoku.
Sashimi Teishoku
Name on menu: 刺身定食 (Sashimi Teishoku)
Price is around 1,200~1,500 yen
Sashimi Teishoku is a meal where the main dish is Sashimi.
Sashimi is an extremely famous Japanese dish, consisting of raw fish or seafood cut into bite-sized slices.
Sashimi Teishoku is not widely sold but is usually only sold at lunch at Izakaya (Japanese-style pubs).
For Japanese people, Sashimi Teishoku is a bit of a luxury because it is a bit expensive for a lunch.
Gyūsara Teishoku
Name on menu: 牛皿定食 (GyūsaraTeishoku)
Price is around 600~700 yen
Gyūsara Teishoku is a dish whose main dish is beef stir-fried with onions.
The beef is cut into small pieces and stir-fried with salt, served with a little red pickled ginger.
Depending on the restaurant, sometimes raw eggs will be included in the meal.
You can dip the beef in raw eggs and eat it with rice, just like eating Sukiyaki hot pot.
Gyūsara Teishoku is usually only available at fast food chains such as Yoshinoya, Sukiya…
Easy to find, easy to eat and affordable, so Gyūsara Teishoku is very popular.
Gyōza Teishoku
Name on menu: 餃子定食 (Gyōza Teishoku)
Price is around 700~800 yen
Gyōza Teishoku is a meal whose main dish is fried dumplings.
This is a typical type of Teishoku in Chinese food restaurants in Japan.
The dumplings are only fried on one side, the other side is steamed, so they are both crispy and soft, making them very enjoyable to eat.
Dip the dumplings in soy sauce mixed with vinegar before enjoying to feel the sweetness of the filling is doubled.
Gyōza Teishoku is usually available in large quantities, so it is especially popular with men in Japan.
They often enjoy Gyōza Teishoku with a glass of cold beer to dispel fatigue after a day of work.
How to eat Teishoku
Eat Teishoku in a triangle shape, alternating between rice, side dishes, and soup.
First, take a sip of hot soup to warm your stomach.
After that, eat rice and food, occasionally taking a sip of soup to neutralize. If possible, eat 2 pieces of rice for each bite of food.
This way of eating not only helps you enjoy Teishoku better, but is also said to be very good for the digestive system.
Famous Teishoku chains
It is not difficult to find places that sell Teishoku in Japan.
In addition to specialized restaurants, you can absolutely find Teishoku at family restaurants, or even at fast food restaurants like Yoshinoya, Sukiya…
Below are some very famous chains that sell Teishoku in Japan. Take note so you can easily find your favorite type of Teishoku.
OOTOYA (大戸屋)
Homepage: https://www.ootoya.com/
Available: most basic types of Teishoku.
Not available: Yakiniku Teishoku, Tempura Teishoku, Sashimi Teishoku, Gyūsara Teishoku, Gyōza Teishoku.
YAYOIKEN (やよい軒)
Homepage: https://www.yayoiken.com/
Available: most basic types of Teishoku.
Not available: Yakiniku Teishoku, Tempura Teishoku, Sashimi Teishoku, Gyūsara Teishoku, Gyōza Teishoku.
TONKATSU WAKO (とんかつ和幸)
Homepage: https://wako-group.co.jp/
Specializing in Tonkatsu Teishoku and some other types of Teishoku fried dough rolls.
KATSUYA (かつや)
Homepage: https://www.arclandservice.co.jp/katsuya/
Specializing in Tonkatsu Teishoku and Karaage Teishoku.
GYUKAKU (牛角)
Homepage: https://www.gyukaku.ne.jp/
Specializing in all kinds of Yakiniku Teishoku.
YAKINIKU LIKE (焼肉ライク)
Homepage: https://www.yakiniku-like.com/
Specializing in all kinds of Yakiniku Teishoku.
TENDON TENYA (天丼てんや)
Homepage: https://www.tenya.co.jp/sp/
Specializing in all kinds of Tempura Teishoku.
ISOMARU SUISAN (磯丸水産)
Homepage: https://isomaru.jp/
Specializing in Yakizakana Teishoku, Nizakana Teishoku, Sashimi Teishoku and fried fish Teishoku.
SUKIYA (すき家)
Homepage: https://www.sukiya.jp/sp/
Specializing in Gyūsara Teishoku and Yakizakana Teishoku.
YOSHINOYA (吉野家)
Homepage: https://www.yoshinoya.com/
Specializing in Gyūsara Teishoku, Yakizakana Teishoku and Nizakana Teishoku.
GYOZA OHSHO (餃子の王将)
Homepage: https://www.ohsho.co.jp/
Specializes in Gyōza Teishoku.
HIDAKAYA (日高屋)
Homepage: https://hidakaya.hiday.co.jp/index.html
Specializing in Gyōza Teishoku, Karaage Teishoku, Shōga Yaki Teishoku.
Conclusion
Living and working in Japan often makes us busier and harder to prepare a decent meal with adequate nutrients.
Teishoku is the perfect choice for you in that case.
Find your favorite type of Teishoku to balance your body’s nutrition and live energetically every day.
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