Japanese cuisine originated in the Japanese islands and has gradually developed into a cuisine with unique Japanese characteristics. Japanese wagashi requires natural colors, delicious flavors, diverse shapes, and fine utensils, and it emphasizes a sense of seasonality in its ingredients and seasoning methods.

Japanese cuisine, which is also used in modern Chinese in some regions, usually also refers to Japanese food. When Japanese cuisine is mentioned, many people think of sushi, sashimi, or kaiseki, which is very delicately and artistically presented. However, for many Japanese, Japanese cuisine is the everyday traditional diet, especially as it developed towards the end of the Meiji era (1868-1912).