The information in this article was originally posted in the Japan Guide, which is a great resource for all things Japanese. The changes I’ve made include the addition of raw food preparation comments. Of course, the full spectrum of veggies available in Nippon is not covered here, but it’s a good start for the uninitiated. Japanese cuisine places a strong emphasis on quality and seasonality of ingredients. This is especially true for vegetables, a fundamental element of Japanese food culture. Apart from a few native types of vegetables, many vegetables used in Japanese cooking today were originally introduced from the Asian mainland. Later waves of new vegetables reached Japan through first contact with Europeans in the 16th century and in more recent decades through a certain Westernization of Japanese eating habits.

Leaf Vegetables

Cabbage Cabbage is an inexpensive, versatile vegetable used to add nutrition and flavor to a broad range of meals. Cabbage is often sliced into thin strips to be served with korokke, tonkatsu (deep fried pork cutlet) or other fried dishes. It is also an important ingredient for okonomiyaki, sometimes described as Japanese pizza. Cabbage can be added to just about any dish, from soups and stews to pan-fried meals to side salads. Japan is one of the world’s top cabbage producers and the vegetable itself is one of the most frequently purchased vegetables in Japanese supermarkets. It is great for juicing and makes a wonderful slaw.

Hakusai (Chinese cabbage) Chinese cabbage or hakusai is popular in many parts of Asia, where it is often pickled. In Korea, hakusai is the cabbage variety usually used to make kimchi, the nation’s most famous dish, a spicy fermented concoction full of enzymes. In Japan, hakusai is also pickled in a dish known as hakusai no sokusekizuke, which, however, is much milder than kimchi. Furthermore, fresh hakusai is a very popular ingredient in hot pot (nabe) dishes. For raw dishes, again, it’s great in a slaw, with a much crisper texture than regular cabbage.

Horenso (spinach) Horenso enjoys popularity thanks to its health benefits and variety of vitamins, being particularly rich in calcium and iron. A well known horenso dish is horenso no goma-ae (spinach with sesame dressing), which involves blanching the horenso and then mixing it with a sweet soy sauce and sesame dressing. You could try this with raw leaves, though the result will be quite different in texture and size. Horenso is also used as a topping in Japanese soups. As horenso is so ubiquitous and affordable, it is a staple in my diet. I use the tougher, darker variety in my green smoothies and soups, and the lighter, more delicate leaves in salads.

Komatsuna (Japanese mustard spinach) Komatsuna is grown and consumed mostly in Japan, China, Taiwan and Korea. It is similar to spinach, in that it contains many important nutrients and vitamins, but it does not have the same bitterness as spinach. Komatsuna is commonly eaten raw in salads or boiled and served in soups and stews. It can also be pickled. This vegetable is great in smoothies, soups, and salads. The less leafy parts do well in slaw, too.

Mizuna (Japanese mustard, spider mustard) Mizuna has recently become very popular as a salad leaf. It is frequently paired with julienned daikon (giant white radish) in a fresh tasting salad. Otherwise, mizuna may appear in soups or Japanese hot pot (nabe), or as a garnish on various dishes. Of course, I use this in green salads.

Shiso (Perilla Leaf) Shiso is a mint-like herb whose distinctive flavor is a staple in Japanese cooking. It comes in two varieties which are used for different purposes. Aojiso (green shiso) is often served with sashimi (raw fish cuts), in salads, or to flavor soups and stews. Akajiso or red shiso is used to pickle Japanese plums and add color to dishes. I have personally yet to use this in a raw dish, but I imagine it would provide an attractive and tasty bed on which to scoop a raw pâté.

Root Vegetables

Daikon (giant white radish) Daikon is a very popular and versatile Japanese vegetable. It can be eaten raw or cooked or ground up to form oroshi, a topping used to flavor various dishes like grilled fish and soup. Especially the bottom half a daikon is often quite spicy like other radish varieties. However, when cooked, this spiciness disappears and the vegetable becomes slightly sweet. Daikon makes Japan’s most popular pickle. Known as takuan, pickled daikon is included in virtually every dish of Japanese pickles. During the harvesting season, daikon hanging from farm houses in preparation for pickling is a common countryside sight. When cooked, daikon is usually boiled in soups and stews. It is the most popular ingredient in the oden hot pot. When used raw, daikon is usually cut into julienne strips and paired with mizuna leaves in a salad. I use a saladaco or spiralizer to slice daikon into attractive pieces for salads. The thinner the slices, the better. You could make oroshi as a healthy topping for natto, too.

Kabu (turnip) Kabu is almost always boiled and served in soups or Japanese hot pot, (nabe). It is a common miso soup ingredient and is often used to make pickles. Kabu usually have a spicier taste than Western varieties. I have never eaten this raw, but would likely treat it like daikon. I imagine it would be a tad starchy, however.

Jagaimo (potato) Jagaimo were not part of traditional Japanese cuisine until relatively recently. They are believed to have been brought by Dutch traders from Indonesia to Kyushu in the 17th century. However, potato cultivation in Japan did not begin until the end of the 19th century. Today, jagaimo are closely associated with Hokkaido where they are a regional specialty and common crop. Jagaimo are popular in several Japanese dishes and adapted Western dishes. Nikujaga (meat and potato stew) combines beef, vegetables, and potatoes in a sweet, soy sauce flavored stew. Jaga batta is a popular festival food in which a grilled potato is seasoned with butter and soy sauce. Jagaimo are also common in Japanese curry and korokke. Potatoes of this kind are too starchy to eat raw, so they are not part of the raw food diet.

Satsumaimo (sweet potato) Satsumaimo were originally grown in Kagoshima, formerly called Satsuma. They are a popular winter vegetable used in both sweet and savory dishes. Satsumaimo are often simply grilled, peeled and eaten plain in a snack called yaki-imo. Satsumaimo may also be battered and deep fried in tempura or boiled in soups, stews or Japanese curry. Daigakuimo is a dish composed of candied satsumaimo. Its name comes from the word for “university” because the snack was invented for university students looking for cheap, tasty food. Because of their natural sweetness, satsumaimo are sometimes made into sweets and snacks. Satsumaimo are too starchy to eat raw, so they are not part of the raw food diet. However, when I personally do eat cooked food, Satsumaimo are on my list, as they are loaded with vitamins and minerals, even when cooked. Particularly for someone used to a raw food diet, they do produce gas, however…

Satoimo (taro root) Satoimo are eaten throughout Asia, especially in India, China, Korea and Japan. They are a starchy root vegetable known for their somewhat sticky, slimy texture. Satoimo are always cooked before eaten, and typically appear in boiled or stewed dishes. Satoimo can be added to miso soup, Japanese hot pot (nabe), Japanese curry or appear battered and deep fried. Again, these too are not part of the raw food lifestyle.

Nagaimo (yam) Nagaimo and its wild mountain variety yamaimo are slightly different in taste, texture and shape, but are prepared and consumed in the same way: sliced and grilled, or eaten raw. Raw nagaimo is grated to form a sticky, paste-like cream known as tororo. Tororo is used as a topping for rice, soba or udon noodles, or mixed with dashi (fish stock) for flavor. Some people experience a slight reaction when raw nagaimo comes in contact with the skin. This can result in a tingling sensation around the lips. I’ve tried grated nagaimo on raw zucchini pasta with seasonings. If you like a neba neba (sticky, slimy) texture to your food, you’ll like this.

Renkon (lotus root) Common in Japan and greater Asia, renkon’s attractive pattern makes it a useful vegetable for creating visually appealing dishes. It is not usually eaten raw, but peeled and boiled in water. Depending on how long it is cooked, lotus root may be crunchy like a fresh carrot, or starchy and soft, like a cooked potato. Renkon is often battered in tempura, boiled in soups or stewed dishes like chikuzenni, fried in pan-cooked dishes or dressed with vinegar in a salad. It is almost always sliced to show off its attractive pattern. If you do eat it raw, you’ll want to slice it really thin, and not eat a lot of it, as it is quite starchy.

Gobo (burdock root) Burdock plants exist all over the world, however, the vegetable is mostly consumed in Asia and especially in Japan. Gobo grow to about 1 or 2 meters and length and are cut before sold to make them more manageable. Gobo are always cooked before eaten and are commonly added to soups as a topping. The most popular gobo dish is kinpira gobo, in which gobo and carrots are shred into thin strips, stir fried and glazed with soy sauce, sugar and sake. I have made a raw version of this dish, but the burdock is indeed quite tough raw. If you slice the root very thinly and let it marinate well, it’s fine! I use sesame oil, sesame seeds, sea salt, and raw soy sauce.

Ninjin (carrot) Ninjin are a widely available and popular vegetable in Japan. They are often thicker than carrots seen in North American and European markets although the taste is the same. Like carrots in other parts of the world, ninjin are often enjoyed raw in salads, or cooked into various dishes such as Japanese curry and Japanese hot pot (nabe). Because of their bright color and sturdy consistency, ninjin are often cut into decorative shapes or simply used to add color and visual appeal to a dish. Although a starchy vegetable, carrots are a staple in many raw foodists’ diets.

Tamanegi (onion) Japan is one of the world’s top onion producing countries, and onions are widely used in many Japanese dishes. As in most other cuisines, onions are usually cooked before eaten, and are a typical ingredient of many fried and stewed dishes such as Japanese curry, various domburi (meals served over a bowl of rice), and Japanese hot pot (nabe). Onions may also be an ingredient in miso soup, or grilled alongside meat in a teppanyaki. Of course, onions are uses in raw food uncooking. The difference is that you only need a little, not just because raw onions have quite a bite, but because they are a very stimulating food.

Shoga (ginger) Ginger, originally important from China, is commonly used in Japanese cuisine. It is a winter flavor, used to add heat to winter meals or served with fish to counter the “fishy” smell. Ginger may be served ground into a paste, which replaces wasabi as a spice for certain types of sushi and sashimi and to add flavor or counter fishy aromas. Ground shoga is also often served on top of tofu for flavor. Thinly sliced, pickled ginger, called gari, is served with sushi and eaten in between bites to clear the palate. Another kind of pickled ginger, beni shoga, is commonly served with heavy meats or fried foods such as yakisoba and tonkatsu. Beni shoga is a dark red pickle with a stronger taste than gari. Like onions, shoga is both potent and stimulating, so you do not need to add much of it to your raw food recipes. Shoga has an anticeptic, cleansing effect on the body and aids in digestion.

Other Vegetables

Take no ko (bamboo shoot) Take no ko symbolizes spring more than any other vegetable. As its name (lit. “child of bamboo”) suggests, take no ko is the soft top of a young bamboo plant. Take no ko must be harvested just before the plant peaks out of the soil, otherwise it become hard and green. Take no ko is consumed grilled, steamed with rice, deep fried in tempura, or boiled in soups and stews. I have never tried this vegetable raw, but I don’t see why it wouldn’t work!

Negi (leek, green onion) Negi are included in many fried and boiled dishes, or used as a topping for domburi (rice bowl) dishes such as gyudon (marinated beef over rice). Negi are usually described as having a taste similar to the green onion, though sweeter. There are as many different varieties of negi as there are regions of Japan; however, the two most common are the Kanto variety with a long, white stem (see picture to the left) and the Kansai variety, whose stem is almost entirely green. Great for adding zest to raw food recipes, without the strong, powerful bite of tamanegi.

Tomato In Japan, tomatoes are mostly eaten in Western style cooking, eaten raw in salads or used as a garnish. While it is one of the most popular vegetables in Japan, it is rarely cooked in Japanese dishes. Cherry tomatoes are especially popular to fill up small spaces in bento boxes. The generic tomato sold in Japan is rather watery, but these days, more stores are selling a larger variety of tomatoes. You can get Italian, baby orange, and baby red tomatoes.

Kyuri (cucumber) Kyuri are usually thinner than Western cucumbers and are eaten unpeeled. They are commonly found raw in salads or as a garnish, or pickled in an iced brine. Kyuri are a popular summer time vegetable. Along with carrots and broccoli, I use them to dip in all the raw food sauces and pastes that I make.

Nasu (eggplant, aubergine) Nasu are smaller and less bitter than their North American and European counterparts. They are an important vegetable in the Japanese cuisine and used in a wide variety of dishes. Nasu dengaku is one typical dish in which the vegetable is cut in half and baked under a layer of miso paste. Another common dish featuring nasu is nasu miso itame in which the vegetable is fried with onions, miso and sugar. Nasu has also a place in cultural folklore: Dreaming about Mount Fuji, a hawk or nasu on New Year is considered good luck. And in a Japanese proverb, parents are warned against giving nasu to their daughters-in-law in the fall. This warning comes from the fact that fall nasu are particularly delicious and are better kept to oneself. However, it also refers to the fact that nasu are a “cooling” vegetable best eaten in the hot summer months. Consequently, it is thought to deter pregnancy, thus being a poor gift for a daughter-in-law. Unlike zucchini, which are more expensive and harder to find, nasu unfortunately do not lend as well to raw food uncooking as I would like. I adour this vegetable, so am seeking out recipes. Check out the Raw Rapture recipe for Ba Ba Ganoush.

Piman (Green pepper) Piman comes from the French word for pepper, poivron. Japanese piman are usually smaller than bell peppers. They have a thin skin and sweet taste, and are often served battered and deep fried as tempura, or stir fried in Chinese style dishes. They are also eaten raw in salads. This is a versatile veggie for raw food cooking. These days you can find red, orange, and yellow peppers, too, though you pay a premium for the colour.

Shishito (Small Japanese green pepper) Shishito are a smaller variety of piman, Japanese green peppers. They are a sweet and mild pepper. Shishito are most commonly served as tempura or roasted and topped with soy sauce and bonito fish flakes. These are not as common on supermarket shelves as the regular piman for some reason.

Kabocha (pumpkin) Kabocha make their appearance in fall and winter. Kabocha’s high vitamin A content made it an important vegetable for northern Japan’s long winters. Kabocha is traditionally eaten in celebration of the winter solstice, the shortest day of the year, when people lack the nutrients found more commonly in summer vegetables. Kabocha is often enjoyed as tempura or boiled in sugar and soy sauce resulting in a soft, sweet dish. Recently, with the import of Halloween from North America, kabocha has become a popular ingredient around the October 31 holiday, for example in kabocha purin, sweet pumpkin pudding. This vegetable is a tad too starchy for raw food, but diehards could slice it thin and make something of it. Personally, just like the satsumaimo, this is a vegetable I sometimes like to eat. Cooked.

Tomorokoshi (corn) Foreign visitors to Japan may notice the frequent addition of corn to Japanese breads, pizzas, pastas, salads and more. Tomorokoshi is a popular vegetable in Japan, closely associated with Hokkaido, where it is grown. However, the vegetable is so popular that local growers cannot meet demand. Most tomorokoshi is now imported from the United States. Both fresh and canned corn is popular. When tomorokoshi is in season, it is often grilled, buttered and seasoned in soy sauce. Tomorokoshi is also included in many Hokkaido specialty foods such a Hokkaido style ramen (noodle soup) and miso soup. If you’d like to eat it raw, go for it! Just scrape it off the husk and enjoy. Check out Avo-buttered Corn on the Cob.

Okura (okra) Okura has a sticky layer surrounding the seeds of its fruit, producing a consistency similar to nagaimo (yam). When okura is consumed raw, the sticky texture is present, however, it is cooked off when boiled or fried. Okura is a summer vegetable that is often eaten raw in salads, deep fried in tempura, or served with soya sauce and katsuobushi (smoked bonito flakes). Okura leaves are not commonly consumed in Japan. Raw foodies can jump on this one. It has a neba neba (sticky and slimy) texture when sliced up, so it makes a great topping for natto. Indeed mixed okura and natto on rice wrapped in nori (seaweed laver sheets) are a common item at kaiten (conveyor belt) sushi shops. It’s also great in fresh salads containing seaweeds like wakame.

Goya (bitter melon) Goya is the most famous vegetables in Okinawan cuisine and the key ingredient in goya champuru, Okinawa’s signature dish composed of stir fried goya, tofu and eggs. Goya is well known for its bitter taste. Raw, it is all the more bitter. I recommend juicing it, only in large quantities if you REALLY like bitterness. It is regarded as one ingredient attributed to Okinawans’ famous longevity.

Sea Vegetables (seaweed)

A wide variety of seaweeds are consumed in Japan. The following are just the top three:

Konbu Kombu is a large type of seaweed that is often used as a soup stock or in nabe (hot pot) dishes. If you process this dried seaweed with a high speed processor, you can make a mineral rich supplement for your green smoothies. This particular sea vegetable is thick and tough though, so only attempt to pulverize it if you have a high-speed machine.

Wakame Wakame is often used in soups such as the miso soup or in sunomono salads. Wakame is usually sold in dried form, and is soaked in water before usage. The picture on the left shows wakame in dried and soaked form. You can use soaked wakame in fresh salads. It works in some hot raw soups, too. Like konbu and other sea vegetables, if you process this dried seaweed with a high speed processor, you can make a mineral rich supplement for your green smoothies.

Nori (laver) Nori are thin, dried seaweed sheets. Nori sheets are used in many sushi dishes, for rice balls and as a topping or condiment for various noodle and other dishes. Most nori sheets on the market in Japan are NOT raw. Not only are many brands roasted, but additional salt and oil is often added. Check your labels. Nori are used primarily for raw sushi rolls in raw food uncooking.

Mushrooms

Shiitake Shiitake mushrooms are one the most popular mushrooms in Japanese cuisine, and are also well known outside of Japan. They are available fresh or dried, with the latter being soaked in water before being used. Shiitake mushrooms can be found in various dishes such as nabe (hot pot) dishes, boiled dishes, and tempura. There are many raw food recipes containing shiitake, but it is not recommended by many authorities that you eat this, or most other kinds of mushrooms raw. Indeed, the one time I ate raw shiitake I got food poisoning, but then, I have a particular stomach. Cultivated mushrooms such button mushrooms (also available widely in Japan) seem to be acceptable. Other types of Japanese mushrooms include Maitake, Matsutake, Nametake/ Enoki, and Hiratake (see the Japan Guide for pictures and descriptions.) At least one of these has made me sick before, and that was cooked! Personally, then, I do not really recommend vast amounts of raw fungi consumption.

Whenever I tell people I’m vegan (or raw or vegetarian), often the first question I get is, “Ok, so where do you get your protein?”

As soon as I hear this question, I immediately know that I’m dealing with someone who doesn’t know very much about plants. The idea that plant foods are somehow devoid of protein is nothing but a myth.

Myth #1: Plants are low in protein

Plant foods are generally abundant in protein. For example, lettuce gets 34% of its calories from protein, and broccoli gets 45% of its calories from protein. Spinach is 49%. Cauliflower is 40%. Celery is 21%. Beans range from 23% to 54% depending on the variety. Grains are 8% to 31%. Nuts and seeds are 8% to 21%. Fruits are the lowest at around 5-8% on average. While these percentages are high, vegetables are very low in calories, so you do have to eat a lot to get your nutrition’s worth. At the other end of the calorie spectrum are nuts, which are very calorie dense and high in fat, so you should not eat too much!

In fact, if you wanted to suffer from protein deficiency, you’d either have to seriously restrict total calories (starve!), or you’d have to eat a really unbalanced diet with based around processed, low-protein junk foods. But in those cases, protein deficiency probably won’t be your biggest risk. I cannot say I’ve ever met anyone suffering from a protein deficiency, vegan or otherwise. The much greater risk, at least in the western world, is consuming too much protein.

Myth #2: Plant proteins are incomplete

Another myth is the idea that you need to combine different plant foods to form complete proteins. The idea was that most plant foods only contained some of the essential amino acids, so you’d have to combine “incomplete” foods like beans and rice to form meals that contained complete proteins. This food combining idea was put forth in the 1971 book “Diet for a Small Planet “ by Frances Moore Lappé. It was a million-copy bestseller.

Unfortunately, many people still aren’t aware that this theory was later found to be false. Lappé herself recanted her original theory in later works that were far less popular. The truth is that most plant foods do contain all the essential amino acids, but furthermore, your body will store amino acids in a pool between meals, which means you don’t need to get all the essentials in a single meal.

Many people today are still under the mistaken assumption that getting enough protein from plants is difficult or impossible. It’s interesting how so many people really believe this to the core. I haven’t eaten any animal meat protein since 1989 (aside from a fish stint in Japan), and I’ve never had any protein deficiency symptoms. Don’t worry about getting enough protein. Just eat your veggies, and you’ll be fine.