A Japanese Breakfast

Japanese Breakfast at the Claska Hotel in Tokyo. Miso soup, rice, pickles, and miso broiled fish - SO delicious.

a japanese breakfast // loveandlemons.com

We made it to Japan! I think it’s only fitting that our first post is about the first meal of the day. I wouldn’t normally recommend eating breakfast at your hotel, but in Japan you have to (at least once) experience the Japanese breakfast. If you haven’t heard of it, the concept might rock your mind… I mean, it is miso soup and fish for breakfast after all…

a japanese breakfast // loveandlemons.com

This particular breakfast was at the Claska, a boutique hotel in Tokyo. We spent our first two nights there and our favorite part was their version of the Japanese breakfast. It was a little less traditional than others we’ve had, but we just loved the modern take.

a japanese breakfast // loveandlemons.com

It starts with a choice of coffee or green tea. Pick the green tea, or you’re not doing it right. Next you get a big tray full of many little things… miso soup, rice, pickles, & miso broiled fish among others (see above). Traditionally (I think) there’s a natto course, but we thought it was so clever that they subbed in seasonal okra for a similar “gooey” component. Also, we’ve yet to acquire the taste for natto.

a japanese breakfast // loveandlemons.com

The “take home” idea for us was the soft boiled egg mixed into rice with a sweet soy sauce, pickled veggies, and torn pieces of toasted nori. I can’t see myself going through the effort to recreate this entire breakfast platter at home, but an eggy breakfast rice bowl, I can do. yum yum.

45 comments

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  1. Adriana
    06.20.2015

    Looks amazing! Lovely photography too. I’m currently planning a trip to Japan and have my eye on Claska hotel. I’ll be staying there for 6 nights. Do you think it’s too far from the heart and buzz of Tokyo? I appreciate your feedback in advance XX

  2. Jessica
    02.15.2015

    Coffee is a perfectly acceptable choice to have with your breakfast. The Japanese LOVE coffee, like most industrialized countries. Did you visit any kisatten or localized coffee shops while there? They elevate the beans into an art form all their own, so while perhaps not as traditional as green tea there’s certainly enough of a coffee culture for it to be an acceptably “Japanesey” inclusion…

    • jeanine
      02.16.2015

      Hi Jessica,

      I really wasn’t trying to imply that Japanese don’t make good coffee – I just really enjoyed all the green tea 🙂

  3. Yvonne from betterwithlemons.wordpress.com
    10.02.2013

    I feel like we might be kindred spirits. My blog started with my love of lemons, too 🙂 And I spent the first 17 years of my life living in Kobe, so your posts on Japan are very nostalgic for me. (I never developed a taste for natto, ever…) Thanks for sharing your photos and experiences!

  4. Jonathan
    09.25.2013

    They look SO GOOD! How lucky of you!
    Oh, how do you edit your photos by the way?

    • jeanine
      09.25.2013

      Thanks! I use Lightroom, and (for the travel photos) I’ve been using the VSCO films.

  5. fai from cosetteblog.blogspot.com
    09.19.2013

    what a cool place to stay! i hope you are enjoying japan 🙂

  6. Gosh, what a lovely (and delicious) experience. I have yet to visit Asia. *Sigh* Someday…

  7. Looks like an awesome trip! I actually prefer to eat dinner food for breakfast. I think USA is one of the only cultures to load sugar first thing in the morning through bagels and cereal

  8. julia from beautyandsomebeef.com
    09.13.2013

    Looks like such a fantastic trip, I’m hoping to get to Japan in the near future partly now for that breakfast that you had. What an interesting breakfast! Im a rice-oholic so looks perfect to me!

  9. Sini from myblueandwhitekitchen.com
    09.13.2013

    Now I’m craving a Japanese style breakfast! Looks so good.

  10. I totaly love it!
    japanese food is so delicious.
    I have recently been to Tokyo and couldn’t stop eating there=)

A food blog with fresh, zesty recipes.
Photograph of Jeanine Donofrio and Jack Mathews in their kitchen

Hello, we're Jeanine and Jack.

We love to eat, travel, cook, and eat some more! We create & photograph vegetarian recipes from our home in Chicago, while our shiba pups eat the kale stems that fall on the kitchen floor.