Mirin – a sweet rice wine that gives Japanese food that hard to describe sweetness and tang. Read on to learn the difference between Aji-Mirin & Mirin.

Miso – a thick, savory paste used to season a variety of Japanese foods. Learn about the differences between white miso, yellow miso and red miso.

Sake- the traditional alcoholic beverage of Japan. Much like wine in Italy, sake can be enjoyed alone as a beverage, or used in cooking to add flavor.

Kombu Dashi – the second most common type of dashi. Kombu is a great alternative to bonito for vegans and vegetarians. Learn how to make in this post.

Bonito Dashi- the most common type of dashi used in Japanese cooking. Learn the different ways you can quickly and easily make dashi in this post.

Dashi – the broth at the heart of classic Japanese recipes like miso soup or udon. Learn about the different variations of dashi with this post.

Soy sauce- the most commonly used seasoning in Japanese cooking. Get my recommendations on which soy sauces to buy depending on where you’re shopping.