Welcome to the Nihongo Lesson feature. We strive to give you useful manga-based Japanese language tips and maybe even a glimpse into the translation process. This week’s lesson will feature food terms from the tastiest series in the magazine—Food Wars! The team battle against Central is starting to really heat up, and it was great to see Isshiki in action. Here’s some food for thought while we all wait for the next scrumptious chapter!

RYOURI (りょうり)

RYOURI means “cooking” or “cuisine.” And if you’re into RYOURI or just food in general, is there a better manga series than Food Wars! ? This series really does have it all. Intense battles, beautiful art and some of the best-drawn food ever seen! It will be exciting to ask writer Yuto Tsukuda what inspires him during his panel at Anime Expo!

WASHOKU (わしょく)

WASHOKU is “Japanese-style cuisine.” Basically, traditional food using Japanese ingredients. Rice, miso soup, sushi, udon and more. Japan has a strong food tradition that goes back thousands of years, and learning about some of the dishes in Food Wars! is a real treat!

YOUSHOKU (ようしょく)

YOUSHOKU means “Western-style cuisine.” These are the foods that have been imported to Japan. Pizza, pasta and hamburgers are all examples of this. In last week’s chapter, Isshiki was able to win his eel battle by merging aspects of both WASHOKU and YOUSHOKU and creating a delicious fusion dish!

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