List of Japanese condiments

This is alist of Japanesecondimentsby type.
Mirin(みりん also 味醂）is an essentialcondimentused inJapanese cuisine.It is a kind ofrice winesimilar tosake, but with a loweralcoholcontent—14%instead of 20%. There are three general types. The first ishon mirin(lit. true mirin),which contains alcohol. The second isshio mirin, which contains alcohol as well as 1.5% saltto avoid alcohol tax. The third isshin mirin(lit. new mirin),ormirin-fu chomiryo(lit. mirin-like seasoning),which contains less than 1% alcohol yet retains the same flavour.
Rice vinegar(よねず　also 米酢）is a very mild and mellowvinegarand ranges in colour from colourless to pale yellow. There are two distinct types of Japanese vinegar: one is made from fermented rice and the other, known asawasezuorseasoned rice vinegaris made by addingsake, salt and sugar. Seasoned rice vinegar is used insushiand insalad dressingvarieties popular in the west, such asgingerorsesamedressing. Rice vinegar can be mixed with salt and sugar to make sushi vinegar, which is used to season the rice used in sushi.
Seasoned rice vinegaris acondimentmade ofsake,sugarandsalt. Besides these three necessary ingredients,mirinis also sometimes used (but only rarely). It is used frequently in theJapanese cuisine, where it is used together withJapanese round riceto makesushi kome(or the sticky, sushi rice). Although it can be made at home, preparedawasezucan also be readily bought at supermarkets.
Soy sauce, orshōyu（しょうゆ　also 醤油), is afermentedsaucemade fromsoybeans(soya beans), roastedgrain,waterandsalt.  It is traditionally divided into five main categories depending on differences in ingredients and method of production.  Most Japanese soy sauces includewheatas a primary ingredient, which tends to give them a slightly sweeter taste than their Chinese counterparts.  They also tend toward analcoholicsherry-like flavor, due to the addition of alcohol in the product. Not all soy sauces are interchangeable.
Soy sauce was introduced into Japan in the 7th century. The Japanese wordtamariis derived from the verbtamaruthat signifies "to accumulate", referring to the fact that tamari was traditionally from the liquid byproduct produced during the fermentation ofmiso. Japan is the leading producer of tamari.
TsumaandOroshiare kind  of edible garnishes used Daikon inJapanese cuisineand both can be dipped.Tsumais used assashimi's accompaniment andOroshiis frequently used as a garnish. The pink spicy momiji-oroshi (もみじおろし, literally "autumn-leaf-red grated (daikon)") is daikon grated with chili pepper.
It is often called "Mizore" means soft snow in Japanese when Oroshi covers a part of dish.
Karashiis a type ofmustardused as acondimentor as aseasoninginJapanese cuisine. Karashi is made from the crushed seeds ofBrassica juncea, frequently mixed withwasabiorhorseradishto addzest. Karashi is not usually sweetened nor thinned with a liquid. However, it can be used as part of a dipping sauce when mixed with mayonnaise or ketchup.
Karashi is often served with fishtempuradishes, withtonkatsu,oden,nattō, andgyōza.It is almost always served with karashinasu,pickledjapanese eggplant(茄子). Depending on the meal, karashi may be the only condiment served, or it may be served alongsidewasabi.
'Mentsuyu'(めんつゆ, also 麺汁)is a condiment made fromdashi, soy sauce, mirin and sugar. Mentsuyu is most often eaten as a dipping sauce withsōmen,soba,udonandhiyamugi.
Ponzuis acitrus-based sauce commonly used inJapanese cuisine.  It is very tart in flavor, with a thin, watery consistency and a light brown color.Ponzu shōyuorponzu jōyuisponzusauce withsoy sauce(shōyu) added, and the mixed product is widely referred to as simplyponzu. It is made by boilingmirin,rice vinegar,katsuobushiflakes, andseaweed(konbu) over medium heat. The liquid is cooled and strained to remove thekatsuobushiflakes. Finally, the juice ofyuzu,sudachi,daidai, andkabosu, orlemonis added.
Rayuischili-infusedvegetable oil(a type ofchili oil), used inChinese cuisineas acookingingredient or as acondiment.  The oil is typicallysesame oiland the chili pepper used is typically red, imparting a reddish tint to the oil.  Other ingredients used may include soy oil, corn oil, driedaloe,ginger,guavaleaves,leekleaves,paprika, andturmeric.
Warishitais a Japanese sauce consisting ofsalt,sugar, andsoy sauce, used, for example, in preparingsukiyaki. See also theJapanese article.
Wasabiis a member of the familyBrassicaceae, which includescabbages,horseradishandmustard. Known as "Japanese horseradish", its root is used as aspiceand has an extremely strong flavour. Its hotness is more akin to that of a hotmustardthan thecapsaicinin achili pepper, producing vapors that irritate thenasalpassages more than thetongue. The plant grows naturally along stream beds in mountain river valleys in Japan. There are also other species used,  such asW. koreana, andW. tetsuigi. The two maincultivarsin the marketplace areW. japonicacv. 'Daruma' and cv. 'Mazuma', but there are many others.
Wasabi is generally sold either in the form of arootwhich must be very finely grated before use, or as a ready-to-use paste (either real wasabi or a mixture of horseradish, mustard and food coloring), usually in tubes approximately the size and shape of traveltoothpastetubes. The paste form is commonly horseradish-based, since fresh wasabi is extremely perishable and more expensive than horseradish. Once the paste is prepared it should remain covered until served to protect the flavor from evaporation.  For this reason,sushichefs usually put the wasabi between the fish and therice.
Furikakeis a dryJapanesecondimentmeant to be sprinkled on top of rice.  It typically consists of a mixture of dried and ground fish,sesame seeds, choppedseaweed, sugar, salt, andmonosodium glutamate.  Other flavorful ingredients such askatsuobushi(sometimes indicated on the package as bonito),salmon,shiso, egg, and vegetables are often added to the mix.
Mayonnaiseis typically made withapple cider vinegarorrice vinegarand a small amount ofMSG, which gives it a different flavor profile from mayonnaise made fromdistilled vinegar. It is most often sold in soft plastic squeeze bottles. Its texture is thinner than most Western commercial mayonnaise.  A variety containingkarashi(Japanese mustard) is also common.
Apart from salads, it is popular with dishes such asokonomiyaki,takoyakiandyakisobaand usually accompanieskatsuandkaraage. It is sometimes served with cooked vegetables, or mixed with soy sauce or wasabi and used as dips. In theTōkai region, it is a frequent condiment onhiyashi chūka(cold noodle salad). Many fried seafood dishes are served with a side of mayonnaise for dipping. It is also not uncommon for Japanese to use mayonnaise in place of tomato sauce on pizza.
Menmais a Japanese condiment made from driedbamboo. It is a common topping fornoodle soupandramen. Menma is also known asshinachiku(シナチク), but this term is now being phased out due to the negative connotations ofthe wordShina.
Wafu dressingis avinaigrette-typesalad dressingbased onsoy sauce, popular inJapan. The name literally means "Japanese-style dressing". The standard wafu dressing consists of a mixture of Japanese soy sauce,rice vinegarandvegetable oil. There are many variations flavoured with additional ingredients such asaonori, gratedginger,umeboshipuree,wasabior citrus fruits such asyuzu.