Easy and Healthy Fall Japanese Dinner Recipes: Main Dishes, Rice Dishes, Soups, Salads & Desserts
Introducing nine iconic ingredients of Japanese fall, along with easy, healthy, and delicious recipes you can make with them!
In Japan, there’s a saying: “shokuyoku no aki” or “fall, the season of appetite.” Indeed, fall is when seafood like fish becomes richer in flavor, while seasonal harvests such as chestnuts, pumpkin, and fragrant mushrooms are at their best. With the cool breeze making the days more comfortable, your appetite naturally grows! From over 100 recipes recommended by Kikkoman, discover your favorite dishes or try something new and savor the flavors of fall.
Table of Contents
Key Fall Ingredients: Bonito, Pumpkin, Sweet Potato, Apple & More
Vegetables
Kabocha Squash / Japanese Pumpkin
Kabocha Squash, also known as Japanese Pumpkin, has a hearty texture and a mild sweetness. The variety most widely grown in Japan originates from Central and South America and is known as seiyo kabocha (Western pumpkin). When cooked, it develops a fluffy, chestnut-like texture that pairs especially well with salty or soy sauce–based flavors, making it a popular choice for simmered dishes. As a richly colored vegetable, it is also valued for its high content of beta-carotene (vitamin A).
Sweet Potatoes
Sweet potatoes are very popular in Japan, and selective breeding has produced many different varieties. They vary widely in texture—from fluffy to creamy—along with differences in sweetness, flavor depth, and color. Depending on the cooking method, whether simmered, stir-fried, or deep-fried, the texture and taste can change dramatically, offering a variety of ways to enjoy them. Ishiyaki-imo, sweet potatoes baked whole on heated stones, are a beloved fall treat and can be found ready-to-eat at supermarkets. Nutritionally, sweet potatoes are appealing not only as a source of carbohydrates for energy but also for their abundance of dietary fiber.
Mushrooms
Japan’s four distinct seasons, abundant nature, and moderate humidity create an ideal environment for a wide variety of mushrooms. While cultivated mushrooms are most common, in fall, wild mushrooms from the mountains appear in grocery stores, allowing people to enjoy their unique aroma and umami in seasonal dishes. Mushrooms are also valued for their healthy properties, being low in calories yet rich in dietary fiber. Dried shiitake, in particular, develops an intensified flavor and umami, making it an essential ingredient for preparing dashi, the foundation of many Japanese dishes.
Fruits
Apple
Apples are a beloved fruit, prized for their perfect balance of sweetness, tartness, and crisp texture. Thanks to advances in storage technology, they are now available year-round, but fall, the harvest season, is when countless varieties arrive in succession, each with its own character. Part of the seasonal joy is tasting and comparing these different apples at their peak. One standout is Fuji, a variety developed in Japan that has become one of the most popular apples grown worldwide.
Kaki / Japanese Persimmon
Persimmons have been cultivated in Japan since ancient times and are prized for their mild sweetness, accompanied by a lingering depth of flavor. They pair beautifully in dishes such as shiraae (mashed tofu dressed with vegetables or fruit), mixed with fragrant herbs, or added to salads. There is also a long-standing tradition of drying them into hoshigaki (dried persimmons), and in regions where persimmons are abundant, rows of fruit hanging under the eaves of houses are a familiar seasonal sight from fall into winter. Nutritionally, persimmons are also noteworthy for their high vitamin C content.
Kuri / Japanese Chestnuts
Japanese chestnuts (waguri) are native to Japan. Compared to the European varieties, they have a fluffier, starchier texture and are enjoyed in dishes such as chestnut rice or tempura. Though removing their hard outer shells takes effort, the fragrant aroma that fills the kitchen during preparation makes them all the more rewarding and something to look forward to each fall. A traditional seasonal preparation is shibukawa-ni, where nuts are simmered slowly with their inner skins intact to create a delicately sweet treat that has long been a part of Japanese home cooking.
Fig
Figs are prized for their tender, juicy flesh with a gentle sweetness and fragrance. While they are often dried in the West, in Japan, they are typically enjoyed fresh in dressed vegetable dishes, salads, or simply to appreciate their beautiful color and succulent texture. They are also popular simmered in syrup and served as a dessert. Nutritionally, figs are rich in potassium, which helps regulate body fluids, making them especially welcome during the hot months from summer into fall.
Seafood
Bonito
In Japan, bonito (katsuo) has two peak seasons: spring and fall. In spring, as the fish migrate north along the Japanese archipelago, they are called nobori-gatsuo (or hatsu-gatsuo, meaning the year’s first bonito). In fall, when they return southward, they are known as modori-gatsuo (returning bonito). Fall bonito are especially prized for their rich fat content and hearty flavor. They are delicious not only as sashimi (raw slices), but also grilled or fried. Bonito is also renowned for its strong umami, and dried katsuobushi made from this fish is an indispensable ingredient for Japanese dashi (soup stock).
Sanma / Pacific Saury
Pacific saury, or sanma, is so closely associated with fall in Japan that the first catch of the season is often reported on the news as a sign of the season’s arrival. Because it is a fatty fish, the classic way to enjoy it is simply grilled with a sprinkle of salt and a side of grated daikon radish and soy sauce. The fat drips down during cooking, leaving a wonderfully savory, smoky flavor. Sanma is also rich in unsaturated fatty acids, which are believed to help prevent lifestyle-related diseases, making its fat content noteworthy for its health benefits. Its long, slender, blade-like body shape is the reason for its evocative Japanese name, written with the characters for “fall” and “sword.”
Best Fall Main Dish Recipes
Bonito Steak
By lightly searing the bonito slices and adding the fragrance of ginger and shiso leaves, the fishy odor is reduced and the flavor of the meat is enhanced. If shiso is not available, simply omit it or substitute it with herbs such as chervil or parsley.
Baked Layered Kabocha Squash
This gratin makes the most of pumpkin’s natural sweetness. Simply layer pumpkin slices cooked in the microwave with ground meat simmered in tomato sauce, top with cheese, and bake. The richness of the cheese adds depth, making it a hearty and satisfying dish.
Grilled Pacific Saury with Sudachi
When it comes to cooking pacific saury, grilled with salt is the classic choice! The fat drips off as it cooks, leaving crispy, fragrant skin and tender, juicy flesh. Serve it with aromatic vegetables and a touch of citrus; the fragrance and acidity provide the perfect finishing accent.
Mushroom and Meatball Stew
Simmer beef meatballs in tomato sauce with three kinds of mushrooms. Use whatever mushrooms are available, but it’s important to include more than one variety, as this enhances both the umami and the aroma of the dish.
Best Fall Rice Dish Recipes
Bonito Tekone Sushi
Tekone sushi is a regional Japanese dish made by layering sashimi (raw seafood slices) marinated in soy-based sauce over sushi rice and topping it with condiments. It is said to have originated with fishermen, who would quickly prepare it during breaks and mix it by hand, hence the name “tekone,” meaning “hand-mixed.” With its colorful presentation, it also makes a wonderful dish for parties.
Chestnuts and Rice
Takikomi gohan (Japanese mixed rice) is a dish where rice is cooked with various ingredients, allowing you to enjoy both the main dish and rice in one bowl. It can be made with seasonal ingredients, and chestnut rice made by steaming whole chestnuts with the rice is a classic fall favorite. The aroma of the chestnuts infuses the rice, and their fluffy, subtly sweet flesh adds a delicious seasonal touch.
Mushroom Fried Rice
Sauteing mushrooms in butter enhances their flavor and richness. Mix them thoroughly with rice, then finish with a splash of Kikkoman Soy Sauce. The soy’s savory aroma and the mushroom umami blend beautifully into the rice, creating a dish so tasty you will want to keep eating.
Best Fall Soup Recipes
Sweet Potato Potage
This potage soup highlights the natural sweetness of sweet potatoes. Adding umami-rich soy sauce and the gentle sweetness of mirin gives it a rich, layered flavor. Whisk well to create a smooth, velvety texture.
Japanese Egg Drop Soup with Maitake Mushrooms
This soup features maitake mushrooms, known for their strong umami, as the star ingredient. The method of pouring beaten egg into the broth is called tamago-toji in Japanese. The soft swirls of egg gently envelop the ingredients and broth, bringing the flavors together in a mellow harmony while also making the dish satisfying as a side.
Matsutake Dobin Mushi
Dobin-mushi is a dish where ingredients, most often mushrooms, are simmered to infuse their flavor into the broth, which is then enjoyed. Traditionally, it is prepared in a small teapot (dobin) so that the broth can first be poured out and sipped, followed by eating the ingredients. While matsutake mushrooms, prized for their exceptional fragrance, are recommended, it can also be made with other mushrooms.
Best Fall Salad / Side Dish Recipes
Japanese Persimmon and Mashed Tofu Salad (Shiraae)
This dish is quick and easy to prepare—just cut the ingredients and toss them together for a beautifully simple presentation. The gentle sweetness of persimmons pairs wonderfully with the mild flavor of tofu. Silken tofu gives it a smooth, refined texture, while firm tofu creates a heartier flavor and finish.
Sesame Butter Sweet Potato Fries (Kinpira）
Kinpira is a style of cooking where thinly sliced vegetables are seasoned with soy sauce, sugar, and other condiments to create a sweet-savory flavor. The seasoning pairs especially well with sweet potatoes, giving them a glossy finish. A sprinkle of black sesame seeds at the end adds aroma and a pleasant textural accent.
Simmered Kabocha and Ground Pork
Simmered pumpkin is a classic fall home-cooked dish in Japan. This version includes ground meat for umami, so it can be made easily without dashi. The natural sweetness from the pumpkin combined with the savory soy sauce creates a rich, flavorful taste, while the tender texture, soaked in broth, pairs beautifully with simple main dishes like grilled fish.
Best Fall Dessert Recipes
Mirin-Flavored Fig Compote
This compote simmers the figs whole. Lemon juice helps preserve the color while adding a refreshing tartness. The addition of mirin gives the dish a gentle, layered sweetness that complements the figs beautifully. It’s best enjoyed well chilled.
Simple Sweet Potatoes
Mix cooked and mashed sweet potatoes with butter, soy sauce, and sugar, then toast until golden brown. The surface develops a fragrant, roasted flavor that contrasts with the soft sweet potato inside, creating a rich, layered taste.
Apple Compote
This apple compote highlights the gentle sweetness of mirin, a traditional Japanese seasoning, for a light and refreshing flavor. The apples are simmered with their skins intact, allowing the beautiful color to shine through. It can be enjoyed on its own or served with ice cream for an extra treat.
