A Bowl of Tea and Rice That Changed My Morning in Kumamoto
It was the summer of 1997, my first time in Japan. My father had arranged for me to stay with his friend in Kumamoto — a doctor who ran a small hospital. His family made me feel welcome right from the start.
One morning, I wandered into the kitchen and saw a bowl of leftover rice from the night before, a pot of green tea, and these small paper packets on the table — the kind you get at the supermarket. The doctor’s wife tore one open, sprinkling its mix of dried seaweed, tiny rice crackers, and powdered seasoning over the rice. She poured in the tea and passed the bowl to me. I didn’t know the name yet, but the warmth, the light savoury flavour, and the way the tea softened the rice stuck with me.
Ochazuke has been part of Japanese home cooking for centuries. Its earliest form, called yu-dake gohan, was simply hot water poured over rice — a thrifty way to make cold rice easier to eat. By the Edo period (1603–1868), green tea had become widely available, and people started using it instead, adding simple toppings for flavour. It became the quick meal of choice for busy merchants, travellers, and anyone needing something light after a night of drinking.
Today, there are endless variations. Restaurants might serve fresh-grilled fish or seasonal vegetables on top, while convenience stores and supermarkets sell those little paper packets I first saw in Kumamoto — instantly turning plain rice into a steaming, savoury bowl in under a minute. Whether made from scratch or from a packet, ochazuke remains a kind of everyday comfort food in Japan: unpretentious, adaptable, and deeply tied to the rhythm of home life. For me, it will always be linked to that first morning in Kumamoto, when a simple bowl of tea and rice quietly opened a new window into Japanese food culture.
🍵 Ochazuke Quick Bites
Most Popular:
- Salmon Ochazuke (Sake Chazuke) — Grilled salted salmon flaked over rice, topped with nori and tiny rice crackers (arare), then finished with hot green tea or dashi.
- Widely loved for its balance of savoury, smoky, and umami flavours, it’s the go‑to topping in homes and restaurants alike.
Most Unheard‑Of:
- Matcha‑Dashi Ochazuke — A modern twist where powdered matcha is whisked into savoury dashi broth before being poured over rice.
- Rarely found outside specialty tea cafés or experimental kaiseki menus, it delivers a vivid green colour and a layered, grassy‑umami taste.
Where to experience it in Japan:
- In Tokyo, try Dashi Ochazuke En Lumine Shinjuku branch — a dedicated ochazuke spot where you can choose from classic salmon to seasonal and inventive toppings, all served with a rich dashi base.
