Though it may sound strange at first, Japanese and Italian cuisines have much more in common than just being popular culinary exports. Italian food is probably one of the most well known, and well loved cuisines world wide, closely followed by Japanese whose trend lead popularity ranges from sushi, to tempura passing by succulent Kobe beef and the 2016 food trend: noodles.
The two cuisines share many common elements, notably, the emphasis on seasonality and simplicity, as well as some basic ingredients and cooking styles. In Japanese cuisine, many dishes are based on a combination of carbohydrates (rice or noodles) vegetables and protein (fish or meat – or tofu). Similar ratios are also the basis of Italian meals, with pasta, rice or bread, being complemented with protein and plenty of vegetables. Thanks to the wealth of fresh ingredients, many cooking styles like steaming or grilling are also common as well as less healthy yet delicious frying (both tempura and katsu, which is surprisingly similar to Milanese).