Why You Won't Find This Common Appliance In Many Japanese Kitchens

Japan is a foodie paradise and a bucket list destination for folks who love to eat, being home to expensive, gorgeous Kobe beef as well as more mundane grail items like the Japanese 7-Eleven egg salad sandwich and delicious clam chowder in the Costco food court. If you were invited into a typical Japanese home to cook dinner, however, you would discover a fact that may be shocking to Western amateur chefs: most of the kitchens there don't have ovens. This may seem unthinkable to your average American or European visitor, but there are both practical and cultural reasons why this ubiquitous appliance is AWOL in Japanese homes.

First of all, extra space commands a premium cost in Japanese dwellings, and most kitchens are very, very small compared to those in other countries, especially the United States. Have you ever looked at your cooking space and bemoaned your situation, wishing you had more pantry shelves and countertop real estate? Well, because home prices and rents are so high in Japan, kitchens tend to be as tiny as possible, with just a sink, a stovetop with perhaps two burners (or even just one!), and a diminutive fridge.

Basically, there is no room for an oven ... and it's not really needed, anyway. Your average Japanese cook doesn't miss needing to bake or oven-roast things, because these methods historically never really took off in Japan. Home cooks are more likely to utilize various portable appliances to supplement their stovetops in creative ways.

Even if a Japanese home has an oven, it's likely to be tiny and considered a luxury purchase. On the other hand, cooks in Japan might be a lot more apt to use a countertop microwave or toaster oven. These small appliances aren't a 1:1 replacement for standard ovens, as they lack the high temperature capabilities, good insulation, and standard functions of an oven, but, in most cases, they get the job done. Some microwave ovens are pretty advanced, with both grilling and steaming capabilities. In terms of grilling, however, quite a few Japanese stoves have a small pull-out drawer underneath that is called a fish grill. These broilers can achieve high temperatures and will cook a couple pieces of meat efficiently.

Modern-day Japanese home cooks have also embraced the sensation that is the air fryer, which has earned a spot on the limited counter space alongside the rice cooker that almost everyone has. You can, in fact, bake cookies in an air fryer, so all hope is not lost. If they live in big cities, some Japanese foodies prefer to go out and catch a cheap dinner at a corner store or cafe, given that rising food prices have all but cancelled out some of the economic benefits of cooking your own food.