Quantifying culinary diversity across countries.

Compare countries

Greek vs Japanese food & cuisine

Compare
Flag
Flag
Greece

VS

Japan

Greece

Japan

The average Greek daily plate size is

The average Japanese daily plate size is

2503 g.
1510 g.
Icon

Grains

Icon

Fish and seafood

Icon

Produce

Icon

Eggs and dairy

Icon

meats

Icon

Sugar, fats and nuts

Icon

Grains 313 G

WHEAT

277 G

RICE

21 G

CORN

4 G

BARLEY

4 G

RYE

1 G

OATS

3 G

MILLET

0 G

SORGHUM

0 G

OTHER CEREALS

3 G

Icon

Grains 367 G

WHEAT

121 G

RICE

204 G

CORN

37 G

BARLEY

2 G

RYE

0 G

OATS

1 G

MILLET

0 G

SORGHUM

0 G

OTHER CEREALS

2 G

Icon

Produce 953 G

PULSES

9 G

VEGETABLES

423 G

STARCHY ROOTS

142 G

FRUITS

379 G

SEA PLANTS

0 G

Icon

Produce 491 G

PULSES

3 G

VEGETABLES

299 G

STARCHY ROOTS

75 G

FRUITS

87 G

SEA PLANTS

2 G

Icon

Meats 219 G

POULTRY

71 G

PORK

73 G

BEEF

40 G

MUTTON AND GOAT

21 G

OTHER MEAT

5 G

OFFALS

9 G

Icon

Meats 154 G

POULTRY

62 G

PORK

60 G

BEEF

26 G

MUTTON AND GOAT

0 G

OTHER MEAT

0 G

OFFALS

6 G

Icon

Fish and seafood 60 G

FISH

43 G

SEAFOOD

17 G

Icon

Fish and seafood 125 G

FISH

84 G

SEAFOOD

41 G

Icon

Eggs and dairy 648 G

EGGS

24 G

MILK AND DAIRY

614 G

ANIMAL FATS

10 G

Icon

Eggs and dairy 215 G

EGGS

55 G

MILK AND DAIRY

158 G

ANIMAL FATS

2 G

Icon

SUGARS, FATS AND NUTS 310 G

NUTS

38 G

SWEETENERS

103 G

SUGAR CROPS

0 G

VEG OILS

77 G

OILCROPS

92 G

Icon

SUGARS, FATS AND NUTS 158 G

NUTS

8 G

SWEETENERS

77 G

SUGAR CROPS

0 G

VEG OILS

44 G

OILCROPS

29 G

Icon

Herbs

BASIL

BAY LEAVES

DILL

MINT

OREGANO

PARSLEY

ROSEMARY

SAGE

THYME

ANGELICA

CHIVES

JAPANESE PARSLEY

MUGWORT

PERILLA/SHISO

SESAME LEAVES

Greece
Common
Japan

BASIL

BAY LEAVES

DILL

MINT

OREGANO

PARSLEY

ROSEMARY

SAGE

THYME

ANGELICA

CHIVES

JAPANESE PARSLEY

MUGWORT

PERILLA/SHISO

SESAME LEAVES

Icon

Spices

BLACK PEPPER

CINNAMON

CLOVES

CUMIN

FENNEL SEED

DRY CHILI

SANSHO

WHITE PEPPER

Greece
Common
Japan

BLACK PEPPER

CINNAMON

CLOVES

CUMIN

FENNEL SEED

DRY CHILI

SANSHO

WHITE PEPPER

Icon

Aromatics

CARROT

CELERY STALKS

FENNEL

GARLIC

LEMON

ONION

ORANGE

TOMATO

CHINESE CHIVES

DRIED MUSHROOMS

GINGER

JAPANESE LONG ONION

SPRING ONION

YUZU

Greece
Common
Japan

CARROT

CELERY STALKS

FENNEL

GARLIC

LEMON

ONION

ORANGE

TOMATO

CHINESE CHIVES

DRIED MUSHROOMS

GINGER

JAPANESE LONG ONION

SPRING ONION

YUZU

Icon

Condiments

CAPERS

HONEY

OLIVE OIL

OLIVES

TOMATO PASTE

WINE

WINE VINEGAR

YOGURT

DASHI

DRIED FISH/SEAFOOD

DRIED SEAWEED

FERMENTED BEAN PASTE

FERMENTED FISH/SEAFOOD

FISH SAUCE

KOKUTŌ

MAYONNAISE

MIRIN

MUSTARD

RICE VINEGAR

SAKE

SESAME OIL

SESAME SEEDS

SHIO KOJI

SOY SAUCE

WASABI

Greece
Common
Japan

CAPERS

HONEY

OLIVE OIL

OLIVES

TOMATO PASTE

WINE

WINE VINEGAR

YOGURT

DASHI

DRIED FISH/SEAFOOD

DRIED SEAWEED

FERMENTED BEAN PASTE

FERMENTED FISH/SEAFOOD

FISH SAUCE

KOKUTŌ

MAYONNAISE

MIRIN

MUSTARD

RICE VINEGAR

SAKE

SESAME OIL

SESAME SEEDS

SHIO KOJI

SOY SAUCE

WASABI

Greece

SEASONINGS

For Greece, it’s quite tempting to list lemon, olive oil, garlic, and oregano and stop there – this fresh combination is so iconic and Greek. Herbs are the soul of Greek cooking, used generously to elevate the dishes. Greeks often use minimal seasoning even for grilled meats. Yet if we talk stews, soups and hearty dishes, then cinnamon, allspice, cloves, cumin, and nutmeg add warmth, depth, and sweetness but don’t overpower – the purity of ingredient remains.

It’s fascinating how Greek cuisine shows the meeting of Western and Eastern cultures through its two most important condiments – olive oil and yogurt. Olive oil comes from the Mediterranean tradition that Greece shares with Italy, Spain and southern France. Meanwhile, yogurt connects Greece to the east – to Turkey, the Levant, and other Middle Eastern food cultures. The same pattern appears in Greek architecture, music, and other cultural expressions as well.

Though not exclusive to Greek cuisine, mahlab, and mastic contribute to distinctive flavors: mahlab, a spice made from the ground seeds of the St. Lucie cherry or black cherry tree, has a unique and slightly sweet taste with hints of almond and cherry. It is used in desserts, such as tsoureki (a sweet bread), and in some savory dishes. Mastic, a resin obtained from the mastic tree, is used as a flavoring and thickening agent in desserts. Mastic has a piney, slightly resinous flavor and a unique chewy texture when ground into a powder.

SAUCES

TZADZIKI – a rich, creamy, bright, and fresh, indeed the most famous sauce, made from strained yogurt, cucumber, dill, mint, lemon, garlic, and olive oil, eaten with bread, grilled meats, as a part of a meze platter, as a salad dressing,

AVGOLEMONO is another Greek signature. It is used as both a sauce and a soup, made from egg yolks and lemon juice whisked together until they develop a thick consistency.

LADOLEMONO is a classic lemon and olive oil dressing whisked together to perfection, used as a marinade, or drizzled over grilled fish, seafood, and vegetables.

SKORDALIA – a pungent garlic sauce paired with fried cod (bakaliaros), boiled beets, or vegetables. Made of garlic, potatoes or bread, olive oil, lemon juice, vinegar, almonds/walnuts.

 

Japan

SEASONINGS AND SAUCES

The concept of umami, often called the fifth taste, is central to Japanese cooking. This depth comes from ingredients like kombu seaweed, bonito flakes, miso, and aged soy sauce, dashi. The pursuit of umami represents the Japanese mastery of extracting maximum flavor from minimal ingredients, creating layers of taste that satisfy. Rather than creating complex spice blends or heavily seasoned dishes, Japanese cooking emphasizes subtle enhancement and natural flavors. This delicacy is enhanced by the frequent use of pickled condiments, such as pickled ginger or radish.

Traditional cuisine uses relatively few dried spices – mainly togarashi (chili pepper blends), sansho pepper, and sesame seeds. Even when spices are used, they’re applied sparingly. When Japanese cuisine does use aromatics, it favors fresh ones like ginger, wasabi, shiso, and scallions over dried ones.

Japanese cuisine relies more heavily on liquid seasonings, fermented pastes, and condiments than on dried herbs and spices, which sets it apart from many other culinary traditions.

SOY SAUCE – is a fundamental liquid seasoning that provides umami depth to countless dishes. Japanese soy sauce is generally refined and light in color.

MISO – beyond soup, this fermented paste serves as a base for glazes, marinades, and dressings, adding complex fermented flavors.

DASHI – while not exactly a condiment, this foundational broth (made from kombu seaweed and bonito flakes) forms the umami backbone of Japanese cooking.

WASABI – fresh grated wasabi provides clean, sharp heat that complements sushi and sashimi

MIRIN – sweet and subtle wine, made of glutinous rice. It adds depth and roundness to dishes, sweetening without a flat taste.

Back to Top