Why Can You Eat Raw Eggs in Japan?

There’s one thing that people who dream of Japan always talk about: the food. As a country famous for ramen, sushi, takoyaki (octopus balls), okonomiyaki (savory cabbage pancakes) and so much more, can you blame them?

But, there’s a certain ingredient that still has travelers feeling a little hesitant to dive in — and for once we’re not talking about the divisive natto fermented soybeans. 

It’s the humble raw egg, of course, often seen topping certain dishes or served as part of a teishoku set meal and meant for dipping or mixing into your rice. “Won’t I catch salmonella?” we hear you ask? Well, let’s get into it.

Long story short, yes! You can eat raw eggs in Japan. 

Unlike other places in the world, where raw eggs carry an increased risk of salmonella, Japan has extremely strict measures that reduce the risk of salmonella from raw eggs exponentially.

In Japan, state-of-the-art machines are used to clean the eggs — especially careful not to break the shell — while also checking their quality, size and packaging them in one fell swoop. 

As a result, the risk of salmonella from raw eggs in Japan is significantly reduced.

In fact, one study by the Food Safety Commission of Japan, in which 100,000 eggs were tested for salmonella, suggesting that Japan’s risk of in-egg salmonella infection is a mere 0.0029％.

This risk almost doubles in the US, with an in-egg salmonella infection risk of 0.005% (approximately one in every 20,000 eggs). Admittedly, this number is still quite low, so maybe raw eggs aren’t so scary after all!  

Tamago kake gohan is a popular Japanese breakfast food and if you order a traditional Japanese breakfast at a hotel, ryokan inn or casual diner, you’re likely to be served it.

Expect a bowl of sticky white rice topped (or pre-mixed) with raw egg, and then add a splash of soy sauce for an extra hit of salty umami. Mix it all together for an easy, flavorful breakfast dish.

Often eaten during Japan’s tsukimi (moon-viewing festival) season, tsukimi udon is a simple bowl of udon topped with a raw egg — bonus points if it’s just the vibrant yellow yolk.

The yolk at the center of the dish is meant to symbolize the harvest moon, making it a surprisingly meaningful, creamy dish despite its ease to make.

Another dish where you may find raw eggs is sukiyaki, a type of nabe hot pot. Meat and vegetables are grilled or stewed in a pot, along with other sauces and seasonings to taste, but not before being dipped into a bowl of beaten egg.

Perhaps Japan’s most famous dish around the world, sushi is the first place the mind wanders when thinking of eating raw food. With many sushi consisting of fresh fish, sliced raw and delicately laid on a bed of vinegared rice, the majority of sushi is raw.

You can find sushi around every corner in Japan, especially in Tokyo, but Akasaka Sushi Ohtani is perhaps one of the most stylish and innovative sushi restaurants around. Head Chef Ohtani uses his expertise as a culinary instructor and overseas Michelin-starred restaurant manager to craft brand-new concoctions, like bluefin tuna with sea grapes or sea urchin ensconced in squid.

As famous as sushi, sashimi comes in all forms and ingredients, but is made up of thin slices of fresh, raw seafood and meat. The most common sashimi is fish — such as tuna and salmon — but you can also find beef, chicken and even horse sashimi at certain restaurants.

There are plenty of places to try sashimi in Tokyo, but perhaps not as lively as Toyosu’s Itamae Bar LIVE FISH MARKET. As the location of Japan’s biggest fresh seafood market, settle in amidst the energetic shouts and trains passing by to enjoy the freshest seafood sashimi money can buy.

Raw beef, also known as yukhoe, is also quite easy to find in Japan. It originates from Korea, but has become quite popular in Japan, combining raw beef with a marinade of salt, chili pepper, soy sauce, garlic, white sesame, sesame oil, sugar, gochujang (chili pepper paste) and — you guessed it — raw egg to create a sweet and spicy flavor explosion.

Yakiniku Mutsumi is a sleek, underlit yakiniku grilled meat restaurant with a selection of course menus, two of which include Korean yukhoe-style beef along with a range of other meaty delicacies. Try raw beef in this stylish setting soon — you won’t regret it.

They even offer a vegetarian yakiniku course menu, which is incredibly rare!

The thought of raw sea urchin may initially put you off, but what about if we told you that sea urchin is surprisingly rich, creamy and melts in your mouth? With a subtle sweetness and only a gentle dash of the oceanic flavor you might expect, this could be your new favorite raw food in Japan.

Sushi Academy is where the locals go when they want affordable all-you-can-eat sushi without sacrificing premium ingredients. You’ll find raw sea urchin on the menu, as well as medium-fatty tuna and ikura salmon roe, each made to order and delivered to your table. 

To explore the true depth of raw delicacies served in Japan, brush up on types of sushi, get to know sashimi and brave the flavors of poisonous fugu puffer fish!

Japan’s raw food requires extremely strict regulations and preparation to serve, and is often served only hours after being caught or cut. For this reason, raw food is usually completely safe in Japan, with expert chefs being licensed to serve it on their menu.

Yes, it is! For example, in 2022 there were 6,856 cases of food poisoning in Japan, compared to 25,479 cases of food poisoning in the US within the same time period.

Yes. Both slaughterhouses and restaurants, stores, or companies that prepare or sell raw meat must be licensed to do so. Furthermore, certain delicacies, such as horse sashimi and fugu puffer fish require additional training and licensing to serve.