National Tempura Day – January 7, 2025

History of National Tempura Day

You may be quite familiar with some Japanese dishes like ramen, sushi, sashimi, and a host of others, but what about the delectable tempura? You definitely want to know more about this delicacy! Interestingly, tempura is one of the most commonly served Japanese dishes inside and outside the shores of Japan. When Japanese foods are mentioned, the thought of either tempura or sushi comes to mind.

However, how did tempura become so popular and special to be celebrated? Portuguese missionaries originally introduced the deep-fried food method of cooking now associated with tempura in the Japanese city, Nagasaki, in the 1600s. The original tempura dish was served during Lent, an annual Christian event where many Christian denominations are forbidden to eat meat. Remarkably, the name ‘tempura’ stems from the Latin word ‘ad tempora cuaresme,’ meaning “in the time of Lent.” The event was mistaken for the dish’s name, and tempura came to stay.

When it was introduced, this method of deep-frying food was not common and relatively new to Japan. The Japanese caught on to the new technique and skillfully made art out of it. Tempura today has become a sought-after snack that accompanies meals in households and public places. From inception, tempura was made up of minced meat in a ball shape, fish, and vegetables, but in the 1800s, Japanese chefs tried frying fish and vegetables together. As a result, the Japanese culinary style became fully immersed in tempura and became uniquely Japanese. Today, the preparation and sales of tempura have become an important part of Japanese cuisine. Through the transformation of tempura, the Japanese have shown their brilliance in consolidating foreign foods into unique Japanese foods.