Itameshi
{{Short description|Japanese-Italian fusion cuisine}}
File:Spaghetti TARAKO Sauce, at Saizeriya.jpg roe and nori, a common Itameshi dish]]
Itameshi ({{langx|ja|イタ飯}}) is a type of fusion cuisine originally from Japan that combines traditional elements of Japanese food and Italian food. The name comes from the combination of the Japanese name for Italy (イタリア Itaria) and the Japanese word for meal (飯 meshi).{{cite web | url=https://coolmomeats.com/2020/01/28/easy-itameshi-recipes-kids-will-eat/ | title=What is itameshi? 7 easy Japanese-Italian fusion dishes that your kids will eat | date=28 January 2020 }} This term is used to differentiate Japanese-Italian fusion food from standard Italian food, which is formally referred to as Itaria-ryōri (イタリア料理).
History
File:Naporitan by zenjiro.jpg, Japanese-style spaghetti with sausage and vegetables]]
The first Italian restaurant in Japan was Italiaken, opened in 1880 in Niigata by Pietro Migliore, who came to Japan with a French performing troupe.
Italian-Japanese fusion first started in the 1920s when spaghetti was introduced to Japan, and served in small cafes. Before 1970, there were few authentic Italian restaurants in Japan, with only a few pizza and pasta stores. Italian food would not gain a bigger foothold in the country until the 1990s, when the 1997 Asian financial crisis hit and many upscale restaurants were affected by low wages and increased prices. Many of these restaurants and chefs turned to Italian food as a cheaper alternative and from there, Italian food became even more popular in the country.{{cite web | url=https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2010/10/italian-food-japans-unlikely-culinary-passion/64114/ | title=Italian Food: Japan's Unlikely Culinary Passion | website=The Atlantic | date=6 October 2010 }}
The word Itameshi became common in the early 1990s, during the Japanese asset price bubble.
Restaurants
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Several Itameshi chains operate in Japan. A well-known one is the low-cost Saizeriya, which at the end of 2021 operated over 1500 outlets in Japan and several hundred overseas.{{Cite web|url=https://daxueconsulting.com/saizeriya-in-china/|title=Saizeriya in China: how a Japanese chain of Italian food turned into a cult|first=Antonello|last=Germano|date=March 18, 2022|website=Daxue Consulting - Market Research and Consulting China}} Like many food outlets in Japan, Itameshi stores can be found at train stations and hotels.
- Saizeriya
- Capricciosa
- Italian Tomato
- Segafredo Zanetti
- Jolly-Pasta
- PIETRO
- Mikazuki
- Friend
Overseas popularity
The popularity of this specific fusion food has taken off in the United States with many different cook books and videos highlighting these dishes gaining popularity online. This popularity has even led to the opening of restaurants specifically dealing in Itameshi within the country.{{cite web | url=https://ny.eater.com/2021/9/24/22691605/japanese-italian-food-itameshi-kimika-nyc-restaurant | title=Japanese-Italian Cuisine Finds Its Biggest Stage Yet in NYC at Kimika | date=24 September 2021 }}
Gallery
File:Ankake Spaghetti Yokoi 2021-08 ac.jpg|Ankake spaghetti, served with spicy, extra thick sauce
File:Ankake Spaghetti （Nagoya Soul food）.jpg|Ankake spaghetti
File:具材拡大.jpg|Pizza with shrimp and broccoli
File:カントリー男爵.jpg|Pizza with Japanese mayonnaise
File:鯨ベーコンイメージ2.JPG|Pizza with whale bacon
File:会議用弁当.JPG|Spaghetti in a bento box
File:Spaghetti with firefly squid and spring vegitables (5602709033).jpg|Spaghetti with firefly squid
File:Spaghetti with raddish leaves, bacon and shimeji mushrooms (6271732071).jpg|Spaghetti with shimeji mushrooms
File:Maitake mushroom, bacon, broccoli spaghetti (5356923051).jpg|Spaghetti with maitake mushrooms
File:Natto spaghetti (3602943411).jpg|Spaghetti with nattō
See also
{{portal|Food}}