The most important seasoning for Japanese cooking is 醤油【SHOUYU】;Fermented Soybean Sauce(Soy Sauce).

One traveler said, it smells Soy Sause when we arrive at Narita Airport.

醤油【SHOUYU(Soy Sauce)】is black or deep brown color thin sauce, extract of fermented soybeans or wheat with salt, having salty and flavored aroma.
It bring out the flavor of ingredients with just a small amount, a few drops.

If there was not some drips of SHOUYU, would 寿司【SHUSHI】, raw fish and rice, be such delicious food?
Can we eat 卵かけご飯【TAMAGO KAKE GOHAN（Rice with the raw egg）】？

煮物【NIMONO（Boiled deishes）】、焼き物【YAKIMONO(Fried dishes)】, 丼【DONBURI(Rice Bowls)】, Chickens of 照り焼き【TERIYAKI】, 鰻【UNAGI（eel）】, dip of 蕎麦【SOBA】and 天ぷら【TEMPURA】・・・

Beside them, exaggerate to say, in Japan almost all food’s seasoning is added 醤油【SHOUYU】.