What Is Tempura?
A First-Timer’s Guide
Tempura is one of Japan’s best-known dishes, but its appeal is wonderfully simple: a seasonal ingredient, a delicate coating, and the moment it comes out of the oil.
What is tempura?
Tempura is seafood or vegetables coated in a light batter and fried. You may know it as a familiar part of Japanese cuisine alongside sushi, but tempura is a dish with its own rhythm. The best bite is freshly fried: crisp on the outside, with the flavour and texture of the ingredient still clear inside.
At Miyabi, you might find shrimp, conger eel, seasonal fish, or vegetables in the day’s selection. The ingredients change with the season and the market.
Why does tempura feel light?
Good tempura is not simply about frying. The batter should stay delicate rather than heavy, and the heat must suit the ingredient. A leafy vegetable, a root vegetable, and a piece of fish all need their own timing.
At Miyabi, the batter is not overmixed, and the chef adjusts the heat for each ingredient. The moment to lift it from the oil is judged by the bubbles and sound. That attention is what keeps the coating crisp and lets the ingredient speak for itself.
More than shrimp: discover Japanese vegetables
For many visitors, vegetables are the surprise of a tempura meal. Once a week, our chef selects seasonal produce at the Kamakura agricultural cooperative market. Deep purple or dark-skinned radishes, and carrots in more than one shade, bring colour as well as flavour to the table.
They may appear as tempura, a salad, a grill, or a small plate depending on the day. It is a chance to taste vegetables that may be new to you, prepared in a way that keeps their personality intact.
How to enjoy tempura at Miyabi
There is no need to be an expert. We serve tempura as it is ready, so you can enjoy it while it is at its crispest. If you are unsure what to order, an assorted plate is an easy way to try a mix of seafood and vegetables.
For lunch, tempura set meals and tendon rice bowls are available. In the evening, pair a few pieces with small plates, beer, or Japanese sake. Please let us know about allergies before ordering; our tempura batter contains wheat and egg.
Quick questions
Can vegetarians eat tempura?
We offer vegetable tempura and seasonal vegetable dishes. Please tell us about dietary needs before ordering, as the batter contains wheat and egg.
Is tempura only seafood?
No. At Miyabi, seasonal vegetables are an important part of the menu, alongside seafood.
Tempura & Kamakura Vegetables Miyabi
One minute from Yomiuriland-mae Station
Lunch 11:30–15:00 (last order 14:30) / Dinner 17:00–23:00 (last order 22:30)
Closed Monday and Tuesday