釜飯(かまめし)

かまめし
noun
rice cooked in a small pot
1. rice dish cooked in a small iron pot; pot rice
A Japanese dish where rice is cooked with various toppings such as chicken, mushrooms, and vegetables in an individual-sized iron or ceramic pot. Popular as a specialty dish at train stations and restaurants.
駅弁(えきべん)の釜飯(かまめし)を買(か)った。
I bought a pot-rice station lunch box.
鶏(とり)釜飯(かまめし)が一番(いちばん)人気(にんき)のメニューだ。
Chicken pot rice is the most popular menu item.
釜飯(かまめし)は一人(ひとり)分(ぶん)ずつ小(ちい)さな釜(かま)で炊(た)くので、出来(でき)たてが楽(たの)しめる。
Since pot rice is cooked one serving at a time in a small pot, you can enjoy it freshly made.

釜飯(かまめし) is a Japanese dish where rice is cooked with various toppings in an individual-sized iron or ceramic pot (釜(かま)).

COMPOUND:
釜(かま) (pot, kettle) + 飯(めし) (rice, meal).

COMMON VARIETIES:

  • 鶏(とり)釜飯(かまめし): chicken pot rice
  • 五目(ごもく)釜飯(かまめし): mixed pot rice (with multiple ingredients)
  • 山菜(さんさい)釜飯(かまめし): mountain vegetable pot rice
  • 海鮮(かいせん)釜飯(かまめし): seafood pot rice

CULTURAL NOTE:
A regional specialty across Japan. The most famous is 峠(とうげ)の釜飯(かまめし) from Yokokawa Station in Gunma Prefecture — a popular 駅弁(えきべん) (station lunch box) that comes in a distinctive earthenware pot customers often keep as a souvenir.

APPEAL:
Each serving is cooked individually, so the rice arrives freshly made with a slightly crispy bottom (おこげ(おこげ)).

general
Added 2026.3.15 14:53 · Revised 2026.4.2 16:10
16500/16993_kamameshi