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)).

Compounds

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).

general

Added 2026.3.15 14:53 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:01

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