Japanese cheese

May 6, 2026 May 20, 2026

Keiko

Did You Know Japanese Cheese Has Come a Long Way?

Processed Cheese Was All We Knew
My First Real Encounter with Natural Cheese
What's Happening with Japanese Natural Cheese
Japanese Natural Cheeses Worth Trying

Processed Cheese Was All We Knew

When I was growing up in Japan, "cheese" basically meant processed cheese (プロセスチーズ). That was it. I'm not even sure I knew natural cheese existed back then — it just wasn't part of everyday life.

Homemade campagne cut — Homemade campagne

My First Real Encounter with Natural Cheese

About ten years ago, I traveled to France, and that trip completely changed how I think about cheese. I tried so many different natural cheeses (ナチュラルチーズ), and since baking hearty, rustic bread is one of my hobbies, I fell completely in love with Comté. It pairs so perfectly with a good crusty loaf.
I was so taken with it that I brought back a whole kilogram of Comté — plus several Camembert-style cheeses — in my suitcase on the way home. Completely worth the extra weight.
Back in Japan, I actually found a shop in Sapporo that imports French cheese directly, so whenever I visited the family house in Hokkaido, I'd make a point of stopping in.

European natural cheese bought in Ja — Comté cheese I bought in Japan

What's Happening with Japanese Natural Cheese

Ten years ago, the selection of Japanese natural cheese was pretty limited, and honestly, not much of it really impressed me — so I kept going back to imported Comté. But then the yen started weakening, and the price of Comté nearly doubled. That's when I thought: maybe it's time to give Japanese natural cheese a proper try.
I did some research, and I was genuinely surprised by how much the variety has grown. And more than that — there are actually some that I find really delicious now. They've come a long way.
Japanese natural cheese isn't yet something you see in everyone's fridge, and the prices aren't dramatically lower than imported cheese. But the progress is impressive. Japanese people tend to have very high standards when it comes to food, so I have a feeling — maybe with a little more time — Japan could start producing cheeses that hold their own on the world stage. At least, I hope so!