Archive · 25 Jul 2026
Japanese Pizza: A Unique Twist on Italian Classic
Japanese pizza is a unique twist on the classic Italian dish.
It uses special ingredients like mochi rice flour and unique toppings such as mentaiko and yuzu.
The dough is fermented for a long time to make it light and chewy.
In Japan, there are many famous pizzerias like The Pizza Bar on 38th and Pizza Marumo.
This style of pizza has also become popular in India.
Restaurants like Call Me Ten in Delhi and Pizza 4P’s in Bengaluru serve Japanese-inspired pizzas.
Even the Japanese Ambassador to India, Ono Keiichi, enjoyed the pizza at Pizza 4P’s and said it was the best he had in India.
Japanese pizza features slow-fermented dough with mochi rice flour for a chewy texture.
Unique toppings include mentaiko, shirasu, yuzu, and artisanal cheeses.
Tokyo has over 1,400 pizzerias, with notable ones like The Pizza Bar on 38th and Pizza Marumo.
Indian restaurants like Call Me Ten and Pizza 4P’s have embraced Japanese pizza culture.
Japan’s Ambassador to India praised Pizza 4P’s as serving the best pizza in India.
- Who
- Japanese chefs and entrepreneurs, Indian restaurateurs, Japan’s Ambassador to India Ono Keiichi
- What
- Japanese pizza culture and its influence in India
- When
- Present day, with historical roots in Japan's evolving pizza culture
- Where
- Japan, India (Delhi, Bengaluru, Delhi-NCR)
- Why
- To explore unique flavour combinations and bring Japanese pizza culture to India
Traditional Italian Pizza
Japanese Pizza
Dough Preparation
Traditional Italian Pizza
Traditional Neapolitan dough uses refined wheat flour, water, salt, and yeast, fermented for up to 24 hours.
Japanese Pizza
Japanese pizza dough is slow-fermented for 30 to 72 hours with high-hydration and minimal yeast, often incorporating mochi rice flour for a chewy texture.
Sauce Variety
Traditional Italian Pizza
Traditional Italian pizza typically uses tomato sauce as the base.
Japanese Pizza
Japanese pizza experiments with mayonnaise or miso-based sauces, layered with unique ingredients like mentaiko, shirasu, and yuzu.
- Dough Fermentation Time
- 30 to 72 hours for Japanese pizza, up to 24 hours for traditional Neapolitan pizza
- Unique Ingredients
- Mochi rice flour, Okinawan sea salt, mentaiko, shirasu, yuzu, nori, mochi, artisanal cheeses
- Notable Pizzerias in Tokyo
- The Pizza Bar on 38th, Pizza Marumo, Pizza Studio Tamaki
- Indian Restaurants Serving Japanese Pizza
- Call Me Ten (Delhi), Pizza 4P’s (Bengaluru), Yum Yum Cha, Mount Fuji, Kylin Experience (Delhi-NCR)
- Ambassador's Praise
- Japan’s Ambassador to India Ono Keiichi praised Pizza 4P’s as serving the best pizza in India