Bamboo Steamers Catch On with the Health Conscious, People Looking to Cook Quick Meals

By Hiromi Kanekita / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writer

15:30 JST, October 26, 2025

Bamboo steamers, which can cook food quickly without oil, are growing more popular.

Cookbooks for steamed dishes have hit the shelves, and more and more people seem to be trying out the recipes at home.

A 32-year-old company employee in Tokyo said she has been using her bamboo steamer frequently for the past six months. “It’s much easier than I thought. Steaming reduces the volume of vegetables, so I can eat a lot [of them],” she said.

According to recipe video site Delish Kitchen, searches for bamboo steamer recipes began to increase in September 2024, and by this July, had risen by a factor of five.

In June, Delish Kitchen announced its food trend rankings for the first half of the year, and dishes made with bamboo steamers came in third.

“You just cut the ingredients, put them in the steamer and steam them,” said Kaori Saito, deputy editor-in-chief at Delish Kitchen. “The simplicity of it appeals to people who want to be efficient. The dishes also look good and the steamer can be served at the table, cutting down on the number of dishes you have to wash.”

One popular recipe is pork belly and cabbage mille-feuille. To make it, all you need is pork belly and cabbage. It’s also a good way to eat some greens if you’re not getting enough vegetables in your diet.

Since September of last year, Muji stores, run by lifestyle retailer Ryohin Keikaku Co., have been selling bamboo steamers in two sizes (bottoms: ¥1,090-¥1,490; lids: ¥690-¥890). Sales in the six months after their launch were about four times higher than was expected, and the stores temporarily went out of stock.

“The affordable price range makes it easy for beginners to start, and the fact that there are related products available, such as saucers to place under bamboo steamers, may be helping their popularity,” said a Muji employee.

Cookbooks for steamer dishes are well represented at Maruzen’s Marunouchi bookstore in Tokyo.

Most of these cookbooks are bought by women in their 30s or 40s, said a store employee. “Since last fall, there has been an increase in the number of books for beginners. They appeal to people who are health conscious and sell well even during the extreme heat of summer.”

“It looks difficult at first, but the process is simple,” said Riyoko, the author of the cookbook “Subete o Mushitai Seiro Recipe” (I want to steam everything: Bamboo steamer recipes), which has sold more than 300,000 copies. “You can use whatever vegetables you have left in your refrigerator, so just relax and give it a try.”

Chinese steamers prove hot sellers

According to Akiko Hino, the author of “Daidokoro Dogu no Erabikata, Tsukaikata, Tsukuroikata” (How to choose, use and repair kitchen tools), there are two types of bamboo steamers: Chinese and Japanese. There is no significant difference in the final dish, but Chinese steamers are becoming more popular due to their attractive appearance.

With the Chinese version, the lid and bottom have the same depth. When you remove the lid, you can see the food inside, and you can serve the steamer directly on the table. Japanese steamers, on the other hand, have a deeper bottom.

To clean one of these cookers, use a scrub brush made of shuro palm bark and avoid using soap. Many Chinese steamers have a double rim with a hollow space inside. Since water can enter this space, you should heat the empty vessel and steam out the moisture. Whatever you do, it is important to let the steamer thoroughly air-dry in a well-ventilated space.

“Once you get used to these [steamers], you’ll find them so handy that you’ll rarely put them away,” said Hino.