sando

Sando is a Japanese term for a sandwich, referring to bread-filled fare prepared in a distinctly Japanese style. The word sando is a shortening of the English word sandwich, adapted into Japanese as sando or sandoicchi, and it is used across everyday speech to describe a wide range of fillings between slices of bread.

In Japanese practice, sando often uses soft, light white bread such as shokupan, and it is commonly served crustless for a neat, portable meal. Fillings vary widely and can include egg salad, tuna mayonnaise, and ham with cheese, as well as Japanese-inspired options. The bread and fillings are typically prepared to be easy to eat by hand, reflecting the sando’s character as a convenient lunch or snack.

Popular varieties include katsu sando, a sandwich featuring a breaded and fried cutlet (usually pork) with a savory sauce; tamago sando, an egg-based filling; and croquette or chicken variants. Fruit sando, which layers whipped cream with fruit between soft slices of bread, is another well-known type in Japan, especially in cafes and specialty shops.

Sando is commonly found in Japan’s convenience stores, bakeries, and cafes, and it is a familiar item on lunch menus and in bento culture. Specialized sando shops or bars have emerged in urban areas, emphasizing carefully prepared fillings and high-quality bread. While rooted in Japanese adaptation of Western sandwiches, sando has become a recognizable facet of contemporary Japanese food culture and has influenced sandwich presentation and preparation in other contexts.