Japan's affordable breakfast staple cracks under hard-boiled inflation

Japanese-style egg rice, or tamago kake gohan – a simple dish of rice mixed with raw egg and soy sauce – is becoming a luxury for many households as food prices surge across Japan.

Rice prices have hit record highs, with the average cost rising to 4,337 yen (about $27) per five kilograms at around 1,200 supermarkets nationwide as of the week ending December 21, according to Japan's Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. Egg prices are also climbing, driven by higher feed costs and recurring avian influenza outbreaks.

In the Tokyo area, data from major egg distributor JA Zen-Noh shows that medium-sized eggs have averaged 324 yen (about $2) per kilogram this year – the highest level since records began – turning this once-affordable breakfast staple into an increasingly costly indulgence.