The arrival of Portuguese missionaries in Japan marked not only a turning point in the life of faith but also in gastronomy. From this cultural encounter, tempura is believed to have emerged — a fried dish originally associated with Lent.
The story dates back to the 16th century, when the first Portuguese Jesuit missionaries arrived in the Japanese archipelago to spread the Gospel. Along with their faith, they brought various European customs, including particular ways of preparing food during the liturgical seasons.
During Lent — especially on Fridays — the Church invites the faithful to practice abstinence, refraining from eating the meat of mammals and birds as a sign of sacrifice and conversion. As a result, many turn to dishes made with fish, seafood, and vegetables.
In Portugal, it was common to prepare these foods battered and fried, giving rise to a culinary style known as peixinhos da horta (“little fish from the garden”): a simple recipe of vegetables coated in a light batter and fried in oil, typical of days of fasting and penance.
While the exact origin of the name is not entirely clear, one of the most widespread theories suggests it comes from the Latin ad tempora quadragesimae, meaning “toward the
