Essential Japanese Food
Activity > Not area specific > Eating
Japanese food is no doubt, one of the most popular types of food in the world. However, outside of Japan, when people think "Japanese Food" they think only of "Sushi"... although Ramen is growing in popularity recently too. At a Sushi restaurant outside of Japan you can also get the typical Teriyaki Chicken or Tempura set but usually these dishes have been altered to match the palette of the local populace (in America the chicken is literally drowning in overly-sweet Terikyaki sauce). Sushi is of course magnificent but there are a variety of othe essential and authentic Japanese dishes you should try when your in Japan. Below is a list of the "Essential Japanese Foods" you should try while in Japan.
One of the best proverbs that comes from Japan says, "餅は餅屋" (Mochi wa Mochi Ya) which translates as, "When buying sticky rice desserts, go to the sticky rice dessert shop" which means, "for the best quality, go to a shop that specializes in that item." This definitely holds true with food!
Note that the prices below are just basic "averages" and prices can greatly fluctuate between establishments. Also "Drinks" are not included in the stated prices.
Sushi
Although you can find some really good Sushi Restaurants outside of Japan, Japan is the "Source" of sushi and great sushi can be found everywhere. Quality and Price range from super high end to downright cheap and you usually get what you pay for. If you go to a 100 yen a plate conveyor belt sushi joint expect to get some "ok" sushi at a good price but don't expect great sushi. As long as your in Japan we suggest you try a couple conveyor belt sushi joints just for the experience and to get some cheap & quick sushi ($10 - $25 | 1,000 - 2,500 yen) but you should also budget for at least a real mid-ranged sushi restaurant ($50 - $150 | 5,000 - 20,000 yen) to get some of the good stuff. No need to be shy when your inside a Japanese sushi restaurant, the chefs and workers will be happy to help you out if you have a question.
Chirashi
Outside of Japan very few people know about "Chirashi". Chirashi is basically sushi laid on top a bowl of rice. Originally the intention was to use the left-over pieces of a fish that didn't make the regular sushi cut but in these modern days a Chirashi bowl usually has top notch real sushi pieces on top. It can be a bit tricky trying to pick up a piece of fish with some of the rice below it (especially if you've added soy sauce and the rice loses it's stickyness) but you can always do the "two-scoop" thing where you put a piece of sushi in your mouth first followed quickly by another scoop of rice. Chirashi is usually a bit cheaper than regular sushi because it takes less time to prepare and the cuts of fish don't have to be perfect (and or are actually left-over pieces). One of the best places you can find Chirashi for a good price ($7 - $15 | 700 - 1,500 yen) is in Ueno, Tokyo down Ameyoko street. Just walk down the street or side streets and look for the Chirashi joints, there's quite a few of them there.
Ramen
Ramen has boomed in popularity since the early 2010's. In America "Authentic" Ramen shops have been popping up all over the place. Although... for many of those places the authenticity of the Ramen could come into question. However, even in Japan there is a big difference between "so so" Ramen and really good Ramen! As with most things, you usually get what you pay for. Of course you might stumble across a slightly inexpensive Ramen joint that has good Ramen but if you pay $5 - $7 bucks (500 - 700 yen) for some cheap Ramen at a supermarket food court... your going to get cheap, barley eatable Ramen. Decent Ramen and good Ramen will typically run from $8 - $15 (800 - 1,500 yen) depending on how much "stuff" you want added to it (like extra pieces of Chashu, add an extra egg, etc.) There are Chain store Ramen joints which have decent Ramen and private little shops which can have great or mediocre Ramen.... it's not easy finding your favourite Ramen joint! Another good idea is to find a place where lots of Ramen shops are bundled in the same place like Ramen Street near Tokyo Station or Ramen Stadium in Fukuoka.
Tonkatsu
Tonkatsu (or just Katsu) is a breaded and deep fried pork cutlet. Generally you can choose between fillet and loin. It's one of those great dishes to eat when you feel like pork and deep fry. It usually comes with a bowl of rice and a mountain of raw cabbage. The quality of Katsu can vary greatly depending on where you get it but if you feel like eating Katsu, go to a Katsu shop (there are tons of them). The best Katsu has a medium thick juicy and tender slice of port with very crispy and light breading. A Katsu set for lunch or dinner will run from 800 to 1,600 yen.
Yakitori
Although a very few places may offer some sort of Yakitori Dinner, in general Yakitori is a snack food you casually order and eat while drinking. One stick usually runs from 80 to 150 yen with a variety of skewered meats and vegies. Typical meat yakitori sticks include regular white meat, hearts, gizzards and skin while veggie sticks include shiitake, eggplant and long onion. Usually a yakitori place will have a jar of chili pepper most people like to use and sprinkle it on their chicken. A beer and conversation goes great with Yakitori but just be concious of how much you are ordering. The bill can come out to be quite a surprise if your sitting there eating and drinking in Shinjuku for a couple hours. When your ready to order just yell out at the cook "Sumimasen!" (Excuse me) and then use your Japanese or point to the items you want... followed by a finger/number hand signal of how many.
Soba
Soba (and Udon) is one of those foods that has a very light and subtle taste. "Trendy" type restaurants in America and outside of Japan try to "Perk Up" Soba by adding or mixing in all kinds of stuff but in Japan, Japanese love just the plain 'ol noodle and let the noodle speak for itself. The making of the perfect noodle is taken very seriously in Japan! Soba makes a great dish on hot days when you want something light and cold to eat. There is a Hot Soba version too which is mixed into a bowl of soup and is also very good but better for cooler and colder days. Depending on the shop, Soba doesn't usually come with much... usually just the noodles because in Japan that's the main reason people go to a Soba Shop. In the US it's typical to see a Soba Tenpura set but although these types of sets usually are on Soba shop menu's, Japanese people typically just order Soba by itself. A plate of Soba will cost you between 800 and 1,500 yen.
Tenpura
Tenpura is lightly battered and deep fried large shrimp or fish and vegetables. In America people have learned to say "Tempura", with an "m", but the real pronunciation is with an "n", Tenpura. Pure, 100% authentic Tenpura shops are hard to find... your not going to find one just walking around town, best to research and find one on the net before heading out if your really in the mood for Tenpura. Most Tenpura shops will have a set menu that usually comes with rice and miso soup but there are "counter" type Tenpura shops where you sit and order each piece individually like you do at a real sushi shop. Light, crispy and flavourful Tenpura is what you want and once again, this is not easy to find. A mid-level Tenpura set can run from 1,000 to 2,000 yen while upper-scale Tenpura joints can cost between 3,000 and 5,000 yen.
Tenpura Soba/Udon
Tenpura Soba or Udon is another biggy in Japan. It's a combination of two delicious items in one! Sometimes you can find little Tanpura Soba/Udon stand up shops even on train platforms where you can get a cheap meal for under 500 yen. The only problem with Tenpura Soba/Udon is that it makes you very hot and not particularly want to eat in a hot summer. However, Tenpura Soba/Udon is great in the winter when you feel like noodles and Tenpura and a nice hot bowl of soup.
Yakiniku
Yakiniku is traditionally a Korean thing but is extremely popular in Japan. There are Yakiniku restaurants everywhere and you can find inexpensive 800 - 1,000 yen lunch sets all over the place. Yakiniku is an "activity" type meal because you cook your own meat on a little grill in the middle of your table. There are a wide variety of meats and vegetables along with sauces that make your grilled meat absolutely delicious! Yakiniku should definitely be on your list of places to try when you come to Japan... maybe even a couple/few times. If you go during lunch time you can get a great deal on a set menu. If you go at night expect to pay anywhere from 1,500 to 3,000 yen per person. Note that you are in charge of the level of heat your little grill puts out too so keep an eye on it... sometimes it can get too hot and burn your meat up quick.
Grilled Fish
With all the attention Sushi gets you would think the Japanese don't eat regular 'ol fried or grilled fish. Newsflash... The average Japanese family living out in the suburbs does not eat Sushi all the time, they eat more grilled fish than sushi! Supermarkets have lots of sushi for sale but they have more grilling fish for sale as it is an important part of the Japanese diet. However, strangely enough, you won't find many restaurants that specialize in grilled fish. A popular favourite in Japan is "Sanma" (pacific saury or mackerel pike) which is grilled whole and served with a bowl of rice and grated Daikon. You can find grilled fish at tradition Izakaya type eating places where they server a variety of different dishes. A lot of people aren't into grilled fish but once you get a taste for it, it's really good! A "Sanma" set will generally run from 700 to 1000 yen.
Okonomiyaki
Okonomiyaki was originally a "thing" college kids and mom's used to make to use up all the left-overs in the fridge. They would grab all the left-over vegies, some meat, mix it into a batter and fry it up. Nowadays Okonomiyaki has become a "real" food and restaurants have sprung up here and there. There are two types of Okonomiyaki, the Osaka version where they just mix everything from the start and the Hiroshima version where there is some separation of ingredients. Both versions are popular with overseas guests because it's fried food in a batter with Japanese mayonnaise and sweet sauce on top. Although Okonomiyaki restaurants are around, it's not easy to find them so best to prepare beforehand before heading out to eat. Usually you cook the Okonomiyaki yourself on a grill in your table then cut it into bite size pieces before chowing down... goes great with a nice cold Japanese beer.
Wagashi
Wagashi basically means "Traditional Japanese Desserts". It could mean a wide variety of things but in general, traditional Japanese desserts consist of sweet sticky rice and sweet beans arranged in various ways. In all honesty, most foreign guests to Japan are not to keen on Wagashi, the texture of the sweet rice and the flavour of the sweet beans is just really foreign to them. Wagashi "Looks" really good at it is prepared and made to look really tasty but once you bite into it, the taste is something you might find appealing or a bit strange. However, we do suggest you at least try it! You can find Wagashi in the basement floor of department stores, in supermarkets and in Japanese style cafe's. As mentioned, the main types of Wagashi are sweet rice (mashed to a smooth consistency) and sweet beans so you might want to try one of these first. A "Dango" (three sweet rice balls on a stick) with some sweet beans on top is a pretty common and traditional Wagashi dessert. One Dango can cost between 80 and 100 yen or 100 yen for 3 at a supermarket.
Western Style Sweets
European, more specifically French style bakeries are extremely popular in Japan. Not only can you find great regular bread at these bakeries, you can find Japanese style bakery goods and western style desserts. The best thing about Japanese desserts is that the sugar content is much lower than American sweets and you can actually taste other elements of the item without the over-load of just "sweet". These desserts can be found in bakeries, department store basement level, supermarkets and at restaurants. A slice of cake or a pastry can run from 150 yen to 500 yen each.
