You’re going to Japan, and you want to taste the Japanese cuisine? The real thing? Here is our guide to the dishes and specialties you must try!
Our advice to choose a restaurant in Japan
You are in Japan, you are hungry, but you do not want to be disappointed. Our first advice is to look at the clientele, if you see a lot of Japanese people you will be sure that it is a very good restaurant!
2nd advice: you see the queue in front of one of the yatai (food stand), don’t hesitate to queue up and wait to order, you will have a good dish for sure!
3rd tip: don’t be fooled by appearances. Don’t hesitate to go to the floors of the buildings, in the basement, you will find restaurants with shares but they are often very good! If you don’t want to get lost, go to Japanese restaurant chains like: yoshinoya, matsuya, sukiya… It will be good and cheap!
Japanese dishes to try
For big budgets
Sushi Japanese specialties
Sure, it’s a bit of a cliché, but in Japan you will taste the real sushi varied, fresh, succulent…
You will rediscover them. You will find food for every budget, in supermarkets, in bento (take-away), in low-end restaurants with conveyor belts or in high-end gourmet restaurants (reservation recommended).
Kaiseki, traditional gourmet cuisine
For gourmets, kaiseki is the traditional Japanese gastronomic cuisine. Very refined, very elaborate, composed of several small dishes, kaiseki respects the products and the seasonality.
These are unique dishes, to be tasted during a trip to Japan, reservation recommended.
Unagi, grilled eel
Choose a restaurant specialized in grilled eel, in Japanese “unagi“.
You will be seduced by the flavor of this fish accompanied by Japanese rice. Several districts offer this dish but the specialized city remains by far Nagoya.
Robatayaki, Japanese barbecue
Eating a robatayaki in a restaurant in Japan is an experience to live! Installed in front of a bar, you have many fresh ingredients such as shellfish, fish, meat, vegetables… The chef is in front of you. You choose an ingredient and with the help of a very long spatula, he will cook it to perfection on a fire plate in front of you.
For the average person
Yakiniku, grilled meat
We also eat meat in Japan, and what a meat! Yakiniku is a dish to discover in Japan. It is a Korean barbecue with very tender meat including the famous wagyu.
Some restaurants offer an all-you-can-eat formula. It is a dish for the average person.
Tofu, soy cheese
Tofu is very used in Japanese cuisine. If you have any preconceived ideas, we advise you to try it in Japan because they have mastered all the ways of cooking it.
Indeed, it is either grilled or accompanied by umami ingredients, there are several types of tofu: silky, fibrous, hard, soft. It can be found from appetizer to dessert.
Shashabu, Sukiyaki, Japanese fondue
Shabu Shabu and Sukiyaki “nabe ” fondues are to be discovered in the winter in Japan.
These fondues are delicious, comforting, healthy and completely different from our cheese fondues.
There is also oden, a Japanese stew, available in autumn – winter.
For small budgets
Okonomiyaki, Takoyaki, yakisoba, dishes on the go
A popular, inexpensive and delicious dish, okonomiyaki, takoyaki and yakisoba are a must-have meal on the go. These dishes are often available in the same restaurant.
A unique combination of flavors in Japan.
Ramen, noodle dishes not to be missed
Ramen, these bowls of noodles with vegetables and meat are part of the daily life of Japanese people.
Moreover, there are many choices of ramen, it is a very cheap dish.
The sauce, noodles and ingredients are cooked to perfection. Be careful not to burn yourself, it is served very hot!
Tempura fritters on Soba or Udon noodles
Tempura, tasty fritters, are one of the specialties in Japan.
Choose a specialized restaurant, often offering a side dish of Japanese rice, soba or udon.
Of course, there are many other dishes to try, so don’t hesitate to discover new flavors! We advise you to look at the restaurant reviews on the tablelog website.