30 must-try foods and drinks in Japan
Foods to try in Japan
Sushi
With no doubt, sushi is the most famous Japanese food. The most often served as nigiri, sometimes hosomaki. If you have a chance, try fine dining sushi, omakase style, fast food conveyor belt sushi, as well as convenient stores for a full variety of experiences.
Sashimi
Sashimi is very common in Japan, especially in sushi restaurants and izakayas. It’s usually from raw fish, sometimes seafood served with soy sauce, wasabi, or salt.
Unagi
Unagi is freshwater eel, grilled and bathed in sweet and salty sauce served with rice, sometimes also egg omelet. If you want to taste a small bite you can try it in Nishiki market. There is also a small shop, name, in Tokyo I wanted to try, but it was already sold out when we got there. I had my eel at the airport, which might not be the best place to try it, but it was tasty nevertheless.
Fish cakes
Japanese fish cakes come in many forms—can be steamed or fried. We tried the street food version at Tsukiju Market in Tokyo.
Soba
Soba are thin, buckwheat noodles served hot in a soup or cold with soya-based dipping sauce. In the soba specialty restaurant, the cold soba meal was fished with sobayu, and the water soba was cooked in. It’s thick from flour, you pour it into the rest of the dipping and enjoy hot, delightful soup.
Udon
Thick noodles made from wheat flour, water, and salt, typically served in a simple dashi-based broth or stirred fried with meat or seafood. It’s a widely accessible, tasty, and cheap meal.
Ramen
Ramen is simply noodle soup made of rich broth, silky noodles, and different toppings. Originally the broth is meat-based, so finding a vegetarian option is not an easy task.
Gyoza dumplings
Although gyoza originated from China, it’s also popular in Japan. It’s usually filled with meat and vegetables, steamed or fried. I tried steamed Yuba (tofu skin) filled gyozas and fired sweet potato ones in Gyoza ChaoChao in Kyoto.
Tempura
Tempura is a cooking technique, which uses lightly battered, deep-fried seafood or vegetables. I’m a huge fan of this way of cooking, so I was on a mission to try various tempura meals in Japan. The most exquisite experience was the tempura specialty restaurant in Kyoto, Eishun. But the biggest surprise was the tempura egg I had a chance to eat at the airport.
Okonomiyaki
Okonomiyaki is a savory pancake from Osaka, made from wheat flour mixed with cabbage and other ingredients eg. seafood, meat, or a mix of both. It’s served with toppings: mayonnaise, seaweed powder, and bonito flakes.
Takoyaki
Takoyaki are ball-shaped, fired cakes usually with octopus and it’s also Osaka’s iconic dish.
Onigiri
Onigiri is a small snack (shaped in a triangle or ball) made of rice, filled with eg salmon or tuna with mayo, and wrapped in nori.
Tamagoyaki
It’s a sweet and savory rolled egg omelet seasoned with soy sauce, mirin, salt, and sugar. Served with sushi or as street food. I tried it on Tsukiji Market in Tokyo.
Tofu
Tofu is a staple of Japanese cuisine. It’s made from curdled soy milk, pressed into blocks. The most common types of tofu are silken, regular, firm, and extra firm. The silken tofu is often served as an appetizer seasoned with soy sauce, spring onions, and bonito flakes. It’s also served fried or as a common ingredient of miso soup.
