Unique, vibrant and extremely diverse, Japanese food is one of my favorite cuisines in the world. I personally think Japan is the best country to travel for food. Every meal I’ve had in Japan (and I’ve visited 3 times) was great, be it a high-end kaiseki feast, a vending-machine ramen or streetside takoyaki.

Japan is a somewhat insulated country, which is why its society, language, and foods are so unique and unlike anywhere else in the world. Today, Japanese is one of the most popular languages in the world and Japanese food has made its mark on the world. Japan has a colorful history and culture, and it is definitely reflected in Japanese cuisine. 

To share what I love about Japan with you, I have put together a detailed guide on Japanese cuisine, including the most popular food in Japan, traditional Japanese dishes, and where to eat them in Japan. 

Japanese Food Culture

Food is so much more than “just food” in Japan. It’s an art, an identity, and a national pastime. Each Japanese dish is so unique that there is a special etiquette to enjoying it. 

Presentation is also just as important as flavor in Japanese dishes. Traditional Japanese chefs are very careful when selecting their ingredients because they want to have the perfect combination of colors and flavors. This makes a lot of dishes seasonal, so there’s always something new to try!

The Japanese food culture is almost as addictive as the food itself. A lot of tourists fall in love with the food scene when they visit Japan because it is so unique and important to Japanese people. It’s just one of the reasons people fall in love with Japanese food! 

Japanese Dishes to Try in Japan 

Japanese Snacks and Appetizers

Japan has a huge variety of appetizers and easy to make Japanese snacks that make on-the-go quick bites. Here are some of the most popular Japanese snacks.

Onigiri (Rice Bundle)

Onigiri is a white rice ball/bundle that’s usually wrapped in seaweed. It can be filled with a lot of different foods, like salted salmon, dried tuna, kelp, and pollock roe. It’s a popular to-go food, and can be eaten anywhere. We loved snacking this while walking through the streets of Tokyo. My daughter especially is a huge fan of onigiri and can eat it everyday! 

Yakitori (Grilled Meat Skewers)

Translated to mean “grilled chicken”, yakitori are skewers with pieces of chicken grilled over a charcoal fire. It’s a very popular snack to eat while drinking beer, and you can find it at izakaya (bars) throughout the country. Yakitori can include all parts of the chicken: breast, thigh, skin, liver, heart and cartilage. Perhaps you’ll accidentally order heart, like we did!

Takoyaki (Octopus Balls) 

Takoyaki is one of the most popular Japanese dishes that are commonly found on the streets of Japan. They’re small dough balls that are battered and cooked in a special pan. They’re usually filled with octopus, pickled ginger, and green onion. Takoyaki also comes with a special sauce that’s kind of similar to Worcestershire sauce and mayo, and the balls are topped with dried seaweed or fish shavings. Some of the best Takoyaki in Japan can be found at Tsukiji Gindaco High Ball in Tokyo.

Gyoza (Japanese Dumplings)

Gyoza are a type of dumpling that originated in China and were brought back to Japan after the Second World War. They have a rich garlic flavor and are usually filled with minced pork, cabbage, chives, sesame oil, garlic, and ginger. After they’re filled, the gyoza are pan fried and served with soy sauce and vinegar topped with thin slices of ginger. My mouth is watering just writing about them!

Edamame (Soybeans)

Edamame are the perfect Japanese appetizer to have while waiting for your main meal. They’re healthy and refreshing, and definitely opens up your appetite. You simply boil the soybean pods are sprinkle salt over them. Stick the pod in your mouth and slowly slide the beans out with your teeth. Don’t eat the pod shell though! Edamame is hugely popular around the world now and often used in salads and vegan restaurants.

Okonomiyaki (Japanese Pancakes)

The okonomiyaki is a casual and simple bar food that were first created by bar owners scraping together leftover ingredients to make a sort of pancake. The ingredients in okonomiyaki are different depending on what region you’re in, and you can really choose anything you want! In fact, the word okonomiyaki literally translates to “how you like”. The best place to get okonomiyaki is Okonomiyaki Chitose in Osaka.

Japanese Soups, Stews, and Hot Pots

Miso Soup

Miso is an important staple in Japanese food, and it is used in hundreds of Japanese dishes. It is savory and has a slight tang that will whet your appetite before a big meal. Miso soup is everywhere in Japan, from takeout restaurants to fine dining establishments. It can also be enjoyed on its own to warm you up during cold weather. It usually has tofu in it, but you can add in any ingredients you like. 

Suimono Soup

Suimono means “food you can sip” in Japanese. It is a clear soup that’s often served at the end of a meal. The ingredients are usually seasonal, so they change throughout the year. Suimono is a really interesting dish because it’s so simple to make, but nearly impossible to master. The flavors are so delicate that it’s easy to go overboard with them. Menya Kisou in Tokyo is famous for serving the best suimono in Japan.

Shabu Shabu (Hot Pot)

Shabu Shabu isn’t only one of the most popular Japanese foods, it is a full-on dining experience. It is a hot pot dish with a lot of different meats and vegetables, that you can cook yourself in a boiling hot soup served to your table.  Shabu shabu actually got its name because of the sound the ingredients make while they’re splashing around in the water!

Sukyaki (Beef Hot Pot)

Similar to Shabu shabu, sukiyaki is a Japanese hot pot dish featuring top-grade meat. The star of the show is thinly sliced beef, which is simmered in a shallow iron pot with a mixture of soy sauce and mirin. When it’s ready, you dip the beef in a small bowl of raw, beaten eggs. Because of the sauce, the meat is tender, sweet and savory all at once! Sukiyaki is one of my personal favorite Japanese dishes, and I always make sure to have it when I’m in Japan.

Japanese Seafood

Seafood is a staple in Japanese cuisine and you can’t travel Japan without having some seafood. Any Japanese restaurant you visit will surely have some of these seafood dishes. 

Sashimi (Raw Fish)

Sashimi is a popular dish in Japan. It’s thinly-sliced raw fish, served with soy sauce. The word sashimi means “pierced body” and a fish has to be super high quality to be considered sashimi-grade. It’s usually the first course of a meal, and Japanese chefs say it’s best to enjoy sashimi before any other tastes touch your palette. 

Tempura (Deep Fried Vegetables)

Tempura is a great Japanese appetizer and makes a great part of a meal. Most people use vegetables for tempura, though some also use seafood or meat. They lightly bread and deep fry the vegetables and serve them with tentsuyu sauce. The sauce has a nice, zesty flavor that goes perfectly with the batter of the tempura. 

Sushi 

Sushi is definitely the most well known Japanese dish, and it has taken the world by storm. Sushi isn’t exactly difficult to make, but perfecting it is an art. There are a lot of different styles and ways to prepare sushi, and no two restaurants are the same. Next time you are in Kyoto, be sure and check out Sushi Naritaya, known as one of the best sushi restaurants in Japan.

There are also 4 main types of sushi, and you can tell the difference just by looking at them. Here’s a quick look at the types of sushi you may find in Japan.

• Nigiri

Nigiri is basically a piece of sashimi (raw fish) served on top of a ball of sushi rice. The main focus of the dish is still the seafood, but the rice helps add more texture. Nigiri is mostly served raw, but not all the time. 

• Maki

Maki is what most people think of when they imagine sushi. Sushi rice, vegetables, seafood, and other fillings are wrapped inside a seaweed wrapper and cut into small, bite-size pieces. Maki is so addictive because there are so many different kinds of rolls! 

• Uramaki

Urakmaki is very similar to maki, except the rice is on the outside of the roll instead of wrapped inside. This type of sushi can be served with a lot of different sauces and toppings, like sesame seeds,  to give it an extra dash of flavor.

• Temaki

This is the final type of sushi, and it’s less common than the other 3 types of sushi. Temaki uses the same ingredients as maki and uramaki. The difference is its presentation. Instead of being a roll, temaki is served in a cone shape. 

Japanese Noodles

Most people know ramen and udon noodles, but there are hundreds more types of noodles in Japan And do you know the difference between different Japanese noodles? Each type of noodles is cooked in a different style in Japan. Here are some of the best Japanese noodle dishes.  

Ramen

Ramen is taken seriously in Japan, and making a good bowl of ramen is an art form. The most important factor of the ramen is the broth, which is usually prepared by boiling many ingredients together for hours or even days.  If you’re traveling Japan with kids, ramen is an easy and healthy choice for kids. One of the best ramen restaurants in Tokyo is Ippudo Roppongi — we loved it so much we went back there 3 times!

There are 4 main types of ramen:

• Shio ramen —  Shio translates to “salt,” and sea salt is considered the oldest form of ramen seasoning. Typically, a shio broth is made with chicken or pork base. You can identify this broth both by it’s extremely salty flavor, as well as it’s clear yellow coloring. 

• Shoyu ramen — Shoyu means soy sauce in Japanese. This type of ramen has a soy sauce-based broth that is usually in clear, brown color. If you’re in Tokyo, Shoyu is the most familiar form of ramen you’ll find. 

• Miso ramen — The key ingredient is of course miso, a salty paste made from fermented grains and soy beans. It has a tangy flavor and thicker, opaque broth; sometimes there are options for spicy miso.

• Tonkotsu ramen — My favorite is the Tonkotsu ramen that has a rich, full-bodied pork bone broth. The thick broth is layered in flavor and much heavier than the other types of ramen.

Udon

Udon are thick rice noodles cooked in a simple broth. They are smooth and easy to slurp, and taste ridiculously good because they absorb the broth. You can get udon noodles in different types of broth or form. Some of the tastiest are kake udon (cooked with fish broth and dried kelp) and ontama bukake udon (cooked in broth and served with a poached egg on top). 

Hoto

I had never heard of Hoto before traveling to Japan, but one pit stop at a beautiful mountain restaurant near Takayama got me hooked! Hoto is a miso-based noodle soup originally from Yamanashi. The noodles resemble udon, but they have a tougher texture and are more doughy. In Yamanashi, hoto noodles are served in an iron pot, which keeps the noodles and soup bubbling hot and full of flavor.

Soba

If you’re trying to cut some carbs, soba noodles are a healthier alternative and are perfect for vegans. Buckwheat is said to be great for blood sugar and cancer prevention These buckwheat noodles are served either chilled with a dipping sauce, or in hot broth as a noodle soup. The traditional way of eating cold soba is to pair it with  a warm flask of sake. 

Yakisoba

Yakisoba is a classic stir fried egg noodles dish with pork and vegetables, that has a slightly sweet flavor that makes it so irresistable. Yakisoba started to appear in the 1930s, and it became popular among families. Since then, many Teishoku-ya (Japanese diners) added yakisoba to their menu, and it became an icon for Japanese street food. Most traditional Japanese restaurants prepare them on the iron teppanyaki plate.

Japanese Rice Dishes

Rice is one of the foundations of Japanese cuisine. It’s used in many popular Japanese foods. Preparing the perfect rice is an art though, and when it’s done correctly, rice can take any dish to another level! These are some rice dishes you need to try on your next trip to Japan! 

Kaisendon (Sashimi with Rice)

This is a Japanese dish that not many foreigners know about, but it is hugely popular in Japan. It is basically fresh sashimi in a bowl of sushi rice. Kaisen translates to mean ‘seafood’ and don means ‘rice’.  There is a lot of variety when it comes to kaisen don, but most kaisen don will be served with soy sauce and wasabi. Our favorite has a little bit of everything: uni (sea urchin), salmon roe, prawn, and raw fish.

Donburi (Rice Bowl)

Donburi is a classic rice bowl dish, with a variety of ingredients mixed in. There are different types of donburi — my personal favorite is the gyudon, which has thinly-sliced beef and onions savory and sweet sauce on top. Some other popular donburi bowls are chicken katsudon, ten don, and salmon ikura don.

Chazuke (Rice Porridge) 

This is the perfect dish for a cold day or to cure a hangover. It is warm rice infused with hot green tea. It’s nice and aromatic, and the flavorful seasonings aren’t too strong. Chazuke is usually topped with fish, seaweed, and sesame seeds, but you can really add any topping you like.

Japanese Curry

Japanese curry tastes very different from the Indian curry or any other curry we are used to. It is sweet, savory and not spicy at all. The magic of the dish is in the sauce. The most common ingredients are onions, carrots, potatoes, and one of the three main meats (beef, chicken, or pork). The Japanese also like to add in a little extra flare with some uncommon ingredients, like coffee, grated apple, or honey! 

Omurice

Omurice is a short form of omelet and rice, the two essential ingredients of this Japanese fusion dish. To prepare it, you pan fry the rice together with chicken and ketchup, then wrap them up in a thin omelet sheet. Finally, you drench a generous portion thick ketchup gravy over the omelet. Omurice is one of many Japanese dishes that uses Western cooking techniques and ingredients. 

Japanese Meat Dishes

Japanese cuisine is all about using the highest quality ingredients and transforming them into beautiful and delectable dishes. Japanese meat dishes play a big part in this, and your mouth will be watering after seeing this Japanese foods list! 

Tonkatsu (Deep Fried Pork Cutlet)

Tonkatsu is definitely one of the most popular dishes in Japan. It is a pork cutlet breaded with panko crumbs and deep fried to crispy perfection. Drizzle a dark, tangy sauce on it and you can eat it with rice and salad. There are a few different types of katsu, like chicken and beef, and they’re all definitely worth a try. If you’re in Nagasaki, Tonkatsu Bunjiro Asahimachi has one of the best tonkatsu dishes in all of Japan! 

Chicken Karaage

Karaage, aka Japanese fried chicken, is a perfect snack to pair with a beer at an izakaya. After World War II, the Japanese invented this Japanese dish, along with many other breaded and fried foods, as a response to the food shortages across Japan. There was an excess of wheat flour, and this was an easy way to cook chicken and give it a bit more bulk.

Kobe Beef 

Although the beef by itself isn’t technically a dish, you can’t have a guide to Japanese cuisine without mentioning Kobe beef. It’s one of the highest-quality beefs in the world because of its pure flavor and smooth, fatty texture. You can make any Japanese dish with Kobe beef, but prepare to pay a small fortune. It costs around $110 per pound! 

Teppanyaki 

This is a Japanese dish that has become world famous because of the showmanship required by the chef. If you’ve ever seen a group of people sitting around a table with the chef in the middle flipping, tossing, and juggling meats, that’s teppanyaki. Beef is by far the most popular meat for teppanyaki, but you can also get a lot of others, like pork, chicken, and prawns. 

Japanese Combination Meals

Bento Set

Traditionally, a bento set is a Japanese lunchbox. But it is so much more than what most of us would consider a simple takeaway lunchbox. The set typically includes a series of ingredients: rice, salad, tamagoyaki (Japanese rolled omelette), meat or fish, and pickled vegetables. A proper bento lunch is crafted with care and should be a complete meal with a variety of tastes, textures, and food groups.

Yakiniku (Japanese BBQ)

Yakiniku refers to the Japanese technique of cooking bite-sized pieces of meat and vegetables on a table grill. It can also refer to a number of dishes cooked using the same technique. Traditionally, you grill these raw, thinly sliced meat and vegetables on the table yourself and dip them in sauces. The most popular meat for yakiniku includes beef, pork, chicken, and a variety of shellfish. 

Kaiseki Feasts

The most upscale meal you can have in Japan, Kaiseki is a traditional multi-course Japanese dinner consisting of beautifully assembled dishes. Originally presented to the royal noble classes, a kaiseki meal today can cost up to $100. I was lucky enough to experience the kaiseki several times during my press trip in Japan. Most traditional ryokans (Japanese inn) will serve the kaiseki with dessert and a matcha tea ceremony.

• Sakizuke — an appetizer served with sake
• Nimono — a simmered dish
• Mukozuke — a sashimi dish
• Hassun — an expression of the season
• Yakimono — a grilled course
• Hanmono or shokuji — a rice dish

Japanese Sweets and Desserts

Mochi

This is my absolute favorite Japanese dessert! Mochi, the tiny cakes made out of glutinous rice, are an important part of Japanese cuisine and culture. Making a mochi is a time-consuming process that involves pounding boiled rice until it forms a thick and homogenous paste. The best place to try mochi is in Nara, where you’ll get to see mochi masters pounding them with giant hammers!

Doriyaki

Taiyaki

I actually ate this a lot growing up in Singapore! Taiyaki is a Japanese fish-shaped cake that is often consumed as a snack, made from flour and filled with azuki sweet bean paste. It is usually served warm and is often found at most taiyaki stands at any winter festival in Japan.

Dango

Where to Eat in Tokyo

Tokyo is the most-visited city in Japan, and its culinary scene is thriving. Tokyo is home to some of the world’s best restaurants, but it’s easy to get overwhelmed and miss them while you’re walking through the neon-lit streets. Here are some of our favorite restaurants in Tokyo that we’ve eaten at and can highly recommend:

Sushi Dai, Tokyo

Located outside the famous Tsukiji Market, this is indisputably one of the best places to enjoy sushi in Tokyo. You’ll get an affordable taste of the freshest and finest seafood for only a fraction of the price of upmarket sushi restaurants. But it’s a tiny place, so go early. Reserve your table here!

Kisoji, Tokyo

Our Japanese friend brought us to this shabu-shabu (hotpot) restaurant and we had some of the best wagyu beef I’ve had. You can book a private tatami room and cook the shabu-shabu or sukiyaki yourself. Book a table here.

Teppan Baby Shinjuku

This restaurant is an authentic Japanese grill, and serves the most popular Japanese dishes. It’s also vegetarian friendly, so anyone can find something they like here! They have really good okonomiyaki, and they keep the sake flowing. Read TripAdvisor reviews. 

Nabezo Shibuya Center Street

The Japanese are known for their politeness and hospitality, and Nabezo Shibuya Center Street is the epitome of Japanese service. The food is also top-notch, which makes the whole atmosphere of this restaurant hard to beat.  Read TripAdvisor reviews.

Gyukatsu Ichi Ni San

If you’re looking for some great katsu, look no further. This restaurant not only has a welcoming staff and an English menu, the food is amazing! It often gets busy, so it’s best to get there a little earlier than the normal rush. If you get stuck waiting though, don’t worry, it’s definitely worth it! The presentation of the food is beautiful, so it’s also a good spot if you want to show off your food to your friends back home! Read TripAdvisor reviews.

Where to Eat in Kyoto

Sushi Naritaya

This hugely popular sushi restaurant in Kyoto serves the best sushi I’ve ever had. Period. It’s small and quaint, but the sashimi seafood is oh so fresh and the sushi rice melts in your mouth. Definitely try the nigiri if you like raw fish. Read TripAdvisor reviews.

Kyoto Gion Tempura Endo Yasaka Honte

If you’re looking for a traditional Japanese dining experience, make sure you book a table here. You’ll get to feast on a multi-course tempura meal in a private tatami room amidst flowing stream, zen gardens and traditional Japanese architecture. This place was impressive and we definitely recommend it! Read TripAdvisor reviews.

Kikunoi

World-famous kaiseki restaurant Kikunoi in Southern Higashiyama is THE mecca for gourmands looking for some of the best fine dining in the city. This is definitely one of the best restaurants in Japan and well worth the price. Read TripAdvisor reviews.

Hokkyokusei, Kyoto

Right next to Yasaka Shrine is this cute ‘Western’ cafe that specialises in omurice (Japanese omelette rice), which is one of our favorite Japanese dishes. Kid-friendly and good service. See reviews here.

Okonomiyaki Katsu

This simple, hole-in-the-wall diner serves outstanding okonomiyaki, the ultimate Japanese comfort food. The cook prepares the okonomiyaki on the griddle right in front of you and the whole atmosphere is great! Read TripAdvisor reviews.

How to Read the Japanese Menu

Traveling Japan can be intimidating at first, mainly because of the language barrier. Not everyone can speak English and most menus in restaurants are only in Japanese. 

There are many ways to learn Japanese, but learning some of these Japanese food names will be a good start. Also knowing how to read some Japanese food names will allow you to try ramen vending machines and more authentic hole-in-the-wall restaurants where menus have no English translations.

Popular Japanese Main Dishes

鶏肉 (pronounced toriniku): chicken

豚肉 (pronounced butaniku): pork

牛肉 (pronounced gyuniku): beef

鮭 (pronounced shake): salmon

鮪 (pronounced maguro): tuna

寿司: sushi

Common Vegetables

にんじん (pronounced ninjin): carrot

玉ねぎ (pronounced tamanegi): onion

キャベツ (pronounced kyabetsu): cabbage

じゃがいも (pronounced hagaimo): potato

トマト (pronounced tomato): tomato

Popular Drinks in Japanese

酒 (pronounced sake): sake

ワイン (pronounced wain): wine

ビール (pronounced biiru): beer

お茶 (pronounced ocha): tea

水 (pronounced mizu): water

Helpful Restaurant Phrases in Japanese

すみません (pronounced sumimasen): Excuse me.

いくらですか (pronounced ikuradesuka): How much is this?

おかわりください (pronounced okawari kudasai): A refill, please!

おすすめ わ なんですか (pronounced Osusume wa nandesuka): What do you recommend?

えいご の めにゅ わ ありますか (pronounced Eigo no menyu wa arimasuka): Do you have an English menu?

べつ べつ に、できますか (pronounced Betsu betsu ni, dekimasuka): Can we pay separately?

も いちど いいですか (pronounced Mo ichido iidesuka): Can you say that again?

おかいけい、 おねがい します (pronounced Okaikei, onegai shimasu): Check, please!

If you want to learn more Japanese than the bare basics, there’s a huge list of language apps you can use to get you started.  A lot of menus also include pictures, so if you don’t know the words, you can always just point! 

What is your favorite Japanese dish? Did we miss out on any other popular Japanese food? Leave a comment below to let us know!

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