Japan is known as a country of gastronomic delights, and while it is possible to eat cuisine from all over the world, it can be said that “Japanese food,” a uniquely Japanese food culture, has a very strong reputation.
For foreigners visiting Japan, eating Japanese food should be one of the most exciting elements of their visit.
However, there are many different types of Japanese food.
What should be the first priority in eating Japanese food?
In this article, we would like to explain such “Japanese foods you should eat when you come to Japan.
Japanese food you should eat when you come to Japan
Let us list some of the Japanese dishes that are actually very popular among foreigners.
These are really delicious dishes, and you will surely love Japan.
Sushi
Sushi is the first Japanese dish that comes to mind.
Raw fish and other ingredients are placed on a small piece of vinegared rice, lightly dipped in soy sauce, and eaten with a delicious taste in your mouth.
It is a typical Japanese dish and a must-try when visiting Japan.
Sushi is not only popular among foreigners, but is also a great feast for Japanese people, and there are many ingredients to choose from.
The most famous sushi item is tuna.
Also known as “toro,” the rare “otoro” is a very expensive item.
Tuna also has different tastes depending on the part, such as chutoro (medium fatty tuna) and akami (lean tuna).
There are also many other popular items.
- Salmon
- Salmon roe
- Squid
- Octopus
- Scallops
- Eels
- Sea eel
- Sea urchin
- Hamachi
- Shrimp
These are the standard items, but other seasonal items are also available depending on the season.
The atmosphere of a sushi restaurant is also very fresh for foreigners, so it is highly recommended.
When going to a sushi restaurant with a counter, bring more money in your possession as the price may be quite expensive.
Tempura
Tempura is the second most popular Japanese food after sushi.
Tempura is made by coating seafood such as shrimp and squid, as well as vegetables, in flour-based powder and deep frying them in oil.
If you go to a restaurant that offers authentic tempura, you will be able to enjoy the amazingly crispy texture and taste.
Eating tempura alone is great, but “tendon,” a bowl of rice topped with tempura and served with sweet sauce, is also a very popular menu item.
However, be warned that many people tend to overeat because it is so delicious, which can lead to an upset stomach later on.
Soba
Soba, made from buckwheat flour, is one of Japan’s representative Japanese dishes, although it is not as well known as sushi or tempura.
Japanese people eat soba on a daily basis because of its smooth texture and flavor.
Japanese people eat it everyday. They slurp the noodles with a slurping motion, which can be quite a challenge for people from other countries who have never tried “slurping” noodles before.
In Japan, the noodles are slurped and eaten noisily.
In other countries, there is no custom of slurping soup or noodles, and it is considered a very strange act.
However, in Japanese culture, the louder the sound, the more delicious the food looks.
If you try it and find it impossible, there is no problem to carry the noodles in your mouth as if you were eating pasta.
Tempura-soba, which is the aforementioned “tempura” on soba, has become a very popular menu item among Japanese people.
Udon
Udon is one of Japan’s most popular Japanese dishes, made by kneading wheat flour, cutting it into thin strips, and boiling the noodles west of the bowl.
Like soba, udon is dipped in special dipping sauce and slurped.
Some udon noodles are also served already in the broth.
The chewy texture and the deliciousness of the sauce are the characteristics of this type of udon.
The ingredients used on top of the udon vary widely, and the aforementioned “tempura udon” with tempura on top is a very popular menu item among Japanese people.
Japanese Teishoku
In Japan, there is a menu called “Teishoku.
This is a meal consisting of rice, miso soup, pickles, salad, and a main ingredient such as meat or fish, all served on a single tray.
There are many teishoku-ya restaurants in Japan.
- Hamburger steak set meal
- Ginger-yaki Teishoku
- Sashimi set meal
- Grilled fish set meal
- Leek lebua set meal
- Vegetable stir-fry set
- Fried chicken set meal
As you can see, there are quite a few standard set menus alone, and some restaurants offer a variety of other set menus as well.
Nabe Dishes
Nabe ryori is a Japanese dish that becomes very popular in late fall and winter in Japan.
Nabe-ryori is a dish made by putting ingredients and water into a large pot, simmering them over a fire, and seasoning them with various flavors.
It is very nutritious and tastes great because it contains a variety of ingredients such as vegetables, meat, fish, and mushrooms.
It is served in small bowls and eaten hot, making it especially tasty during the cold season.
Motsunabe
Kimchi nabe
Chanko-nabe
Soy milk nabe
Curry nabe
Mizutaki
Salt nabe
Yose-nabe
Yose-nabe – Yose-nabe
Sukiyaki
Shabu-shabu
As you can see, there are a great variety of these dishes, and you may even have fun finding your favorite flavor.
If you visit Japan during the winter season, this is a must-try menu.
Conclusion
In this article, we have explained about “Japanese food you should eat when you come to Japan.
The Japanese foods listed here are all representative of Japan, and you will surely have a good memory if you eat some of them.
All of them are so delicious that Japanese people can proudly boast about them, and once you try them, you may want to come back to eat them again.
If you have been to Japan several times but have yet to try some of the dishes on the menu, why not give them a try?
