Let’s start with the foods that most of us associate with Japan: sushi and sashimi. Sushi is famous all over the world and its unique feature is that each piece of rice is seasoned with a rice vinegar mixture (made from sugar and salt) and then mixed with various ingredients such as various seafood, vegetables, nori (seaweed), etc. You can grab a piece of sushi with chopsticks and dip it in soy sauce or wasabi, or both. It truly is a mixture of flavors in your mouth! Depending on the shape and ingredients used, sushi can be called different names: Nigiri sushi, Maki sushi, Oshi sushi, Temaki sushi, etc.
Sashimi is basically raw fish or seafood served with wasabi (a spicy Japanese condiment), soy sauce, and often with radish slices on the side. The name sashimi comes from the legend of the fish and is used with meals to identify what kind of fish you are eating. The kanji for sashimi is written like this: sashimi. The first kanji means spine and the second kanji means body.
When it comes to choosing what to eat in Japan, ramen is by far one of the most popular choices. This is a bowl of wheat noodles served in soy sauce or miso soup mixed with various ingredients. The most typical ingredients are pork, scallions, seaweed and egg slices. The most important part is the soup. The way the pork is cooked makes it so tender that it sometimes breaks into pieces when grabbing the noodles with chopsticks. Just order a side of ramen and a side of rice and you're guaranteed to be satisfied.
Tempura is a Japanese fried snack made primarily from seafood and vegetables. You can also find tempura made from poultry and fish, and prepared with soy sauce, ginger, and sugar. seasoning. Tempura can be made with almost any kind of vegetable. The piece must be of a size that can be eaten in one bite, without a greasy texture despite being fried. Tempura is usually served with a sauce that combines consommé, amazake, soy sauce, ginger, radish, and spices.
Curry rice is a very popular, simple and delicious delicacy that can be bought in Japan. To make Japanese curry, you can use a variety of meats and vegetables. The basic vegetables are onions, carrots and sweet potatoes, and the meats used include chicken, pork, beef and sometimes duck. Curries come in different spiciness levels: the most common are soft, normal and hot.
One of the best curry restaurants in Tokyo is called Curry Kingdom. There are many varieties including fish curry, chicken curry, pork curry and even fruity curries such as strawberry curry.
Okonomiyaki is similar to pancakes in that it is pressed onto a griddle in a different way but has vastly different ingredients and is generally considered a delicacy. Usually made with flour, yams and eggs, but anything you like can be added. The most common additions are green onions, beef, shrimp, squid, vegetables, rice cakes and cheese. In some restaurants, the experience is more interactive, as the chef comes to the table and places it on the grill, while customers help the chef by adding other ingredients.
Siabo Siabo is essentially a Japanese hot pot dish. A variety of meats and seafood are used, mostly softer meats and vegetables, tofu and noodles. The way it works is to grab a piece of meat (you can also pick some vegetables) and submerge it in a pot with hot water or broth. Once cooked, dip it in tahini sauce and add some rice as a side dish. Very delicious!
Miso soup is used as a side dish with almost every meal and dish. It is made from miso paste (fermented soybeans) and dashi (clear broth). In this basic soup you'll find tofu, onions, freshwater nori, and sometimes some vegetables like sweet potatoes, carrots, and radishes. It's never served as a main course. It is always served with rice and one or two more dishes.
In the early days of history, the meat used for skewers was only chicken, but nowadays it can also be made using pork, beef and fish. These crochet/skewers are basically a mixture of vegetables and meat cooked on the grill and dipped in teriyaki sauce. It is also a typical Japanese fast food and one of the best foods to go with alcohol.
Foreigners are usually more willing to try skewers because of their Western flavor. If you're not sure which flavor to try first, or you find the Japanese flavor just not to your taste, it's recommended to start with the yakitori.
This is Japan’s most popular snack. No matter what time it is, no matter where you are, if you are hungry and have no time, you can buy a rice ball. Rice balls are seasoned in a variety of ways. Some are filled with chicken, vegetables, fish and pork, while others are filled with seaweed or a slice of egg. Others are just rice mixed with some seasonings, vegetables, beans, grilled meat…. A wide variety of flavors can be found.
Udon noodles are thick noodles made from wheat flour. It is usually served with soy sauce and mirin. Most often it comes with onions. Udon noodles can be eaten hot or cold. Soba and udon noodles are very popular in Japan. This is a common dish for workers and students who need a quick bite to eat during lunch. There are udon shops everywhere and they are usually always crowded, but don't be surprised or worried as you usually don't have to wait long to be seated.
Soba noodles are made from buckwheat flour and have the color of soba noodles. They are cheap and popular and are also called fast food in Japan. Soba noodles are very thin (Udon noodles are very thick) and can be eaten hot or cold. Some shops in Japan only cook soba noodles, maybe with some simple side dishes as tempura. Fresh noodles for home cooking can be found in supermarkets. Can also be served with cold noodle sauce.
Gyudon is basically a bowl of rice topped with beef and flavored with different ingredients and spices. Besides being simple, this is a very delicious dish and best of all, not expensive. At most places, you can order a gyudon with some small salad and miso soup. The service is also very fast! Typically, it takes less than five minutes to prepare and bring to the table. You can choose from small, medium or large gyudon. For a quick lunch, Gyudon is a good choice.
The most common matcha dessert in Japan is made from beans. Japanese sweets are considered art because of the relationship between taste, shape and color.
Japan has a very popular soft-serve ice cream chain that is open all year round, called CREMIA, and is made with 12.5% ??butterfat and 25% fresh cream. The ice cream cone is famous for being made with "cat tongue" biscuits. Known for a smoother texture than regular waffle cones.
Fried, cooked Japanese dumplings or pot stickers. The filling usually includes chives, thinly sliced ??cabbage, mushrooms and minced pork or chicken, and is served in a thin wrapper instead of the thicker dumplings. Dipping sauces usually include soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil, chili oil, or ponzu sauce, which is a citrus soy sauce. While in Japan you should definitely try dumplings in Utsunomiya, a city that has the highest consumption of dumplings per household in Japan.