When it comes to Japanese food, do many people think of traditional "Japanese food", the kind that comes in a small plate and a small portion, and you can't even feel full?
Kaiseki cuisine is indeed the essence of traditional Japanese cuisine. It embodies more connotation and is the epitome of Japanese food culture. However, people living in the streets and alleys of Japan do not eat kaiseki every day! What are some Japanese dishes that are close to life and have Japanese characteristics that you must try?
Simple! If you can eat all of the following 10 items during your trip to Japan, your trip will be considered worthwhile!
NO.1 Ramen (Ramen)
Ramen is Japan’s most national delicacy! Ramen, which first originated in China, has been completely localized in Japan. It no longer has any shadow of domestic ramen, and has become a completely Japanese characteristic.
There are four main types of ramen in Japan - soy sauce flavor is the most mainstream flavor in Honshu, and salt ramen has a clear soup, which can highlight the taste of the soup base material itself. These two are the most common ramen. . There is also the southern tonkotsu ramen, which originated from Kyushu. It uses pork bones to stew for a long time to produce a thick white soup with a mellow taste. Fukuoka Hakata is the most famous. Miso ramen is usually made by stir-frying miso and vegetables first, and then adding chicken bone stock to blend. It has a stronger taste and rich layers. The most famous miso ramen comes from Sapporo, Hokkaido.
The basic seasoning of each ramen has different characteristics, resulting in different flavor extensions. Add in ingredients such as barbecued pork, seaweed, bamboo shoots, bean sprouts, fish plates or corn kernels to form a bowl. Traditional yet personal cuisine.
In some ramen battle areas, there are dozens of ramen restaurants lined up on a street. Each store has a different taste. The secret is waiting for you to try.
No.2 すし (Sushi)
There are actually many types of sushi in Japan, from the most common nigiri sushi and rolled sushi to hand rolls (seaweed roll sushi) and warships (seaweed rolls). Wrapped sushi), chirashi sushi (sushi rice), etc. But the best way to test the skill of the craftsmen and the deliciousness of the ingredients is to eat nigiri sushi.
To have a good sushi meal in Japan, don’t go to a conveyor belt sushi restaurant. Sitting at the bar in a circle and watching the master chef slice and dice the ingredients on the spot and deliver them to you is the only way to experience the true meaning of sushi. Good chefs can even control the taste and texture of sushi through the movements of their own hands, which is the epitome of the ultimate spirit of Japanese cuisine.
When choosing sushi, it is recommended to start with light-flavored white fish and seafood, then slowly move on to colored seafood or fish, and finally move on to semi-cooked ingredients. Only by enjoying sushi in this order can you truly experience it. to the pure flavor it should have.
No.3 しゃぶしゃぶ (shabu-shabu pot)
The domestic "Xiabuxiabu" is a transliteration of the Japanese word "shabu-shabu pot". Japanese-style shabu-shabu generally uses kombu clear soup as the base. The meat slices are extremely light and delicate and melt in your mouth, so you can eat them after scalding them. Because of its light taste, it is usually supplemented with Japanese sesame seasoning or yuzu vinegar as a dipping sauce.
There is also a dish called sukiyaki, which is similar to shabu-shabu. The difference is that the soup base is fresh and sweet, and sukiyaki is also very popular.
At the end of the shabu-shabu pot, you can choose to add rice to the remaining soup base to make a mixed meal, or add udon noodles. In Japan, there are many affordable shabu-shabu restaurants, with prices mostly around 3,000 yen per person, all-you-can-eat; while high-end shabu-shabu will provide high-end ingredients such as the famous Kuroge Wagyu beef and Kagoshima black pig. It can be said that it is a popular dish that is both affordable and high-quality.
No.4 Tempura
The Japanese are also very famous for their love for tempura. It is said that everything can be tempura, no matter what it is, as long as it is wrapped in a The batter will never taste too bad after being immersed in 180-degree hot oil.
It is said that tempura is actually an extension of food from Portugal, and the pronunciation is directly transliterated from the transliteration of "Tempura". But obviously now tempura has become a common dish in Japanese families, and it is not difficult to see it in various restaurants. It has even spawned tempura rice, tempura udon, etc. The taste is also unique.
Although tempura can be found everywhere, there are also some specialized high-end tempura shops that can give you a different food experience.
From the ingredients, to the batter, to the oil temperature, and the final dipping sauce, they are all very particular. If you have the chance, I recommend you try it!
No.5 Okonomiyaki (Okonomiyaki)
There are many delicious foods in Osaka, the three most famous ones are octopus balls, fried skewers and Okonomiyaki. In fact, strictly speaking, calling it Okonomiyaki is a bit one-sided, because Hiroshima's Okonomiyaki is also very famous, and the recipe is slightly different, so many places will directly translate it as "Japanese pancake".
This method of frying vegetables and batter on an iron plate is somewhat similar to the northern Chinese delicacy "Tao Tao Zi", but it must have sauce, mayonnaise, and seaweed powder after it is cooked. Paired with bonito flowers, it is an authentic Japanese dish.
As an extension of Okonomiyaki, there are also "Modern-yaki" in which fried noodles are wrapped in batter, and Monjayaki, which is grilled and eaten directly on the iron plate. They are also very popular among not only tourists but also Japanese people. Welcome food.
No.6 カレー (Japanese Curry)
If the Japanese were asked to choose their favorite home cooking, I estimate that five out of ten people would choose curry. The Japanese love for curry is world-famous. They use curry in various places, such as curry bread, curry buns, curry udon, curry pot... There are also many Japanese curries that are completely different from the curry in India, where it was born. A regular at Chinese dinner tables.
As Japan’s national delicacy, you probably wouldn’t guess that its origin in Japan is the Japanese Navy Self-Defense Force. I heard that the taste of JSDF curry is extraordinary and delicious, but it’s a pity that most people don’t have the chance to taste it.
Most of the curry in Kanto is pork curry, while in Kansai, beef curry is the norm. Curry specialty shops are also competing to develop a variety of special dishes with different flavors. When you come to Japan, a curry is definitely a must-have. If you can’t drop it, you might even buy a few boxes of curry cubes from the supermarket to take home!
No.7 丼ぶり (rice bowl)
The source of vitality for the Japanese is a bowl of beef rice! There are such "don shops" everywhere in the streets and alleys of Japan. The so-called "don" actually means rice bowl. In addition to various kinds of beef rice, there are also teriyaki chicken rice, parent-child rice (chicken + egg), pork cutlet rice, tempura rice bowl, etc. These simple and delicious Japanese fast food are popular among Japanese salarymen. The first choice for dining out during lunch break.
According to different seasons, ingredients, regions and main promotion ingredients, donburi dishes often have different contents. Depending on the main ingredients of the rice bowl, the sauce preparation will also be different, but they mainly use Slightly sweet taste made from soy sauce, mirin, water and sugar.
Another rice bowl worth mentioning is the seafood rice bowl. This is the best delicacy among all rice bowls! Order a bowl of paella made from freshly made seafood and shellfish at the fishing port. Words cannot express how delicious it is! !
No.8 Fugu Cuisine (Pufferfish)
Pufferfish cuisine is also available in some places in China, but due to improper handling, it is easy to cause food poisoning incidents. In Japan, all puffer fish restaurants must have a special business license, and chefs who prepare puffer fish must also obtain a special license before they can handle puffer fish. Therefore, you don’t have to worry about food safety when eating fugu cuisine in Japan.
Even if it expands to the whole world, Japan is undoubtedly the best in making fugu cuisine. Pufferfish is rich in nutrients, low in calories, and has a very special taste. It can be regarded as a relatively high-end Japanese cuisine.
Usually puffer fish specialty restaurants will have a full puffer fish dinner set menu, from sashimi to fried food to shabu-shabu, as well as special sake made with puffer fish tail fins, all of which have a unique flavor. No.9 Tonkatsu (Pork Cutlet)
You must have never thought that Tonkatsu could also be on the list. Yes, tonkatsu is one of the Japanese dishes that has been perfectly localized. If you don’t eat Japanese pork cutlet rice once in Japan, you may never know why the pork cutlet rice in various anime and Japanese dramas is so popular.
Use plum pork with just the right thickness, coat it with flour paste and bread crumbs, and fry it slowly in a moderate oil temperature until golden brown. When you take a bite, it will be crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. The meat will overflow with juice. Cut into thin strips. Eat it together with the cabbage, which is not only refreshing but also goes well with rice.
General tonkatsu is a common delicacy with affordable prices. There are also some tonkatsu specialty shops that use famous Japanese brand pigs. There are even Michelin-starred shops that specialize in making tonkatsu and have a tradition that has lasted for generations. A person’s signature taste.
No.10 Japanese Confectionery
Daifuku, Taiyaki, Kinpei Sugar, Mitarashi Meatballs...these are more eye-catching snacks than taste. They are great souvenirs for foreigners to buy in Japan. favorite.
Because they pay special attention to hand-made craftsmanship, wagashi is called the "flower in Japanese food culture." These traditional crafts may have a history of hundreds of years in old shops in the Kyoto area.
As the tea ceremony became popular among ancient Japanese nobles, snacks were an essential accompaniment to the elegant and fulfilling tea drinking process. This traditional way of eating has continued to this day. The slightly bitter and mellow matcha is paired with sweet wagashi. This sweet but not greasy taste enjoyment makes many people fall in love with it. · · · In terms of rich types of cuisine, no country in the world can rival China. However, the culture carried in Japanese cuisine and the absorption and improvement they are best at have also given Japanese cuisine a large number of fans around the world.
Japanese master chefs believe that cooking is also a craftsmanship, and they put their ingenuity into it, from the selection of ingredients to the final appearance on the table. There is a word in Japanese called "こだわり", which originally refers to sticking to details, but in the minds of craftsmen, this kind of "sticking to details" is needed to make high-quality and stable dishes.
As a foodie, you don’t have to eat delicacies when traveling to Japan. As long as you try these 10 items, your trip will be worthwhile!