Food & Drinks
When you enter a restaurant, you might be greeted with a irasshaimase, which means welcome, please come in.
Guests are not expected to seat themselves, and they are not expected to tip. Food is often eaten with chopsticks. Some offer Western style dining experiences with tables and chairs, and others have guests sit on pillows on the floor in a zashiki style dining experience where they remove shoes upon entry.
One popular dish is okonomiyaki, which is cabbage mixed with batter and topped with vegetables, cheese, sliced food, or meat.
Another popular food item is crunchy tempura, which is made from deep fried pieces of seafood and vegetables cooked in sesame and canola oil.
Kaiseki is a Japanese multicourse meal. Yakiniku is Japanese style barbeque. Shabu Shabu is a type of self cooking pork or beef in hot water by swirling it around in water.
There is a rich culinary culture in Japan. There are street vendors, grocery stores, and chefs that prepare the food right in front of you. Regional favorites vary, and prepare to amaze your tastebuds with Japan’s cuisine.
Japan Has A Rich History of Delicious Foods and Culinary Delicacies
Ramen is a traditional Japanese noodle dish, and other noodle types are udon or soba.
Miso soup is another popular type of food. It is considered a healing soup.
Edamame is young soybeans, and cooked in salty water. Kombu is a type of seaweed, as is nori.
Mochi is a rice paste that is frequently used in desserts or ice cream.
One of the most popular types of Japanese foods is sushi, which is vinegar rice with raw fish and vegetables. It’s okay to eat sushi with your hands or to use chopsticks. Onigiri is a popular snack food, which is a rice ball with filling, wrapped in seaweed and available at many convenience stores. It is the Japanese version of a sandwich.
Because of its proximity to the ocean, and 4660 miles of coastline, there are plenty of seafood dishes and local fish markets.
Japanese curry rice is a recipe based on the British Navy Curry.
Himono is a sun dried fish that is salty. It is popular for hotel breakfasts.
Dango is a type of dumpling served on sticks. Gyoza is another type of dumpling.
Yakitori is grilled chicken with skewers, and commonly served at lively drinking spots.
Local pubs are known as an izakaya, and they are a great place to sample local foods and drinks and really soak in the culture.
When you pay for food, and there is a tray, place it on the tray instead of handing it to the cashier.
There are two ways of preparing beef in Japan. One is through a hot pot called Sukiyaki, and the other is an iron grill called teppanyaki. Teppanyaki is a form of cooking that has a personal chef that cooks in front of you.
At some restaurants, like in food courts, guests are expected to clear and clean the tables, and they return the dishes back to the restaurant. Office towers and department stores often have restaurants. Some restaurants have ticket machines, with pictures of the food you can present to the cashier. Oden is a type of Japanese eating that is item by item.