Japan is famous for many things but is arguably best known for its excellent cuisine. Japan is a food lover’s dream, from sushi and ramen to dumplings and noodles, there are culinary delights everyone can enjoy.
However, the huge array of different foods on offer can make it surprisingly difficult to find the best and most Popular Foods In Japan you have to eat during your visit to the country. There are so many amazing Popular Foods In Japan to try that it can be easy to miss some of the best.
Today, we’re here to make sure that doesn’t happen. In this Honest Food Talks post, we’ve listed 6 of the most Popular Foods In Japan you have to eat in Japan, including popular Japanese sweets, meat dishes, and unique foods. If you’re looking to try the very best foods from Japanese cuisine, you’ve come to the right place.
Let’s dive straight into our list of Popular Foods In Japan!
1. Sushi
This list of popular Japanese foods you have to eat in Japan was always going to start with sushi. Sushi is one of, if not, Japan’s most popular food. It’s certainly one of the country’s biggest exports.
Japan is home to more three Michelin star restaurants than France, and almost all of them serve sushi. Sushi is a unique food that sees sushi rice, vegetables, and different types of fish or eggs like masago wrapped in a thin paper-like food called nori.
It takes great skill and experience to make the perfect sushi, so you’re in for a real treat.
2. Ramen
Another extremely popular Japanese dish is ramen. There’s absolutely no way you can visit Japan and not experience a hearty bowl of ramen. No matter where you go, you’ll find copious amounts of the dish being served.
For those that don’t know, ramen is a noodle soup dish that typically consists of noodles, vegetables, meat or fish broth, miso, and soy sauce. It is usually topped with an egg and your choice of meat.
The noodles, seasoning, broths, and meat will vary depending on where you are.
3. Matcha
If you love sweet food, you have to make sure you try matcha during your Japan vacation. This food is a unique Japanese flavor that is used in a wide range of different dishes. Vibrant green in color, matcha has two different meanings.
One is a powder made from green tea leaves, used in Japanese sweets and ice cream. The other is a bitter tea that has a thick consistency.
We recommend trying both during your time in Japan.
4. Gyoza
The next Japanese food or You Can Say one of the Popular Foods In Japan on this list is the famous gyoza. Popular all over Japan, and Asia, gyoza’s a simple, yet elegant food that comes in three different varieties. A type of dumpling, those three varieties are fried, deep-fried, and boiled.
Typically, gyoza is filled with minced chicken or pork, mushrooms, cabbage, and chives. Unlike Chinese gyoza, Japan uses a thinner wrapper to make this dish. When cooked, this food is served with various dips including soy sauce, chili oil, and sesame oil.
5. Yakitori
Yakitori is a popular Japanese skewer dish. This is a quick, easy, and affordable food that can be made using chicken, pork, fish, and beef. Tori in the word yakitori actually means bird as the food was once only served with chicken.
The skewers are mixed with vegetables and a variety of seasonings before they’re cooked on a special grill. The skewers are then served with a teriyaki dipping sauce. This is a popular fast food in Japan. Most people eat it alongside an alcoholic beverage.
6. Udon
The final Popular Foods In Japan on this list is udon. Udon is a type of noodle made from wheat flour. Compared to other types of noodles it’s much thicker. Udon noodles are usually served with soy sauce, dashi stock, and mirin. It is common for the noodles to come with negi (onion) too.
You can eat udon hot or cold. The size and shape of the noodles will depend on where you buy them from. You’ll find udon shops all over Japan. They’re always quite busy so you might have to be patient when waiting to order.
Final Thoughts
There you have it, 6 of the most Popular Foods In Japan you have to eat in Japan. No matter what you enjoy eating, there is something Japanese cuisine has to offer you. The Popular Foods In Japan on our list are the ones you have to try first. It is these foods that help make Japanese food so impressive.
Now you have this list at your fingertips, you should try and decide what you want to eat first. If you have enough time, you’ll probably be able to try them all.
