While Japan has some of the most vibrant cities, beautiful landscapes and exciting cultural experiences in the world, it is also an incredible country for food. If you are used to the standard American diet, There are many different dishes in Japan that are unlike anything you've tried before. Japan is a true foodie wonderland, from classic dishes like ramen, sushi and sashimi to lesser-known dishes like okonomiyaki and onigiri.
I have had the opportunity to live and travel in Japan twice in my life. I perform on Broadway and have been fortunate to perform in many parts of the country. Tokyo was my main hometown, where I lived for a total of four months. I also visited Kyoto, Osaka, Okinawa and other small cities. Although I was technically there to perform, I was on a side quest as a self-proclaimed foodie to try the very best food in Japan while I was there.
I think after a lot of trial and error, by the second time I lived in Japan, my food adventures had become down to a science. I want to share nine top tips with you, and I think if you follow them, you will definitely find the best food while traveling in Japan.
Read more: How scrambled eggs differ around the world
Don't ignore places with long lines, especially if they're locals.
In many places around the world, such as New York or Rome, long lines outside restaurants are usually a sign of a tourist trap. Places tend to go viral on social media and people flock to try the food. There are often much better and cheaper places. Surprisingly, this travel tip does not apply to Japan.
Long lines are not uncommon in Japan, especially in a big city like Tokyo. However, don't get discouraged by these lines as they tend to move very quickly. Pay attention to who is in these lines. If it looks like a line of American tourists, then it's probably not the best choice for real, quality food. However, if you notice that most of the people in line are locals, that's a sure sign that this is a great place to grab a bite to eat. I've noticed that locals in Japan tend to eat out much more often than in other countries I've been to, especially if it's during busy times like lunch or dinner. Pay attention to where you think they are flocking, as there must be a good reason for this.
Look for small specialty menus.
One of the key tips for getting a good presentation of a particular dish is to avoid going to a place that serves every type of Japanese food under the sun. Instead, look for places that only offer a few items. For example, if you're looking for a great bowl of ramen, you'll likely buy the best dish from a ramen-only restaurant. This means that they specialize in this dish and you will be able to choose from a greater variety of ramen bowls than at a place that only has one or two ramen options on the menu.
Finding such restaurants or places to eat in Japan is not difficult. While wandering the streets, look out for places that look like a hole in the wall. In the heart of Tokyo, I came across a small narrow restaurant whose menu consisted of only… donburi (Japanese rice cutlets with meat on top). This ended up being a dish that I didn't even have on my list, and when I had it, I was completely stunned by how delicious it was. This has quickly become one of my favorite places in the city; If I hadn't given the small, humble menu list a chance, I wouldn't have found one of my favorite dishes I've ever eaten to this day.
See where office workers go for lunch after work.
In Japan, you can clearly see office workers driving to work in the morning or evening. They all tend to wear the same black and white outfit, usually paired with a simple black backpack. When returning home after a morning out, I always noticed that many office workers stopped at certain eateries in my area.
One evening I saw a group heading towards the back of the station, where, as far as I knew, there was nothing to see. My friend and I decided to follow and saw many office workers heading to a hidden street called “ramen street”. Down the stairs into the alley below normal street level there was a line of seven to ten ramen spots in a row. Office workers were evenly distributed among them, and we thought that if they stopped there after work, it must be good. It turned out to be the best ramen I ever had on the trip and I ended up going back several times to try different restaurants nearby. So, lesson learned – follow the office workers!
Use Google Maps as a tool
Google Maps is a tool I love to use wherever I travel. I constantly write my own reviews of places I visit and also use others as a way to gain information. For Japan specifically, I like to use Google Maps if I'm in a new area and quickly looking for something to eat. If you're looking for a specific dish, you can type it directly into the Google Maps search bar. At the same time, places with reviews that mention this dish will appear, as well as restaurants whose descriptions indicate the name of the dish.
In situations where you're not quite sure what to eat or just want a good restaurant, I also find Google Maps useful. I always look for places that have a rating of 4.6 stars or higher and have a total of at least 250 reviews. Some places will have 5 stars, but there are only about 15 reviews, which makes the rating a little less meaningful. If it has hundreds of mostly positive reviews, that's a good sign. Another thing worth paying attention to are reviews with photos. This can help you get a better idea of ​​the food the restaurant serves, which is the key to whether you'll like it or not.
Try local convenience stores
I know it sounds stupid to travel all the way to Japan and make 7-Eleven one of your must-see places. However, 7-Eleven in Japan is completely different from the American one. Many locals in Japan use 7-Eleven as a place to grab breakfast on the go or take lunch to work. Besides 7-Eleven, great stores like FamilyMart and Lawson are also great places to visit.
It was at the FamilyMart near my apartment in Tokyo where I came across one of my all-time favorite foods, onigiri. Onigiri are triangular rice balls. it usually has some kind of meat inside and is wrapped in a crunchy layer of seaweed. There are many flavors to choose from, such as minced egg yolk, salted cod or my favorite, grilled salmon flakes. They're affordable, come in convenient packaging, and make a satisfying snack or meal.
There are tons of other delicious things that you can also buy at most local stores in Japan. Be sure to try packaged pancakes with maple syrup and butter in the middle, fruit sandwiches with whipped cream, packaged tea and coffee, and even breaded chicken cutlets. You can buy something delicious, unique and cheap at your local convenience stores.
Find out what dishes the city you're in is famous for.
No matter where you are, it's important to eat regionally if you want to experience the best food while traveling. In Japan in particular, some regions excel at one specific type of food over others. Take Osaka for example. Osaka (especially the Dotonbori area) is known as the best city in Japan for street foodBe sure to try dishes like okonomiyaki (spicy pancakes) and takoyaki (octopus dumplings). I ate my first okonomiyaki in Tokyo and thought it was delicious. However, I went to Osaka and bought it at an actual street market and was amazed at how much more flavor and texture it had on my tongue compared to the one in Tokyo.
If you're a sushi lover, Tokyo is a great place to splurge on high-end sushi, especially in the Ginza area. If you want to try great conveyor belt sushi, a trip to Tokyo areas like Shinagawa and Meguro can be a great choice. They are more residential and a bit relaxed, perfect for sampling the top quality sushi that the locals eat.
Talk to hotel staff to find out about the best local spots.
Whether you've decided on the type of food you want to eat or you're really ready for something, the staff at the hotel you're staying at will be incredibly helpful. I always ask employees what their favorite restaurants are in the area. They are locals themselves and know the best non-tourist places to eat. Many of the best dishes I have had were recommended to me by hotel staff.
To take it a step further, you can also ask employees what foods they particularly like. There are so many different types of Japanese dishes, and hearing your favorite dish from someone who was born and raised there speaks volumes. Find out what you must try and then ask them for a list of places to buy that food.
Lunch is the best time for delicious food
If you're looking for a more enjoyable sit-down lunch, many places in major cities have lunch specials that will allow you to get more food for a lower price. When I was in Kyoto, the hotel concierge recommended a restaurant to me. When I looked at the menu online, I thought the prices were a bit high. I ended up walking past the restaurant during lunch and saw that they had a lunch special. I ended up being able to buy a few dishes from the restaurant for about half of what I would have paid for them if I had gone during dinner. There were a little fewer dishes for lunch, but I was able to try more dishes and it was worth it.
After this experience, I began to pay more attention to dining when traveling. I soon discovered that lunch discounts are common in restaurants in major cities in Japan. It was mainly aimed at businesses in the area, and I took advantage of it. I definitely recommend saving the nicer food for lunch if you want to try more food at one time and also save a dollar or two.
Before your trip, get to know Japanese dishes.
Deciphering menus in Japan is not an easy task. I highly recommend familiarizing yourself not only with the names of Japanese dishes, but also with what they look like. In many places, menus are written in Japanese but are accompanied by pictures. In other situations, restaurant staff will tell you what's on the menu, and it's helpful to know certain dishes and their names.
I highly recommend making a cheat sheet in your phone notes before your trip. Certain phrases and words definitely helped me navigate cooking and I was able to order much more confidently. For example, at a ramen shop, knowing that tonkotsu is pork broth, shoyu is soy broth, and miso is a savory broth helped me easily select ramen dishes.
In the world of seafood Sashimi is raw fish without rice.and sushi is rice and raw fish together. Don't make the same mistake I did and get confused when a single piece of raw salmon is delivered to your table because you ordered sashimi instead of sushi. With a little preparation, you'll be fine. Be sure to refresh your memory Mistakes to avoid when ordering from Japanand have a nice trip!
Want more food knowledge? Subscribe to our free newsletter where we help thousands of foodies like you become culinary masters, one email at a time. You can also add us as your preferred search source on Google.
