As a Japan Travel Specialist in Canada, one of the most popular requests when I plan a trip for my clients is about food. Many travellers are looking forward to going to Japan and having great Japanese food. However, when I asked them what kind of food they would like to try, the answer was always sushi. People tend to think about sushi when we talk about Japanese food overseas.
Without a doubt, you can have great quality sushi in Japan. From Michelin-star omakase (the menu is completely left to the chef), to kaiten sushi (conveyor belt sushi). They are fresh and you can have much more variety than in Canada (oh yes, there are many types other than salmon). However, it’s not just sushi.
If you want to have a full experience in Japan, you have to try different things, in different places and with different food. I will start off from konbini (convenience store). You’ve probably heard the reporters praise konbini at the Tokyo Olympics and always wondered: “why?”. I love going to konbini. It’s normally my choice for breakfast and for late night snack. An onigiri (rice ball) is an awesome choice to start your day, and there are probably 30 different types of stuffings inside that you can choose from (or more). Plain rice, salmon flakes, salmon roe, beef, pickles….you name it! The sandwich selection is huge as well, or maybe just pick a cup noodle from the many choices they offer and you can have hot noodles in your hotel room to start your day. I also love to hop into a konbini and get some dessert before I head back to my hotel room at night. Either ice cream, cake, or a mochi (Japanese rice cake) will end my day with a smile.
So other than sushi, you can have different types of food in Japan. I will name a few which I think you really should try and not miss. First is yakitori. Japanese people use a bincho-tan (white charcoal) to grill yakitori (chicken skewers but it could also mean any kind of food in a bamboo skewer). The charcoal flavour goes into the meat or veggies and you will likely continue to eat them non-stop.
I know ramen is almost a staple for Japanese food in our country but you can also try udon when you are in Japan. The noodles are thicker and can be eaten with or without soup. Of course you should also eat ramen and you’ll be amazed to see the variety of soup bases that are available in Japan.
If you do have a chance to stay at a ryokan (traditional Japanese hotel), get the half board option which includes a traditional Japanese kaiseki dinner and breakfast. I always think you can’t fully experience ryokan without their meals. They always use the freshest local ingredients and kaiseki is a piece of art. They thought seriously about how to present the food to you and what kind of dishes they used to make it nice.
Yakiniku (grilled meat cuisine) and shabu shabu (hot pot) are two other things you should try during your trip in Japan. Either grilled or in soup, you can have the best quality of Japanese meat there. If you don’t want to grill or put the meat in the soup on your own, try a gyudon (beef bowl of rice) or nabe (meat and veggie in broth). This way you will also be able to taste the freshness of the meat and veggie.
Last but not least, don’t forget to check out a supermarket when you are in Japan. I always think you should visit a local supermarket when you are travelling. This is the best way to see how people live there. Buy some fruits from the supermarket. Japan has some of the most delicious and interesting fruits. You can have an outrageous expensive square watermelon or a white strawberry (yes you can buy just one piece!). Or just try some normal grapes or peaches, they all taste extremely good.
Of course Japanese food doesn't end here. There are way more and I can talk about it non-stop. Food is always one of the main reasons why I visit Japan over and over again. Some of my clients would ask me to plan every single meal and make reservations for them. I will do that for a few days or nights but definitely not every meal. I’ve never had a bad meal in Japan during the many times that I’ve visited there. Just walk around and you will see something you want to try and I guarantee that everything is delicious, no matter if it’s street food, cheap eats or fancy dinner. Bon appétit. Itadakimasu.
Written by Ivy Lam of travel gaga ( http://travelgaga.ca/ )
The opinions expressed in the above article do not reflect the views of JNTO. All content and images are property of the writer unless otherwise specified.
*This article is based on the writer's experience before COVID-19.
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