EATING & DRINK IN JAPAN 🍜

When it comes to Japanese cuisine, the first thing that comes to mind is sushi. Of course, this world with a completely different culture has other flavors that you should definitely try. We will try to touch on all of them in this blog post.

Japanese cuisine is often ranked among the best cuisines worldwide. Although it varies according to different sources, French, Italian and Japanese cuisines are usually in the top three .

Japan is also the world leader in Michelin star restaurants . Tokyo, in particular, is the city with the most Michelin star restaurants in the world , according to the Michelin guide.

📌 As of 2024, there are more than 400 Michelin star restaurants in Japan .

Michelin star restaurants in Japan are not just luxury venues. Even some ramen and sushi shops have received Michelin stars !

In conclusion, even though Japan has very different tastes for us, we can say that it is at the top of the world in terms of both culinary quality and Michelin restaurants . 🍣🍜🌟

🍣 Traditional Japanese Food

Sushi (すし) : One of the most famous Japanese dishes, sushi is a combination of rice and raw fish. There are different types such as nigiri, maki, and sashimi.

If you want to eat sushi in Japan, you will find two types of restaurants. One of them is Kaiten Zushi , or sushi restaurants with a rotating conveyor belt. Here, you choose the plates you want from the plates that pass in front of you. The colors of the plates represent different prices , so you can easily understand how much each sushi costs. You complete your meal by collecting the plates you choose. You can usually have a very filling meal for around 2,000 yen .

The other option is classic sushi restaurants . Here, the chef prepares the sushi right in front of you or your order is served to your table. These places are a bit more expensive because they use higher quality ingredients . The average person can get a delicious sushi experience here for around 2,500-3,000 yen .

Ramen (ラーメン) : Although of Chinese origin, ramen has evolved into different styles in Japanese cuisine, it is a noodle dish served in a meat or fish-based soup. Shoyu ramen is popular in Tokyo and miso ramen in Hokkaido.

Ramen
Tempura (天ぷら) : A dish made by deep-frying seafood and vegetables in a light batter. The ingredients, usually seafood, vegetables , or sometimes chicken , are coated in a light batter and deep -fried. Tempura is especially popular outside of Japan, and is usually served with a hot, crispy texture.

🦐 Features of Tempura
- Ingredients : Generally, ingredients such as shrimp (ebi), fish, potatoes, sweet potatoes, mushrooms, zucchini, green beans are used.
- Batter : Tempura batter is made with flour, mineral water (sometimes with added egg) and ice water. This special batter creates a thin and crispy texture when fried .
- Frying Method : Tempura ingredients are quickly fried in very hot oil , so they remain crispy on the outside and fresh and juicy on the inside.
🍚 How to Eat Tempura?
- It is eaten by dipping it with soy sauce or tempura sauce (tentsuyu).
- It is usually served with gari (pickled ginger) , rice or soup .
- It is sometimes served as donburi (tempura on top of a rice bowl) or tempura soba/udon (tempura on top of soba or udon noodles).
Okonomiyaki (お好み焼き) : Known as "Japanese pancake", this dish is made by combining cabbage, flour, eggs, and various other ingredients and frying them in a pan. The Osaka and Hiroshima styles differ.
Yakitori (焼き鳥) : Chicken meat grilled on small skewers. Usually found in street markets and izakaya bars.
Tonkatsu (とんかつ) : Breaded and fried pork schnitzel served with rice and cabbage.
Udon 🍜: A type of noodle made from wheat flour that is thick and chewy. It is usually served in a hot soup, but can also be eaten cold.
Takoyaki 🐙: Round dough balls with chopped octopus inside, crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. It is usually garnished with mayonnaise, okonomiyaki sauce, and bonito flakes. It is one of the most famous street foods of Osaka cuisine.
Sashimi (刺身) is one of the most special flavors of Japanese cuisine, where raw seafood is cut into thin slices and served. The difference from sushi is that sashimi does not contain rice; only fresh fish or seafood is used.

🐟 Types of Sashimi

Sashimi can be made from different seafood:

Maguro (まぐろ) – Tuna
Sake (サーモン) – Salmon
Hamachi (はまち) – Yellowtail fish
Tai (鯛) – Sea Bream
Ebi (海老) – Shrimp
Tako (タコ) – Octopus
Ika (イカ) – Squid
Uni (ウニ) – Sea urchin

Some places also offer sashimi made from a variety of meats, such as beef (gyu sashimi) or horse meat (basashi) .

Maki (巻き寿司) is the name given to sushi rolls wrapped in seaweed (nori). The word "maki" means "to wrap" in Japanese.

Maki usually contains sushi rice, raw or cooked fish, vegetables and sometimes avocado, cucumber etc. It is cut into a cylindrical shape, wrapped in a bamboo mat (makisu) and served.

🍥 Maki Varieties

1️⃣ Hosomaki (細巻き) – Thin Roll

They are small and single-ingredient maki.

Example: Tekka Maki (Tuna Maki), Kappa Maki (Cucumber Maki)

2️⃣ Futomaki (太巻き) – Thick Roll

They are larger and contain more than one material.

It is usually eaten on special occasions.

3️⃣ Uramaki (裏巻き) – Reverse Roll

Also known as inside-outside maki ; moss inside, rice outside.

Example: California Roll (Crab, avocado, cucumber)

4️⃣ Temaki (手巻き) – Cone Shaped Maki

It is a type of conical sushi rolled by hand .

The outside is covered with moss and the inside is filled with various materials.

Nigiri 🍣: A traditional type of sushi in which a slice of raw fish (usually salmon, tuna, shrimp) or ingredients such as omelette are placed on a small ball of rice.
Wasabi 🌿: It is a very sharp and hot spice used frequently in Japanese cuisine, usually served with sushi.
Kobe Beef 🥩: A world-famous type of beef with incredibly soft and marbled fat distribution, native to the Kobe region of Japan. It is quite expensive and only comes from certain breeds of cattle. We do not recommend that you return without trying Tobi, we found a branch of the Yakiniku King restaurant chain near Tokyo Asakusa and tried it right away, I am pinning the link to the photo, you can find other branches near you on the website. Live your individual barbecue experience :)

🍵 Drinking Culture in Japan

Green Tea (抹茶 - Matcha) : One of the most important drinks in Japanese culture. It is indispensable for tea ceremonies.
Sake (酒) : A traditional Japanese drink made from rice. It can be served cold or hot. It is often compared to raki.
Shochu (焼酎) : A spirit with a higher alcohol content than sake, it can be made from potatoes, barley or rice.
Beer (ビール - Bīru) : Famous Japanese beer brands such as Asahi, Kirin, Sapporo are very popular.

🍙 Affordable Food in Japan

Konbini (コンビニ) Food : Affordable and quality food is available at convenience stores like 7-Eleven, Lawson, and FamilyMart. You can find onigiri (rice balls), sandwiches, and bento boxes here.
100 Yen Sushi Restaurants : You can taste sushi at affordable prices at "Kaitenzushi" or revolving sushi restaurants.
Udon and Soba Shops : These are places where you can find quick and affordable noodle soups.

💰 Is It Necessary to Tip in Japanese Restaurants?

No! There is no tipping culture in Japan and tipping can even be seen as rude or unnecessary.

In Japanese culture , good service is a standard expectation and is not incentivized by extra money.
Restaurant workers already receive their salaries based on this, and leaving a tip can be perceived as "not earning enough."
If you try to leave a tip, waiters will either turn the money down or come after you.

📌 Are There Any Exceptions?

In very upscale restaurants or places like ryokan (traditional Japanese inns), it is occasionally acceptable to give a gift in a "gofukuro" envelope as a thank you . But even that is not common.
If you receive special service in some touristic places (for example, personal service from a private guide or chef), a tip may be expected, but there is still a high probability that it will be politely declined.

🚨Slurping ( slurping ) while eating, especially noodle-based dishes (ramen, soba, udon), is completely normal and even considered a polite gesture to show that you like the flavor. In most Japanese restaurants, people are comfortable making loud noises when eating pasta or soup. However, slurping is frowned upon for rice dishes or other plated dishes . So, while it’s normal to make noise when eating ramen, it can be considered rude to do the same when eating rice or sushi. In general, silence is important when eating in Japan, but noodle dishes are an exception. 😊

🍱 Izakaya (居酒屋) is a traditional Japanese bar-restaurant concept. They are usually casual and friendly places to meet with friends, colleagues after work, or family to chat over drinks and snacks .

Restaurants with Tatami Rooms

Washitsu (和室) Rooms : Traditional Japanese-style seating areas covered with tatami.
Low Tables (Chabudai - ちゃぶ台) : Instead of chairs, people sit on the floor to eat. Cushions called zabuton are used.
Horigotatsu (掘りごたつ) System : Modern restaurants also have tables where you sit on tatami but whose feet can be hung down into the space below the floor.

Types of Restaurants with Tatami

Kaiseki Restaurants – Upscale venues serving traditional multi-course meals.
Izakaya (居酒屋) – Those with tatami rooms are common.
Sushi and Tempura Restaurants – Some have private tatami areas.
Ryokan (Japanese Inn) Restaurants – Traditional inns where meals are served in tatami rooms.

Things to Consider in Tatami Rooms

Shoes or slippers are to be removed! Shoes are to be left at the door before entering the tatami room.
Kneeling seating (Seiza - 正座) is common , but cushions or horigotatsu tables may be preferred for those who cannot remain comfortable for long periods of time.

If you want to have a traditional experience in Japan, I definitely recommend eating at a restaurant with tatami rooms! 🍵😊

SUGGESTIONS

A HAPPY PANCAKE

Japanese pancake is a flavor that I will miss a lot, you will love its fluffy texture, it is the first flavor that I recommend you to try. There are varieties, we tried these two, both were very good.

EGG SLUT

You can choose it for breakfast. Its branch in Shinjuku is very central and you can start the day while looking around.

📌Shinjuku Southern Terrace

2-2-1 Yoyogi, Shibuya-ku

Tokyo, Japan 51-0053

(+81) 03-6773-0424

Mon-Sun: 8AM - 8PM

Open for dine in, pick up & take away

MICASECO & CAFE

Another great pancake experience, we waited in line here for a long time and it took 40 minutes to make, you should try it one day when you have time.

TAIYAKI

This is not a place recommendation, Taiyaki is one of the Japanese street foods, I tried it at this place while I was walking around Asakusa and I liked it so much that I went back 3 times and ate it over and over again saying 'ichi taiyaki'. It may not be that delicious for everyone but I still want to eat it even though I still remember the taste :)

Dorayaki; It is a Japanese street food, you will see it sold in many shops along Asakusa road. Is it delicious? No ::::) So why did I put it, as a 30-year-old cartoon watcher, I am a Doraemon fan, 'Japanese anime character' and those who watch it know that Doraemon really loves dorayaki, he used to pass out while eating dorayaki in the episodes, I was so curious that I couldn't resist when I saw it and bought it, but I wish I hadn't eaten it :) Anyway, those who want to try it can try it.

You can try these street food items while visiting Harajuku.

Finally;

🍣 1. Traditional Japanese Restaurants

Sushi-ya (寿司屋) – Sushi Restaurants

They are traditional sushi restaurants.
It offers chef-made sushi, usually with an omakase (chef-led menu) option.
Upscale sushi restaurants can have Michelin stars.

Kaiseki Ryori (懐石料理) – Fine Dining Restaurants with Multiple Courses

It is traditional Japanese haute cuisine.
It offers multi-course, artistic meals prepared with seasonal ingredients.
It is often found in traditional cities such as Kyoto.

Ryotei (料亭) – Luxury and Specialty Japanese Restaurants

These are very formal restaurants that cater to VIPs, business people and special guests.
It features Kaiseki meals and private tatami rooms.
Usually requires reservations.

Izakaya (居酒屋) – Japanese Style Pub/Bar Restaurants

They are comfortable places to go for drinks and snacks with friends after work.
Small dishes such as tempura, yakitori and edamame are served along with drinks such as beer, sake and shochu.

Shokudo (食堂) – Local Family Restaurants

These are local restaurants that serve affordable, home-cooked meals.
They can serve rice dishes, soups and Japanese breakfast.

🍜 2. Noodle Restaurants

Ramen-ya (ラーメン屋) – Ramen Restaurants

There are different types, such as tonkotsu (pork bone broth), shoyu (soy sauce based), miso or shio (salt based).
It is popular with those looking for a quick and affordable meal.
In some places, orders are placed using automatic machines .

Udon-ya (うどん屋) – Udon Restaurants

These are restaurants that serve thick wheat noodles.
There are varieties such as kake udon (plain), kitsune udon (with tofu), and tempura udon.

Soba-ya (蕎麦屋) – Soba Restaurants

Offers thin soba noodles made from buckwheat flour.
Served cold or hot, zaru soba (cold), tempura soba are popular.

🍢 3. Grill & Meat Restaurants

Yakitori-ya (焼き鳥屋) – Skewered Chicken Restaurants

It is famous for its chicken skewers and saké.
A variety of skewers made from different parts of chicken meat are offered.

Yakiniku (焼肉) – Japanese Barbecue Restaurants

Similar to Korean BBQ, customers cook their own meat on a grill at the table.
Premium cuts of meat such as Wagyu and Kobe beef are offered.

Teppanyaki (鉄板焼き) – Iron Grill Restaurants

Chefs cook meat, seafood and vegetables on a large iron plate (teppan) in front of customers.
Upscale venues may offer wagyu beef.

🍛 4. Rice and Katsu Restaurants

Tonkatsu-ya (とんかつ屋) – Fried Pork Restaurants

Restaurants that serve breaded pork schnitzel (tonkatsu).
Served with rice, miso soup and cabbage.

Gyudon-ya (牛丼屋) – Rice Bowl with Beef Restaurants

Offers gyudon (rice bowl with sliced beef and onions).
Chain restaurants such as Yoshinoya, Sukiya, and Matsuya are common.

Donburi-ya (丼物屋) – Rice Bowl Restaurants

It offers varieties such as katsudon (tonkatsu + rice with egg), tendon (tempura + rice), oyakodon (rice with chicken and egg).