JapanWhat to eat in Japan: top 10 dishes
Traveling to Japan? These are the ten dishes it is best known for, from everyday staples to festive classics, with a short background and a tip on where and when to eat each one. Ranked by how widely they are known around the world.
01Sushi
Sushi is a traditional Japanese dish made with vinegared rice (鮨飯, sushi-meshi), typically seasoned with sugar and salt, and combined with a variety of ingredients (ねた, neta), such as seafood, vegetables, or meat; raw seafood is the most common, although some…
Travel tip Eaten at sushi counters, conveyor-belt restaurants and takeaway shops. Nigiri can be eaten by hand or with chopsticks, dipped lightly in soy sauce.
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02Ramen
Ramen is a Japanese-Chinese fusion noodle dish. It includes Chinese-style alkaline wheat noodles (中華麺, chūkamen) served in several flavors of hot broth.
Travel tip Served at small specialty shops, often ordered from a ticket machine at the door. It is normal to slurp noodles, and to eat quickly while they are hot.
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03Sashimi
Sashimi is a Japanese delicacy that consists of fresh raw fish or other raw meat that is sliced into thin pieces, and is often eaten with soy sauce.
Travel tip Found at izakaya, sushi restaurants and fish markets, served with soy sauce, wasabi and often shredded radish. Freshness matters, so choose busy places.
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04Tempura
Tempura (天（てん）ぷら or 天（てん）麩（ぷ）羅（ら）; [tempɯɾa]) is a Japanese dish that usually consists of seafood and vegetables that have been coated in a thin batter and deep-fried.
Travel tip Served at specialty restaurants, over rice or noodles, and at casual set-meal shops. Eat it soon after frying while crisp, with dipping sauce or salt.
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05Miso soup
Miso soup is a traditional Japanese soup consisting of miso in a dashi stock. It is commonly served as part of an ichijū-sansai (一汁三菜) meal 'one soup, three dishes' consisting of rice, soup, and side dishes.
Travel tip Served with many set meals, including breakfast, in small bowls. Sip it directly from the bowl and use chopsticks for the ingredients.
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06Miso
Miso (みそ or 味噌) is a traditional Japanese seasoning. It is a thick paste produced by fermenting soybeans with salt and kōji (the fungus Aspergillus oryzae), and sometimes rice, barley, seaweed, or other ingredients.
Travel tip A staple seasoning used in soups, marinades and sauces, and sold in tubs at supermarkets. Flavor ranges from mild and sweet to strong and salty depending on type and region.
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07Onigiri
Onigiri (おにぎり, お握り or 御握り), also known as omusubi (おむすび or お結び) or nigirimeshi (握り飯), is a Japanese rice ball made from white rice. It is usually formed into triangular or cylindrical shapes, and wrapped in nori (seaweed).
Travel tip A handy meal or snack sold at convenience stores, bakeries and specialty shops, and packed in lunch boxes. Eat it by hand, and try regional fillings.
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08Udon
Udon (うどん or 饂飩) is a thick noodle made from wheat flour, used in Japanese cuisine. There are a variety of ways it is prepared and served. Its simplest form is in a soup as kake udon with a mild broth called kakejiru made from dashi, soy sauce, and mirin.
Travel tip Found at casual noodle shops, serving hot in broth or cold in summer. Some places let you add your own toppings at a counter.
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09Okonomiyaki
Okonomiyaki is a Japanese teppanyaki savory pancake dish consisting of wheat flour batter and other ingredients (mixed, or as toppings) cooked on a teppan (flat griddle).
Travel tip Often cooked on a griddle at your table or in front of you at specialty restaurants, especially popular in Osaka and Hiroshima. Style and toppings differ by region.
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10Instant noodles
Instant noodles, or instant ramen, is a type of food consisting of noodles sold in a precooked and dried block with flavoring powder and/or seasoning oil.
Travel tip Sold at supermarkets and convenience stores as a quick home meal, in cups or packs. Cup versions only need hot water and a few minutes.
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