Get the scope on the best Japanese cuisine with JAPANiCAN.
Written by JAPANiCAN – Book Japan Hotels
Japan can be a land of great culinary adventures. Japanese cuisine is so distinctive and unique that you should absolutely experience an authentic Japanese dish while in country. Here are seven recommendations.
Sushi
If there’s any food in Japan that is unmistakably Japanese, it is sushi. This rice roll with different types of fillings can be considered Japan’s national dish because it represents Japan in the culinary world. Forget about California rolls, sushi in Japan is different and you will find sushi types that you haven’t seen before.
Japanese Curry
Curry is a dish that you can find in many places but Japanese curry has a taste that is quite unique. There is a smokiness and sweetness to Japanese curry that makes it stand out. Try out their curry rice and many curry variants.
Sake
While not really a food but a liquor, Sake is nevertheless crucial in experiencing Japan through your taste buds. Sake is a rice based wine that, depending on the season, is served chilled, in room temperature or heated. This alcoholic beverage is the traditional drink for ceremonies and other celebrations.
Manju
Traditional desserts in Japan can be great unique experience. One of the more popular desserts is manju, a sweet bun made from flour, rice flour and buckwheat and with a delicious filling of red bean paste. The red bean paste is made from azuki beans and sugar. Other fillings are also put in the manju like orange cream fruit fillings. Sometimes the manju itself is flavored.
Natto
This food is not for those with delicate stomachs. Natto is fermenting bean paste that has a rotten smell. This food is usually eaten during breakfast. It may smell bad but many people say that it actually tastes quite good. A good tip when eating natto is to just eat it quickly before the smell gets in the way.
Ramen
The Japanese love noodles. Some people may say that you should try eating yakisoba, which is fried noodles. Yakisoba is indeed very tasty but for a wonderful noodle experience nothing can beat eating ramen. Ramen is noodles in soup. There are many variations of this popular dish, starting with the soup itself. For example, you can get a soy based, miso based, or salt based. Then you get different toppings depending on where you eat it.
Each prefecture, or region, actually has its own variation of ramen, which makes traveling to these places all the more exciting because you get to eat a regional ramen specialty.
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Done, done, done, done, done, done, done.
But to leave out tempura? Or soba, or udon?
Taylor Davidson´s last blog ..The difficulty in translating and valuing knowledge.
Tempura? Since I don’t eat meat or fish myself I didn’t let the writer include anything else than vegetarian dishes.
Just googled soba and udon. Sounds good! Especially topped with abura age, some sort of deep-fried tofu with sugar, soy sauce and mirin.
Hmm, now I’m curious to try Natto.
Anil´s last blog ..How I Got Robbed In Guatemala and Other Hard-To-Believe Escapades: Part 3
Not me!
Usually I’m a very curious person, although not when it comes to foods that smell bad.
what about fugu? that should be tried!
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Like I said to Taylor above, no meat- or fish dishes on here! Only vegetarian stuff.
i missed out on some of these when i went to tokyo. good thing we’re going back! great blog!
mina´s last blog ..things we’ll miss – home cooked meals
Yes, good for you that you’re visiting again. Hope you’ll enjoy your trip!
I’m so glad you included natto on this list. It tastes less-than-good (or at least I think so) but Japanese often ask foreigners if they’ve tried it or not and it is good to be able to answer “yes.”
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Then I should probably taste it just for that reason.