Japanese cuisine is my personal favourite cuisine in the world. I like many cuisines, but this is absolutely my favourite I have ever tried. The products are very pure and fresh. Of course, people will mostly think about sushi and ramen, but it has so much more. The different flavours are very impressive, and the constant smells in the street are perfect. Keep reading if you want to know which dishes and drinks you should try in Japan!

1. Sushi

Of course, sushi has to be eaten in Japan. You can eat sushi throughout the globe, but the freshness of sushi in Japan is unparalleled. They mostly eat nigiri, and that is so tasteful. In many restaurants you can eat a tasting platter of 8 to 12 different nigiri. You cannot miss a nice sushi bar (or 20!) in Japan.

Where to eat this dish in Japan: Everywhere, especially on markets.

2. Tempura

Tempura is another famous dish you have to try in Japan. Many restaurants have tempura options, so you will have many chances to try it. The dish is mostly fish and vegetables in a light and airy batter, which will be fried. Try the different types throughout your visit in Japan.

Where to eat this dish in Japan: Everywhere

3. Japanese breakfast

You can eat Western breakfast items, but you also have to try a Japanese breakfast. You can have fish, vegetables, sweet omelette, and so much more. You will have lovely small dishes to try, so you can taste as many as you want!

Where to eat this dish in Japan: Everywhere

4. Matcha

A hype in Europe but very normal in Japan is matcha. The taste is not fantastic, but it is very healthy. After different teas and other beverages, you will get used to the taste and will enjoy it. I would say that it is something you can miss.

Where to eat this dish in Japan: Everywhere

5. Gyoza

Gyoza is one of my personal favourites in Japan. The small bites can be made from chicken, beef, shrimp, vegetables or other ways. These dumplings are perfect to start a dinner and share some great ones. 

Where to eat this dish in Japan: Everywhere, a very good place to eat it is Harajuku Gyoza-Ro in Tokyo.

6. Yakitori

Yakitori is another famous dish from Japan. It is mostly meat on a stick. I am only used to chicken on a stick, but in Japan there are a lot of different types you can order. It is mostly meat, but also some vegetables. We have tasted vegetables, different types of chicken, beef, pork, and organ meat, and it tastes great. Often you can get a tasting of several types.

Where to eat this dish in Japan: Everywhere, but in Kyoto there are a lot of options for it. In Tokyo a very good area to eat it is Ovoid Yakocho.

7. Japanese whisky

The countries that export the most whisky are Scotland and Ireland, right? Oh no, it is Japan! So this is a perfect reason to try some of the liquid gold. I am not a big fan, but you have to try it in Japan, as they have a big culture for it. 

Where to eat this dish in Japan: Everywhere

8. Miso soup

Miso soup is my favourite soup in the world, as it is very tasteful, and you can eat it throughout the day. In Japan, you will often get a taste of it as you order other items. There is almost no day that I did not eat it, so that is great!

Where to eat this dish in Japan: Everywhere

9. Ramen

Ramen is another classic of Japanese cuisine, which obviously should be tried. Ramen is a bowl of noodles, vegetables, spices, and often an egg and meat. The taste is very good, and you have to try it at least once. 

Where to eat this dish in Japan: Everywhere, but especially in Fukuoka you have try it at the yatai.

10. Edamame

Edamame are beans that are often salted on the outside. These are the perfect dishes to start a dinner. There are often 2 or 3 beans to eat when having one. You will have these several times in Japan.

Where to eat this dish in Japan: Everywhere

11. Japanese nuts

Ok, this is absolutely not a dish but a lovely snack when travelling a long distance. It is frowned upon to eat on public transport except on longer train rides, and exactly then is the perfect time to have local snacks, such as the nuts, for example.

Where to eat this dish in Japan: Everywhere

12. Bento box

Another great and common thing to eat on a longer train ride is a bento box. These bento boxes can be filled with different food, so it's mostly the concept that you should try. The box can be filled with sushi, meat or totally other ingredients, and they taste great!

Where to eat this dish in Japan: During a train ride

13. Hotpot

A hotpot is not necessarily Japanese, but it is a very nice dish. Hotpot can be filled with many different ingredients, and that makes the fact that it is not getting boring and you can try it several times. If you have a dinner in a traditional ryokan, there is a good chance that you will have a hotpot as well. 

Where to eat this dish in Japan: Everywhere, but maybe more in rural areas.

14. Soba

Soba are noodles, which can be served cold or hot, so you have to try both ways, where I surprisingly preferred cold. The noodles are often without ingredients on them, but you have to add them. This is a lovely dish, but not one of my favourites.

Where to eat this dish in Japan: Everywhere

15. Craft beer

If you have seen more of my pages, you know I like a good craft beer. Japan is an upcoming destination for craft beer, and there are some good, creative breweries. In comparison to Europe it may not be a lot, but in every city you can find at least some good places that sell good beers. 

Where to eat this dish in Japan: Mostly in the cities

16. Hida Beef

Hida beef is another type of food you have to try in Japan. It is very soft food, and you can try it in so many places. In Takayama you can find many food stalls that sell the beef as sushi, and that is absolutely fantastic. This is as good as wagyu (I will talk about it later) and very tasteful.

Where to eat this dish in Japan: Takayama mostly

17. Sake

Sake is the famous rice wine of Japan. You can get it hot or cold; it has a big width in taste, and it is perfect in combination with sushi, so the taste will be better. You can also find breweries to have tastings. You cannot visit Japan and not try some sake (as an adult).

Where to eat this dish in Japan: Everywhere, but the most breweries are in Takayama.

18. Fugu

Fugu is puffer fish, which you can almost only have in Japan or in very fancy restaurants. You need to have a large course to serve fugu, as they can be poisonous to eat (can be lethal). The taste was very good, but as I ate it as sushi, I have to admit that some others were better. 

Where to eat this dish in Japan: Everywhere there are some options, but the most are in Osaka. 

19. Gold leaf ice cream

One of the weirdest things to eat in Japan is gold leaf ice cream. Kanazawa boasts almost all production of gold leaf in the whole country of Japan, and you can taste it on an ice cream! It is a bit more expensive in comparison to normal ice cream, but it tastes very good, and it is very cool!

Where to eat this dish in Japan: Kanazawa

20. Sashimi

Sashimi is a fantastic food to try. It is raw fish, which often comes in combination with sushi. The most popular types are tuna (fatty is my favourite) and salmon. There are many different types, and they are absolutely great to taste. You can often eat sashimi at markets. You cannot miss this food in Japan. 

Where to eat this dish in Japan: Everywhere

21. Okonomiyaki

Okonomiyaki is one of my favourite dishes in the whole of Japan. It is a pancake based on egg combined with cabbage, and you can add many different products like fish or meat. Sauce will be added to your liking or by the chef. The combination of these products makes this a dish you will always remember. There are different types of okonomiyaki.

Where to eat this dish in Japan: Osaka and Hiroshima as they have other types and the best of the country.

22. Takoyaki

Takoyaki is another highlight of the Japanese cuisine. Those are balls made of flour filled with octopus. The decoration will consist of onions and ginger to add flavour. There are different sauces to be added after they are out of the specialised pan. They are mostly eaten as street food and not as a main dish. 

Where to eat this dish in Japan: Osaka is famous for its takoyaki.

23. Fried and tempura oysters

Tempura and fried oysters?! Yes, that is correct! At Miyajima Island they sell many oysters, but their speciality is to fry them, and it is surprisingly tasty! We had it at a nice food stall (close to the Daisho Inn), which was great. This is also the only location where I saw tempura oysters, and in my opinion, these were even better. 

Where to eat this dish in Japan: Miyajima Island

24. Black egg

In Owakudani you can have black ice cream (which makes your teeth black), but the most fun is the black egg. You will live 7 years longer if you eat one. The taste is similar to a normal egg, but the shell is black. This is a fun experience.

Where to eat this dish in Japan: Owakudani (at the Hakone Loop).

25. Wagyu

Wagyu may be the best type of beef in the world, and it is absolutely a great thing to eat. The beef melts on your tongue. The downside of the beef is that it is pricey, but it is worth tasting at least once! You can have it in restaurants or as street food, which is a bit cheaper.

Where to eat this dish in Japan: Everywhere

Final thoughts

Japan has the best cuisine in the world in my opinion. The food is tasty and the products are fresh and unique. There are so many different options which gives such a fantastic experience. From street food to fancy dinners and from fish to meat to vegetarian; Japan has it all.

If you want to know more about Japan, check out: