Must-Try Traditional Japanese Dishes

When visiting Japan, you’ll, of course, want to taste Japanese cuisine. There are many types of dishes and local specialties you can choose from, but if we were to pick up ten traditional dishes that we highly recommend, they would be the ones introduced below.

1. Sushi

Sushi is one of the best known Japanese foods around the world. It is offered in various ways and prices, from the entertaining kaiten-zushi (conveyor belt sushi), where visitors can enjoy sushi for a reasonable price of about 100 yen per plate, to high-end, long-established, traditional Edomae sushi (Edo-style sushi) where you will sit at a quiet counter to eat as the sushi is prepared right before your eyes.

2. Sashimi

Sashimi is another must-try food. Similar to sushi but without the rice, sashimi is raw fish sliced into easy-to-eat pieces. The high-quality of the fish caught in all regions of Japan makes it a great choice no matter if you are visiting Tokyo, Kyoto, or anywhere else.

Just like sushi, diners can enjoy dozens of varieties of sashimi. Some of the most common and popular varieties are maguro and other tuna varieties, salmon, mackerel, and sea bream. You can also try clams, uni, or sea urchin, and salmon roe. Find out what fish and seafood you like the best by ordering a variety.

Sashimi is typically eaten with soy sauce for flavoring. You can also add a dot of wasabi to the top of the sashimi for extra heat, but it is not required. Certain varieties, like horse mackerel, will be served with ginger instead of wasabi.

3. Unagi – Grilled Eel

Unagi, or eel, is a fish known to be found mainly in rivers. In Japan, it is a delicacy typical in high-class Japanese dining. There are also many casual restaurants that specialize in unagi dishes. At unagi restaurants, you will be able to enjoy kabayaki, where the unagi is put on skewers and grilled with a special sauce containing soy sauce, mirin, sugar, and sake. Unadon, a dish of kabayaki on top of white rice, is also offered at these establishments.

4. Tempura

Tempura is a dish involving ingredients like seafood, meat, and vegetables covered in batter and deep-fried in oil. The batter usually contains flour and egg. Tempura is generally dipped in a special sauce called tentsuyu before eating. Tentsuyu is a sauce made of broth from kombu or dried bonito, mirin, and soy sauce mixed at a ratio of 4:1:1 and cooked. You can add ginger or grated radish to your liking for a more refreshing taste.

5. Onigiri – Rice Balls

You may have heard of onigiri, or rice balls, before. Onigiri, also called omusubi, may just look like plain rice, but they often have a savory filling inside and are wrapped with a salty sheet of nori seaweed. They are made in bento lunches by families and often seen sold in convenience stores and supermarkets. This is a classic choice for a snack or light meal.

Common flavors for onigiri include kelp, pickled plum (umeboshi), salmon, and bonito flakes. There are also many other flavors–go into a convenience store or supermarket to see what you can find.

Although you can make onigiri yourself and buy it inexpensively, there are restaurants offering onigiri you can enjoy at a sit-down meal, made by hand by chefs with high-quality ingredients. Onigiri Asakusa Yadoroku in Tokyo is one restaurant that has received a Michelin star for its exquisite rice balls.

6. Yakitori – Grilled Chicken Skewers

Yakitori is a popular food where chicken is cut into small pieces, then placed on bamboo skewers and grilled. It is often found on the menus of izakaya and casual restaurants, making it a good option for a night out in Japan with friends. It is especially delicious when paired with alcohol. Also, if you go to a Japanese festival, there is a good chance that food stalls will be selling this classic dish.

Yakitori is ordered at restaurants by the part of the chicken. You will also find other types of meat and vegetables on skewers, too. It is usually seasoned lightly with salt when it comes, so take the first bite without adding extra condiments. You can eat right off the skewer.

7. Sukiyaki

Sukiyaki is cooked in a shallow iron pan, traditionally enjoyed in the fall and winter in Japan. It became popular in Japan around the 19th century. Made both in homes and available on menus at restaurants, it is a dish you will want to try when you’re craving something hearty.

Sukiyaki is made with several different ingredients, like thin slices of beef, green onions, tomatoes, mushrooms, and tofu. Diners prepare the dish themselves by grilling the ingredients in the pan after pouring a few drops of sukiyaki sauce. After the ingredients are cooked thoroughly, to eat sukiyaki in its conventional way, you dip the meat or vegetable into a bowl of beaten egg.

The result is a delicious and satisfying dish that goes great with rice and will warm you from the inside out during chilly days.

It can be difficult to leave Japan after sampling such delicious and authentic food.

Read more: https://bit.ly/2S16yTE