When in Japan, and if you have already made your way to Tokyo, it would be pretty dumb if you ate pizza and drank coffee at Starbucks. Of course, no one can stop you, but there are many experiences you might be missing out on, like drinking coffee with gentle kittens and sharing some raw fish with them.
When it comes to finding the best places to visit in Tokyo, you have your nightlife locations, your amazing views, and the best spots to indulge as a true hedonist with the best food Japan has to offer.
This article aims to simply reveal a tiny bit of Japanese cuisine and to help future visitors have some idea of what they can expect. Japanese culture is reflected in every bite they prepare, and being informed about their traditions and customs will gain the locals’ respect and will gladly contribute to your amazing experience.
Sushi
The first thing you should try in Tokyo, even if you might have tried it and it wasn’t your cup of tea- sushi. Raw fish served with rice in thousands of different arrangements and paired with different sauces is the most popular dish from Japan. It can be made from exotic sea urchins or shrimp.
It is said that one of the best sushi in town is served in the Kyubey Ginza Honten restaurant. According to the reviews, the fish are always fresh, and the resort is a blend of modern and traditional. Even though it will cost more to afford this experience, previous tourists are advised to book this place enough in advance since they are overbooked, especially during the season.
Ramen
Ramen noodles are a signature dish people love to eat now across the globe, especially the millennials who discovered Japanese anime as kids. Depending on the type of soup the egg noodles are cooked in, this dish comes in four variations- tonkatsu (cooked in a soup of pig bones), miso soup, soy sos, and a simple salty vegetable broth.
Japanese ramen is authentic in every part of Japan. Each part of Japan has its own set of toppings, and they are served proudly. Every ingredient is built up to another until the taste is perfectly balanced. An expert in ramen will tell you that in addition to taste, the texture of each ingredient is also important.
As we already said, there are different types of ramen. Aside from Tokyo, miso soup is very popular in Sapporo on Hokkaido. Sapporo is also known for its ramen. With the addition of sake, chicken, pork, or curly noodles… There is an endless list of tasty options.
From the perspective of popularity, noodles have a long tradition, but ramen noodles were created around a century ago, so their popularity is still on the rise.
Surprisingly enough, the best ramen services can be found in the Craft Beer Factory Shinjuku Ale, where you can choose from ramen to pizza servings and enjoy some quality beer along the way. Ramen is a warm meal and is a bit different from the lukewarm soba.
A Tip For Eating Ramen
When eating ramen or any type of noodles, use a spoon to drink the broth first. Slurping is desired since ramen has its full flavor potential only when served and consumed hot.
They say that when a bowl of ramen is served in front of you, you should:
- stir the noodles
- try the broth with a spoon
- continue eating
Underneath the Tokyo subway, there is Ramen Street, where there are ten restaurants that specialize only in ramen. So make sure to discover one for yourself.
Soba
Soba noodles are made from buckwheat. Even though they are not served as hot as ramen, soba noodles can be slurped. These long and thin noodles can even be made from a mix of buckwheat and regular flour. There are also variations, like cha-soba, that contain some tea leaves. This dish is particularly common in mountain areas where flour is cheaper.
The Oldest Noodles
Soba noodles have a very long tradition, over 700 years long. They are considered to be the Japanese ‘old gold’ tied closely to a tradition – eating these noodles right before the new year will ensure a successful coming year.
The New Year soba tradition rose in popularity when miners made lumps of the soba batter to collect small gold specks, so it developed a saying that gold would get stuck to people eating these noodles for the new year.
The Japanese are very proud of this dish, and they eat it in two versions:
- zaru soba is a cold serving with a dipping sauce
- winter soba has more variants
Masters who have perfected this craft say that soba needs to be worked with fast since the dough is not a fan of the heat, and mixing it manually already stimulates its reaction.
Soba noodles are served hot with soy sauce soup or at room temperature with a bamboo scoop. The soy sauce is often served next to the noodle serving, where the noodles are dipped into it.
Located near the Tokyo Tower, the Soba&Co. Kamiyacho offers a variety of local cuisine. Their chefs have special servings of soba noodles. Users report that the soba servings paired with some sashimi are a perfect choice for visiting Japan in the winter.
Best Street Food Options
Many people have a bit of anxiety when thinking about whether they should take a trip to Japan. However, street food offers a significant variety of fried foods that are more accustomed to the average Westerner’s taste pallet.
A potato croquette deep fried in oil and filled with minced beef is one of the most favorite and common options travelers try when visiting top locations around the city. The yakitori shrimp and takoyaki balls filled with octopus meat can be found near every landmark in the city.
Street foodies should also try sweet snacks like rice seeds. Also, try to find some local ice cream flavors, such as matcha tea, black sesame (goma in Japanese), or red beans.
Ebi-ten And Zabuton
Ebi-ten is the most famous dish that is obtained by a special type of frying. Tempura is fried in a special batter in sesame oil, and the Japanese fry various types of food in this way. Ebi-ten is shrimp fried in tempura style and served with soy sauce and salt. Zabuton is a simple dish – skewers. But, the Japanese way. They are the best at the Jomon restaurant. Maybe also because there are no classic restaurant tables, but you sit and eat at an improvised bar.
Interestingly enough, not many restaurants have this combination as part of their standard menu or signature dish.
What to Know
There are so many amazing dishes, but this list was composed just to tickle your imagination. In the end, we want to leave all of the future tourists and then plan on coming to Japan with some important culturally appropriate advice.
Don’t be creative with using chopsticks. If you know how to hold them and take the food to your mouth- stop there and don’t play with it!
Never use your set to give the food to another person, or don’t poke the food with chopsticks since in both Japan and China, this relates to some customs related to the dead. Also, don’t lick the sticks, move the food around, or use the bowl with your other hand- all of these actions are not polite in Eastern culture.
Simply take a bite-size of food and get it to your mouth. Think about what food you want to take and when. This way, you will look normal. Once finished, leave the chopsticks next to the bowl. Usually, you will have a small stand to do this.
