What to Eat in Japan – 24 Foods You Must Try

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Japan is a food lovers dream! The best part about eating in Japan is that you don’t have to go to fancy restaurants to have the best food. Even their convenience stores like 7-Eleven, FamilyMart and Lawsons carry really good Japanese food for cheap. This post covers what to eat in Japan and the 24 foods you must try on your visit.

1. Sushi and Sashimi

Did you even go to Japan if you didn’t try sushi? ha! What I found so remarkable about the sushi and raw fish in general in Japan is how fresh it was. The fish simply melted in my mouth. Even the train station sushi that I had was top notch. I am not the biggest fan of seaweed, so I didn’t have sushi rolls but really enjoyed the nigiri and sashimi.

Want to learn how to make your own sushi? Check out these popular classes!

2. Onigiri

Onigiri was hands down our absolutely favorite convenient store snack and it was the perfect little snack to ward off hunger until the next meal. I tried the famous tuna mayo but my favorite was probably salmon.

3. Ramen

Ramen is high up on this what to eat in Japan list with good reason! Most ramen dishes consist of noodles, soup, some kind of meat and an egg. There are a few varieties of ramen like curry and the local specialty in Lake Kawaguchiko called hoto that is definitely worth trying. At some restaurants in major cities like Tokyo, you select the dish you want through a vending machine. Eating at a ramen restaurant is not really a social event. Most have individual booths. Oh! and the best part is that it is totally acceptable to slurp your noodles and soup.

Want to learn how to make ramen? or just want to taste a variety? Check out these tours below!

4. Noodles

Try various types of noodles like udon and soba when you are in Japan. You can have them stand alone, in ramen or in a fried dish.

5. Okonomiyaki

In a nutshell, Okonomiyaki is a savory pancake dish consisting of a batter and other ingredients cooked on a teppan. This dish is well known in the Kansai region, which includes Osaka, Kyoto, Kobe, and Hiroshima. “Okonomi” means “as you like” in Japanese and most okonomiyaki restaurants have a wide variety of different mix-ins that you can include in your pancake. Seafood like shrimp, octopus and meats like pork are generally common to include in okonomiyaki.

6. Yakisoba

Every Asian country has their version of a fried noodle dish and Japan is no exception. We truly loved the yakisoba in Japan! It was savory and packed with flavor!

7. Yakitori

Traditionally, Yakitori are grilled skewers of chicken and chicken parts. It also includes chicken meatballs which I absolutely loved! In recent times, it is not uncommon to find beef and pork in yakitori form. This is a popular thing to eat while drinking out.

8. Curry Pan

Curry pan or bread is a popular snack in Japan. You can find them at convenient stores or at food stalls. The curry flavor is different from any other curry I have had before. It’s definitely delicious and a worthy addition to this what to eat in Japan list.

9. Takoyaki

These fried balls consists of a batter filled with chopped up octopus. You can find takoyaki anywhere but they are considered an Osaka special.

10. Beef

If you love beef and steak, then you should try wagyu beef. Kobe is a variation of wagyu that is more expensive. These high-end meats do not come cheap even in Japan. If you do not want to have an entire steak, try it in a skewer at a food market.

11. Gyoza

I love gyozas and were naturally very excited to try them at the source! These Japanese dumpling are often filled with pork and did not disappoint. We found a food stall at Nishiki Market that had Michelin Guide recommended gyozas and they were so good!

12. Tempura

Another Japanese classic, tempura consists of batter fried vegetables. You could also tempura seafood, although shrimp and squid are more common to see prepared this way than other proteins.

13. Tonkatsu

Tonkatsu is a breaded and fried pork cutlet. When combined with a bowl of rice the dish is called katsudon.

14. Egg Sandwiches

Another convenient food staple. I really enjoyed egg sandwiches from 7-Elevens and FamilyMarts. The bread is unbelievably soft and pillowy.

15. Street Food

Street food and food stalls are common in Japan, especially near temples, shrines, parks and castles. The largest collection of food stalls we saw on our trip were at Asakusa. Here, we sampled all sorts of street food from rolled beef to sakura desserts. Bring cash and eat until you can’t no more!

Check out this top rated food crawl at Asakusa!

16. Food Market Food

Whether you are at Tsukiji Seafood Market in Tokyo or Nishiki Market in Kyoto, there’s always amazing eats at food markets.

Check out these highly rated food tours!

17. Karaage

Karaage is Japanese fried chicken! It is a quick snack that you can find easily at food stalls and food markets.

18. Sweet Crepes

Now let’s get to my favorite part of this what to eat in Japan list! Desserts! Starting off with crepes. Think of all the sweet sugary desserts in the world? What came to mind? ice cream? cheesecake? brownies? whipped cream? Now imagine all of that in a thin, crispy crepe. Sweet crepes in Japan come fully loaded and have so many flavors.

19. Fluffy Pancakes

These are almost like soufflés than actual pancakes. They are thick, soft and have a bit of a jiggle. You can enjoy it with cream and/or with fruits like berries.

20. Cream Puffs

A good cream puff is a little harder to come by. You do find them in convenient stores but I found the choux pastry not as good as the one I found in a bakery. My gosh! It was literally the best choux pastry I have ever had and I have had A LOT of choux pastry in my lifetime!

21. Dango

This dessert is so famous in Japan that there is even an emoji for it! Dango is a sweet dumpling made from rice flour and served on a skewer.

22. Other Desserts

Desserts made out of red bean paste and matcha are available all over Japan. Definitely try them if you see them. If you go during sakura season, you may even find sakura desserts.

23. Kit Kat

Odd one to include in this what to eat in Japan list? True, but I cannot let you go to Japan and not try their kit kat flavors. Stock up if you find orange. It’s delicious!

24. Sake

Ok, yes! Sake is not food but I could not keep it away from this what to eat in Japan list. The first thing we did when we landed in Tokyo was have a glass of yuzu sake and WOW! It was love at first sip. Sake, especially yuzu sake is definitely a must try when in Japan.

Interesting is sake tasting tours? Check out the ones below!

As you can see, Japan truly is a food lover’s dream! If you want to explore food tours while in Japan, the ones below are top rated!

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See my other posts on Japan HERE