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Sushi platter by chidorian from Japan from

10 Delicious Japanese Dishes You Have to Try When Japan

Naturally, you’ll want to try Japanese food if you visit Japan. There are many different cuisines and regional specialities to try, but if we were to choose 10 classic meals that we heartily endorse, they would be those listed below.

1. Sushi

Sushi by Tim Reckmann from

One of the most popular Japanese dishes in the world is sushi from the entertaining kaiten-zushi (conveyor belt sushi), where customers can enjoy sushi for a fair price of about 100 yen per plate, to the high-end, long-standing, traditional Edomae sushi (Edo-style sushi), where you will sit at a quiet counter to eat while the sushi is prepared right in front of your eyes.

Typically, “sushi” refers to a meal of pressed vinegared rice with a neta, or piece of raw fish or shellfish, on top. Wasabi is typically eaten with sushi together with soy sauce, although individuals who don’t like it much might request “sabi-nuki” (meaning “without wasabi”).

Chopsticks or your hands can be used to consume sushi. There is one item, though, with which you should use caution. Turn the sushi over and drizzle the soy sauce on the neta rather than the rice while dipping it in the sauce. This guard against the rice soaking up too much soy sauce and obliterating the “neta’s” unique flavour.

2. Sashimi

Sashimi combo by pelican from

Another dish you must try is sashimi. Sashimi is raw fish that has been cut into bite-sized pieces and is similar to sushi but without rice. Whether you are in Tokyo, Kyoto, or anyplace else in Japan, the exceptional calibre of the fish collected there makes it a fantastic pick.

Sashimi comes in hundreds of different kinds, much like sushi. Maguro and other tuna variations, salmon, mackerel, and sea bream are some of the most prevalent and well-liked kinds. Salmon roe, clams, uni, and sea urchin are more options. Order a selection of fish and seafood to discover what you enjoy the most.

3. Unagi – Grilled Eel

Unagi Ogakiku by Wei-Te Wong

Eels, also known as unagi, are fish that are typically found in rivers. It is a speciality of high-end Japanese cuisine in Japan. Additionally, there are many fast food establishments that provide unagi meals. You may order kabayaki at unagi restaurants, which involves skewering the unagi and grilling it with a sauce made of soy sauce, mirin, sugar, and sake. These places also serve unadon, which is kabayaki served over white rice.

Another traditional meal you must try is hitsumabushi, a delicacy of Nagoya. Its unexpected appearance—cut-up kabayaki on top of white rice—may startle people, but it may be eaten in a variety of ways, including with toppings like green onion and wasabi or as ochazuke by drizzling warm green tea or broth over it. Due to its protein content and favourable digestive properties, unagi is also adored as a healthy snack to prevent summer heat exhaustion.

4. Tempura

TEMPURA by WikiTaro from

A meal known as tempura consists of seafood, pork, and vegetable pieces that are battered and fried in hot oil. Typically, flour and eggs are used in the batter. Before eating, tentsuyu, a unique sauce, is typically dipped into tempura.

Tentsuyu is a sauce created from simmered mixtures of mirin, soy sauce, and broth produced from dried bonito or kombu. For a more energizing flavour, you might add ginger or shredded radish to your preference.

5. Soba (Buckwheat Noodles) and Udon (Wheat Noodles)

Spicy chicken misoyaki by Studio Sarah Lou from

Buckwheat flour, water, and flour are thinly distributed and cut into noodles with widths of 1 to 2 cm to make soba, a type of noodle dish. The noodles are eaten either dipped in cold soup or with hot soup poured over them after they have been boiled in hot water.

The soba broth (tsuyu), which is commonly produced from dried bonito broth or kombu broth and is seasoned with soy sauce and mirin, is essential for enjoying wonderful soba. Since soba may be eaten either hot or cold, it is a year-round favourite.

The distinctive meal known as udon is a staple of Japanese cuisine and is distinguished by its thick noodles. The dough is prepared by thoroughly kneading flour and salt water before being cut into noodles. After being cooked in hot water, udon noodles are either dipped into seafood broth soup or served with soup and tempura as toppings. You may have udon hot or cold, similar to soba. Udon can be eaten in a variety of ways.

6. Onigiri – Rice Balls

Onigiri by Ocdp from

The rice balls known as onigiri may be familiar to you. Although onigiri, also known as omusubi, appear to be nothing more than simply rice, they frequently include a savoury filling and are covered in a salty film of nori seaweed. Families prepare them as bento lunches, and you frequently see them being sold in supermarkets and convenience stores. This is a traditional option for a small snack or lunch.

There are restaurants that provide onigiri that you can enjoy during a sit-down dinner, produced by hand by chefs with high-quality ingredients, even if you can make onigiri yourself and buy it for a low price. For its superb rice balls, Onigiri Asakusa Yadoroku in Tokyo is one restaurant that has been awarded a Michelin star.

7. Yakitori – Grilled Chicken Skewers

Yakitori by Ocdp from

Chicken is commonly sliced into small pieces for yakitori, which is then grilled on bamboo skewers. It is frequently included on izakaya and casual restaurant menus, making it an excellent choice for a night out with friends in Japan.

It tastes particularly good when combined with alcohol. Additionally, there is a considerable probability that food stands serving this traditional meal will be present if you attend a Japanese event.

In restaurants, yakitori is ordered by the type of chicken it is made from. Other varieties of meat and veggies can also be found on skewers. Take the initial taste without adding any more condiments since it is often lightly seasoned with salt when it arrives. Right off the skewer, you can eat.

8. Sukiyaki

Sukiyaki by ajari from

In Japan, sukiyaki is often eaten in the fall and winter and is prepared in a shallow iron pan. In Japan, it gained popularity in the late 19th century. When you’re in the mood for something meaty, you should try this meal, which is prepared both at home and on the menus of restaurants.

Sukiyaki is prepared using a variety of ingredients, including tofu, tomatoes, green onions, mushrooms, and thin slices of beef. The items are grilled in the pan by the diner after adding a few drops of sukiyaki sauce. To consume sukiyaki in the traditional method, you dip the meat or vegetable into a dish of a beaten egg after the contents have been cooked fully.

The end product is a filling and tasty dish that pairs well with rice and will keep you warm on chilly days.

9. Oden – Simmered Ingredients

Oden by pelican from

Oden is a stewed meal made with a variety of ingredients and broth. The components should taste savoury and salty and should enhance the flavour of the dashi, which is often made of a combination of fish and kelp. Oden has been consumed for a very long time in Japan, and it is believed that the dish was created for the first time during the Muromachi era (1336–1573).

Oden frequently contains tofu, fish, and mild-flavoured veggies. The thick root vegetable daikon radish is available in most stores that sell oden. Another well-liked option is ganmodoki, a filling concoction of tofu and veggies shaped into a circle.

10. Miso Soup

Miso Soup by Ocdp from

Miso soup is another well-known Japanese dish that is well-known for both its deliciousness and health advantages. Typically, this soup is consumed with additional sides and main courses. Miso soup is frequently included in a traditional Japanese diet.

Making miso soup is as easy as adding the fermented miso base to Japanese dashi, which has a delicious taste with depth (conventionally mixture of bonito and kelp). Miso soup comes in countless regional variations, ranging from straightforward soups with simply seaweed and tofu to those containing crab and a wide range of veggies.

What do you think of the choice we made? When visiting Japan, try these delicacies as soon as you can. We advise you to sample these traditional meals at specialist stores as Japanese restaurants sometimes concentrate on just one type of cuisine.