Popular Japanese Food List to Try

　　Japan is widely known for its rich culture. They have become especially influential to many people all over the world. Not only are they very famous for their animated films and shows, people also flock to their very own local Japanese restaurants to satisfy their cravings for any Japanese food whether it’d be Ramen or any other staple Japanese dish.

　　A first-hand Japanese culinary experience is quite different when you actually sit back and take in everything in an authentic Japanese restaurant.

　　Let’s take a virtual trip down to the best food places in Japan where you can unwind and dine with the mouth-watering cuisine that they are popularly known for.

Most famous foods in Japan

1. Sushi

　　The most common dish that people highly regard Japan is sushi. Sushi is a Japanese rice seasoned with rice vinegar. Historically, this delicacy was said to be one of the dishes that got exported to the US just right after 1868 during the Meiji Restoration.

One of the restaurants that you could check that caters sushi is Kazahana.

2. Teppanyaki

　　Teppanyaki refers to the way how the food is cooked. The chef uses an iron griddle to cook. The word teppanyaki is derived from teppan which is the metal plate on which it is cooked, and yaki which means grilled, broiled, or pan-fried. And while you’re having a good time with your friends, the chef cooks live right in front of you.

If you’re feeling a little fancy, you can go and head over to Minami Teppanyaki Restaurant.

3. Ramen

　　Ramen is a noodle soup dish that is made out of wheat noodles, a broth, which is typically prepared with soy sauce, salt, miso, and tonkotsu pork bone, four of which the main basic ingredients, and toppings of meat, protein, and/or vegetables such as sliced pork, nori seaweed, spring onions, bamboo shoots, and other spices, wherever your creativity takes you.

　　Ramen is one of present-day Japan’s absolute favourite delicacies, costing very little and being widely available in restaurants and ramen bars which are on almost every street corner.

　　Travel to Sugamo to visit Tsuta Japanese Soba Noodles which is proven to be the best ramen house in Tokyo.

4. Tempura

　　Nothing can beat the satisfying feeling you get from the crunch of fried food. One of the most well-known friend dishes in Japan is Tempura. These munchies are pieces or slices of meat, fish, and/or vegetables that have been covered in a special tempura batter. They are deep fried to achieve that crunchy texture and golden colour.

　　Unlike in the UK, where battered foods tend to be made from meats and fish, tempura tend to be made from either small shellfish like prawns, or vegetables like green beans, pumpkin, daikon mooli radish, and sweet potato.

　　One restaurant you can freely go to for this crunchilicious finger food is GENJIKOH.

5. Gyoza

　　Gyoza are savoury moon-shaped dumplings made from a minced mixture of savoury fillings which usually are minced pork, cabbage, green onion, and mushrooms. Aside from these ingredients, other fillings can be incorporated as well. When making it, you can’t forget the most important piece: the circular gyoza wrapper. Gyoza dumplings are normally cooked by frying on one side, a process that gives the gyoza that crisp and savoury bottom, and then steaming for 2-3 minutes so that the rest of the wrapper is smooth and silky, and the filling inside is moist and juicy. You then have to pleat it around the edges to achieve that iconic half-moon shape.

For the most famous restaurant that serves finger-licking gyozas, head on over to GYOZA IT.

6. Takoyaki

　　Tokayaki is a ball-shaped dumpling delicacy filled with a savoury batter mixture and a bite-sized piece of tako octopus meat, which is typically inserted into the middle. They are also regarded as the 'octopus balls' or 'octopus dumplings'. This delicacy is cooked using a special hot plate with rows of half-spherical moulds. The takoyaki are turned with a pick or skewer every minute or so to ensure an evenly-cooked outside. Takoyaki are typically served in lots of six, eight or ten, brushed with a sweet or savoury takoyaki sauce and topped with mayonnaise, aonori seaweed, and the very intriguing life-like katsuobushi bonito fish flakes.

　　For a more budget-friendly shop where you can quench your hunger for well-cooked takoyakis, just look around Tokyo.

7. Yakisoba