Food & Drinks Highlights of Japan | French Dishes to Try
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Food and Drinks Highlights of Japan
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Tipping: Tipping is not customary in Japan and can be seen as rude. Service is included in the bill and highly professional.
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Eating Hours: Traditional Japanese meals times are breakfast before 8 am, lunch at noon, and dinner around 6 pm to 8 pm.
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Shopping Hours: Most shops are open from 10 am to 8 pm, including weekends. Some convenience stores are open 24/7.
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Discount Shops: For budget shopping, try 100-yen shops like Daiso or major electronics retailers like Yodobashi for good deals.
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Cuisine Type: Japanese cuisine emphasizes fresh, seasonal ingredients with dishes like sushi, sashimi, and tempura. Each region has its specialties.
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Savoir Vivre: It's customary to say 'itadakimasu' before eating and 'gochisousama' after finishing your meal as a sign of gratitude.
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Main Ingredients: Seafood, rice, soy products (like tofu and soy sauce), and vegetables are staples in the Japanese diet.
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Most Popular Alcohol: Sake (rice wine) and shochu (a distilled spirit) are traditional alcoholic beverages in Japan.
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Important Info: Slurping noodles is considered polite and signifies enjoyment of the meal. It's also usual to receive a wet towel before eating to clean your hands.
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Warning: Do not stick your chopsticks vertically into rice as this resembles a funeral rite and is considered disrespectful.
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Farmers' Markets: Local markets are a great way to explore Japanese produce, particularly in rural areas where you can find specialties not widely available elsewhere.
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Cooking Workshops: Cooking classes are popular in cities like Tokyo and Kyoto, where you can learn to make sushi, bento, or traditional sweets.
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Vineyard Visits: While less known internationally, Japan produces unique wines, particularly in regions like Yamanashi, which are worth exploring.
Foods to Try in Japan
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Sushi: Enjoy sushi at a conveyor belt restaurant or a high-end sushi bar. Freshness and simplicity are key to this iconic dish.
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Ramen: Try different regional styles of ramen, from the miso-based broths of Sapporo to the pork bone broth (tonkotsu) of Hakata.
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Bento: These lunch boxes are an art form in Japan, often containing a balanced meal of rice, fish, pickles, and vegetables in a portable format.
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Onigiri: Rice balls filled with ingredients like salmon, pickled plum, or seaweed, a common snack or quick meal.
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Yakitori: Grilled chicken skewers, a popular street food, typically seasoned with salt or tare (a sweet soy sauce).
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Matcha: This finely ground green tea is a staple in Japanese culture, often used in traditional tea ceremonies and also popular in desserts.
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Tempura: Battered and deep-fried seafood and vegetables, served hot with a dipping sauce or salt.
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Curry Rice: Introduced from India, Japanese curry is a beloved comfort dish, milder and thicker than its South Asian counterpart, often served over rice with pickled vegetables.
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Soft Serve: Japan offers unique soft serve ice cream flavors like green tea, sesame, and even wasabi.
Interesting Japanese Food Facts
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Kaiseki Cuisine: Kaiseki is a traditional multi-course Japanese dinner that emphasizes seasonal ingredients and exquisite presentation.
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Obento Culture: Bento boxes reflect the Japanese art of packing a balanced and visually appealing meal, often intricately arranged to resemble characters or scenic designs.
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Sushi Etiquette: There are specific ways to eat sushi—ideally in one bite, and it's usually preferred to dip the fish side in soy sauce rather than the rice side to avoid crumbling.
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Ramen Boom: Ramen has seen global popularity, but its regional variations within Japan are a study in flavors and styles unique to each locality.
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Sake Brewing: Sake, a traditional rice wine, is brewed using a precise and labor-intensive process, often in small, family-owned breweries that have perfected their craft over generations.
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Tea Culture: Tea is an integral part of Japanese culture, with ceremonies that are performed with grace and a focus on mindfulness, reflecting the Zen philosophy.
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