A Sampling Of The Many Awesome Foods That Can Be Found While Visiting Japan

Ramen with pork and egg

Ramen with pork and egg

This was so good, I wanted to cry!!

Takoyaki

Takoyaki

Eaten in Osaka

Candied strawberry on a cracker

Candied strawberry on a cracker

A very random piece of street food. Ate this outside of a temple in Kamakura.

Kirin peach drink

Kirin peach drink

I enjoyed this on the train on my way from the Narita airport to Tokyo

Takoyaki

Takoyaki

Had this outside of a temple. It’s like crepe batter filled with octopus bits, covered in sweet sauce and bonito flakes (dried fish).

Sushi set from tsukiji fish market (1/2)

Sushi set from tsukiji fish market (1/2)

Freshest I ever ate.

Sushi from tsukiji fish market (2/2)

Sushi from tsukiji fish market (2/2)

So delicious. I waited in line for an hour – totally worth it.

Burger and fried onions from Freshness Burger

Burger and fried onions from Freshness Burger

One of the best burgers I ever ate, bar none. I had many of these, too!

Grilled mochi balls with sweet sauce

Grilled mochi balls with sweet sauce

This is street food from Kamakura. Mochi is pounded rice.

Yakitori

Yakitori

A yakitori is a grilled chicken kebab. It’s often sold around temples and as street food.

Buttered potatoes

Buttered potatoes

These were COVERED with fresh butter and salt. The perfect comfort food after a rainy day. Eaten in Kamakura.

Pickles

Pickles

Pickle stores are very popular. And you can try them all for free! You pick a piece with the chopsticks, put it in your hand, then eat it.

Viennoiseries

Viennoiseries

There are a lot of European bakeries around town. A good way to cut spending on breakfast is to eat in your room. I did this every day, buying a few croissants or chocolatines and juice for about 500 Yens.

Pepsi NEX Zero

Pepsi NEX Zero

Is it a bottle? Is it a can?

Fanta jelly “drink”

Fanta jelly 'drink'

I was fooled by this product. FOOLED! It’s not soda… It’s jelly in a can, that you have to slurp.

C.C. Lemon

C.C. Lemon

My favorite drink.

Konbini sandwich

Konbini sandwich

A konbini is a corner store. I had MANY of these. They are always fresh and delicious. And cheap! They often come with three pieces (here it’s chicken, ham and egg).

Suntory I love veggi

Suntory I love veggi

This is basically the Japanese version of V8.

Onigiri, Fanta and chips (I Love Veggi on top of the microwave)

Onigiri, Fanta and chips (I Love Veggi on top of the microwave)

This is the first thing I ate in japan, bought from a Konbini store (corner stores like 7-11) Onigiri are pressed rice triangles with various filling, wrapped in nori. The filling is identified according to a specific copor. These make a cheap, delicious and filling lunch. You can find a chart with the color code online and print it out, it will help you understand what filling you’re picking.

Cookies

Cookies

You can get these around temples or in gift shops. They are filled with sweet red bean paste.

Supermarket sushi and strawberries

Supermarket sushi and strawberries

All big department stores have food courts/grocery downstairs. You can get your dinner there and go back to your hotel if you are not up for a night out or if you want to cut costs. I overpaid for these strawberries, but they were well worth it. The sushi was amazing and fresh, and unexpensive for the quality I got.

Fried chicken topped with salad

Fried chicken topped with salad

This was purchased at the Ghibli museum food court, as you can kind of tell by the hat motif on the paper cup!

Wasabi Cheetos

Wasabi Cheetos

Just the right amount of heat. EDIT: But in retrospect, reading some comments on Reddit, I think this is the picture of the dim sum chips? Anyway, I had both!

Jasmine tea Kit Kat

Jasmine tea Kit Kat

This was the seasonal flavor available at konbinis during my first week. Very sweet. (Thanks to Reddit’s giantnakedrei for letting me know the correct flavour)

Tempura set lunch

Tempura set lunch

This was eaten at a restaurant near the sumo arena.

Harajuku crêpe

Harajuku crêpe

Very popular with shoppers and schoolgirls looking for a snack before heading home. This one is filled with cheesecake, caramel sauce, banana and whipped cream. They cost about 5 bucks and are HUGE.

Sake in my hotel room

Sake in my hotel room

Onion soup

Onion soup

From a “European style” restaurant I tried near Yokohama.

Shrimp gratin

Shrimp gratin

From a “European style” restaurant I tried near Yokohama.

Ice cream

Ice cream

From a “European style” restaurant I tried near Yokohama.

Can of C.C. lemon

Can of C.C. lemon

In Little Edo

Pork Gyoza

Pork Gyoza

Cheap, hot and delicious!

Fried pork sandwich

Fried pork sandwich

On of the cheap kombini sandwiches I loved so much

Harajuku crêpe

Harajuku crêpe

Blueberry sauce, cheesecake, whipped cream.

Harajuku crêpe

Harajuku crêpe

Cheesecake, whipped cream, sweet crisp, chocolate sauce.

Kaiten sushi

Kaiten sushi

This is the kind of sushi that comes to you on a conveyor belt. They count the plates you picked at the end and give you the bill.

Vegetable tempura

Vegetable tempura

Part of the fugu dinner set menu I had in Osaka.

Fugu stew

Fugu stew

Part of the fugu dinner set menu I had in Osaka.

Fugu stew

Fugu stew

Part of the fugu dinner set menu I had in Osaka.

No idea what this was.

No idea what this was.

Part of the blow fish dinner set menu I had in Osaka. This was like a creamy, tofu-esque porridge. Very, very good. EDIT Someone on Reddit told me this is chawanmushi which is a savory egg custard dish. (Thanks, JadedOne!)

The best melon I ever ate

The best melon I ever ate

Part of the fugu dinner set menu I had in Osaka.

Aburaage (tofu pouch) filled with shrimp and veggies

Aburaage (tofu pouch) filled with shrimp and veggies

Delicate and elegant. Part of the fugu dinner set menu I had in Osaka.

Fugu sashimi

Fugu sashimi

Part of the fugu dinner set menu I had in Osaka.

Delicate shrimp

Delicate shrimp

Part of a kaiseki set lunch I had in Nara. Kaiseki is often expensive, so it’s a good idea to have it for lunch instead of dinner.

tempura set lunch

tempura set lunch

Eaten in Nara

Goma tofu

Goma tofu

This is one of the best thing I ate while in Japan. It looks like tofu, but it’s actually a savory sesame paste.

Kaiten sushi – toro

Kaiten sushi - toro

Conveyor belt, pay-per-plate sushi

Crab sushi

Crab sushi

Conveyor belt, pay-per-plate sushi

Green tea

Green tea

At the conveyor belt, pay-per-plate sushi You get your own personal hot water faucet at your seat.

Kaiten sushi

Kaiten sushi

Conveyor belt, pay-per-plate sushi

Corn sushi

Corn sushi

Conveyor belt, pay-per-plate sushi

Bento box

Bento box

Bought on the train back from Osaka to Tokyo

Grilled crab

Grilled crab

Eaten at that place with the giant moving crab sign – Osaka

Beef sushi

Beef sushi

Conveyor belt, pay-per-plate sushi

Crab sushi

Crab sushi

Conveyor belt, pay-per-plate sushi

Tonkatsu set lunch

Tonkatsu set lunch

You can have this kind of meal (including all-you-can-eat white rice) for about 8$.

“milk and green tea” ice cream

'milk and green tea' ice cream

In Kyoto

Bento box

Bento box

On the shinkasen train ride from Kyoto to Tokyo

Yatsuhashi (AKA Kyoto crêpes in tourist stores)

Yatsuhashi (AKA Kyoto crêpes in tourist stores)

Thanks to Reddit’s msluxuryyacht for telling me what these are called!

Mitsuya cider

Mitsuya cider

Pork gyoza

Pork gyoza

Fried surimi ball

Fried surimi ball

Apple vinegar Kit Kat

Apple vinegar Kit Kat

Another seasonal chocolate bar.

Cookies

Cookies

EDIT I was just informed that these are Dorayaki (Thanks to Reddit’s Cidlicious!)

Cookie with sweet, unidentified filling

Cookie with sweet, unidentified filling

EDIT I was just informed that these are Dorayaki (Thanks to Reddit’s Cidlicious!)

Crunchy, salty wheels

Crunchy, salty wheels

Butter-flavor Pringles and Coca-Cola

Butter-flavor Pringles and Coca-Cola

Eaten on the train back to the airpot.

Print Friendly
Written By
More from Dave B

Delicious Salmon in The Oyama Turbo Oven

  Delicious Salmon in The Oyama Turbo Oven Click video above to...
Read More

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *