Are you wondering what food in Japan you should really try?
Japan is definitely high on my list of “most unique countries I have ever visited”.
From the insanely crowded and world-famous Shibuya crossing in Tokyo to young girls walking around the city dressed up as anime characters, vending machines selling the weirdest things you have ever seen and a rich & long history… Japan is intense and unique!
But, for many travelers food is also a primary reason to visit this country. Japanese cuisine is extremely varied and there are dozens of food-related reasons to visit Japan.
So in this article I want to focus on the food in Japan. From some of the best food to try in Japan to unique food-related experiences…
Food to Try in Japan – 10 Experiences Not to Miss
1. Conveyor Belt Sushi
Conveyor belt sushi, or kaiten sushi, is exactly as its name implies. Sushi is prepared and then it travels around on a conveyor belt.
You take the items you want to eat off the belt and once you are finished they count up the plates to determine how much you have to pay. Plates will have a different design or color to show different prices.
It’s often not the best sushi but I love that this way you can see what food you can choose from instead of having to figure out what is what from a menu.
It also tends to be very affordable and you can take as much or as little as you want.
If you ask me what to eat in Japan, conveyor belt sushi is definitely the first thing I’d recommend!
Tip: if you love Japanese food, try a cooking class in Japan! airKitchen offers a very wide range of cooking classes in different parts of Japan.
2. Order Your Meal from a Ticket Machine
Japan is filled with all sorts of vending machines, but even ordering your food at a restaurant can involve one!
Many casual restaurants, especially ramen shops, have a ticket machine at the entrance where you place your order before sitting down.
You insert your money, select your meal by pressing a button (thankfully, most machines have pictures of the food!), and receive a ticket. You then hand this ticket to the staff, who prepare your food fresh in the kitchen.
It might feel confusing at first, but it’s actually an efficient system that helps speed up service. Plus, it removes the need to communicate your order verbally—great if you don’t speak Japanese!
The food is just as good as in any “normal” restaurant, and the whole process is a fun and unique experience in Japan.
3. Try Some of the Best Green Tea in the World
Tea is an extremely common beverage that can be found all across Japan.
It’s served hot with meals, enjoyed at traditional teahouses, and even sold cold in vending machines and convenience stores.
Japanese green tea comes in many varieties, but one of the most prized is Gyokuro. Often referred to as the “fine wine of Japanese green tea,” Gyokuro has a unique umami flavor due to its special cultivation process—tea leaves are shaded from sunlight for weeks before harvest, which enhances their sweetness and depth of flavor.
Matcha, another famous Japanese green tea, is made from powdered, shade-grown tea leaves and is a key part of the traditional Japanese tea ceremony.
If you’re a tea lover, visiting a tea house or participating in a tea ceremony is an experience you shouldn’t miss!
4. Grill Your Own Meat at a Yakiniku Restaurant
Much like Korean barbeque, Yakiniku involves grilling meats on a portable tabletop grill or a device that is built into the table itself.
You typically order several plates of meats and vegetables, coat them with a glaze of your choice, then grill them quickly over a hot fire. The ingredients are then dipped in a sauce of your choice before you eat them.
Yakiniku are normally served with rice or noodle side dishes, and they’re often eaten alongside a nice cold Japanese beer at a lively bar-like establishment.
5. Buy Food from a Japanese Konbini and Be Amazed at Its Quality
Short for the term convenience food, konbini food is a Japanese take on fast and healthy meals that can be bought from a local store.
In the West, convenience stores rarely sell good food. It’s usually a mix of fast food, microwave meals, and TV dinners. In Japan, there are many more choices available at your local convenience store, and much of them are made fresh in-store or delivered during the early hours of the day.
Japan is known to many as the land of convenience, and it’s easy to see why when you take your first step into a konbini store.
There are delicious meat dumplings filled with pork and vegetables, dozens of ice cream flavors, onigiri rice balls, and even fried chicken. Along with a fantastic selection of fresh fruits, vegetables, and drinks, you could live off buying food in Japan from a convenience store.
6. Try Some Exceptional Sushi as Recommended by the Chef
If you are going to have sushi in Japan and you really want to do it right, then make dinner reservations at one of the fine dining restaurants famous for their “omakase”.
Omakase is a Japanese phrase that means “I’ll leave it up to you”. In other words, you’re placing your dinner experience in the hands of an experienced sushi chef who will treat you to top-quality food and incredible service.
The course is planned in a way that each bite compliments the next, creating a delightful dining experience that will not be forgotten.
But, although you can state some preferences, to truly enjoy this experience and the best food in Japan, you have to be prepared to eat things that you may never have wanted to try!
7. Get up Early to Visit a Fish Market
Japan is home to many fish markets, but Tokyo’s Tsukiji Fish Market was definitely the most famous one.
For seafood lovers, a trip to Tokyo wasn’t complete without a very early start one morning to catch the 5:30-6am world-famous Tsukiji Fish Market auction.
Unfortunately, all good things come to an end…
The Tsukiji Fish Market closed its doors in October 2018. But, not to disappear completely. It has relocated to Toyosu, near Shijomae Station.
Admission to Toyosu Fish Market is free, and you can watch auctions from dedicated viewing platforms.
The experience at Toyosu Fish Market is very different from what it was at the Tsukiji Fish Market. What was a lively, chaotic but also authentic local fish market experience is now a more organized, sterile set-up that limits which parts you can visit as a tourist.
It was customary for visitors at the Tsukiji Fish Market to, after the auction, rush to get in line at the sushi shops near the market boasting fresh sushi breakfast sets. Thankfully Toyosu Fish Markets also offers several restaurants, many of which are the same ones as the famous ones at Tsukiji.
Fun fact: the Toyosu fish market is almost twice the size of the old Tsukiji fish market, which means the market retains its status as the biggest fish market in the world.
8. Have a Meal, or a Coffee, at a Themed Cafe
This is definitely one of the weirdest restaurant experiences I have ever had.
Japan has an incredible range of themed restaurants throughout the country. From maid cafes to a robot restaurant, prison-themed cafes, or dining inside an Alice in Wonderland restaurant… You can find a themed restaurant for nearly every interest!
I chose to go to a maid cafe in Tokyo. Here, young Japanese women dress up in “sexy” maid costumes and serve mainly Japanese males coffees & other drinks with cute decorations plus a selection of food with even cuter designs (think Hello Kitty on your pancake or a rice dish made to look like a sleeping teddy bear).
Our waitress introduced herself as “meow meow” (no joke!) and shortly after serving our drinks went to perform a dance on stage similar to what your adorable 9-year-old niece might do.
All in all, it was a weird experience. It did make me wonder what these girls, acting like young, innocent teens while wearing overly sexy outfits actually think of this. But it is definitely a unique experience and a common thing in Japan.
9. Okonomiyaki – The DIY Japanese Savory Pancake Experience
If you’re looking for a must-try food in Japan that’s as fun to cook as it is to eat, Okonomiyaki should be on your list.
This savory pancake is made from a batter of flour, eggs, shredded cabbage, and various toppings like pork, seafood, or cheese. It’s grilled on a hotplate and topped with a special okonomiyaki sauce, mayonnaise, seaweed flakes, and bonito flakes that “dance” from the heat.
One of the best places to experience okonomiyaki is Hiroshima or Osaka, where the dish is most famous.
In Osaka, visit a lively okonomiyaki restaurant like Okonomiyaki Mizuno in Dotonbori, where chefs prepare it right in front of you.
For a more interactive experience, try a DIY okonomiyaki restaurant like Okonomimura in Hiroshima, where you can cook your own on a built-in table grill. This hands-on dining experience makes it one of the best food experiences in Japan for travelers.
10. Takoyaki – The Ultimate Japanese Street Food
Another iconic Japanese food to try is Takoyaki, a popular street food snack from Osaka.
These crispy, golden-brown balls are made of a wheat-based batter filled with diced octopus, tempura scraps, and green onions, then cooked in special molded pans to form their signature round shape. They’re topped with a savory-sweet takoyaki sauce, Japanese mayo, and bonito flakes.
For the best takoyaki experience, head to Dotonbori in Osaka, where you’ll find countless street stalls and small shops specializing in this dish. Creo-Ru and Kukuru are among the most famous, often drawing long lines.
For a more unique experience, some places let you cook your own takoyaki, making it a fun and interactive experience!
Final Thoughts About Food in Japan
I hope this article has given you an idea of what food experiences to try in Japan. And that you’ll enjoy the country as much as I did!
Tip: Try a cooking class in Japan! airKitchen offers a very wide range of cooking classes in different parts of Japan.
Or, if you’re not in Japan (yet) and want to try some unique Japanese food, check out TokyoTreat.com. They offer these unique snack boxes filled with a wide and changing range of Japanese snacks. I recently received my first box and loved trying all the different snacks while learning a bit more about the Japanese food culture!
And if you love cooking food from all over the world check out these Street Food Recipes.
Also Read:
- 40 Fun Facts About Japan
- Rural Japan: Where to Go to Enjoy the Japanese Countryside
- Things to Know About Living in Japan
- Things to Do in Tokyo
- Wellness Travel in Japan: Onsen, Meditation, Retreats & More
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Sanne, awesome article. After 21+ years living in Tokyo, I’d agree with most of these picks.
Something is missing though. The izakaya. An izakaya is an informal Japanese pub, and they have some of the best food you’ll find in Japan too.
Haven’t really tried many of the things above but looks interesting to a foodie like me.
The roast-it-yourself meat, omg! This one surprised me!
I love food guides to places. I tink that food is the most important feature in a foreign culture 😀
Thanks for sharing this! I’m a big fan of Japanese food and reading this article makes me wanna jump on the next flight to Japan right now! Japanese food is not only famous for its taste but also for its presentation. Decorating the dishes is also quite important to the Japanese 🙂
Though i am a vegetarian, i never had any issues with trying variety of foods in Japan! It is a food paradise for sure 🙂
Japan is my favourite country in Asia and their food is just amazing! I had the best of time eating around Kyoto, Osaka and Hokkaido. Need to check out Tokyo next!
Japan is really a foodies heaven. All kinds of amazing fresh foods, ramen, curry, Japanese Western fusion is also so good. I love the convenience shops as well.