Food and Drink Guide to Japan: What to Eat and Drink

Why Japan is a food lover's dream

Japan treats food as craft. Whether you spend 800 yen on a bowl of ramen or splurge on a multi-course kaiseki dinner, the care is the same. Here is what to eat, drink, and how to do it like a local.

Signature dishes to try

• Sushi and sashimi — best near Tokyo's Toyosu Market or any neighbourhood sushi-ya. Conveyor-belt spots like Sushiro cost around 120 yen a plate.
• Ramen — regional styles vary: rich tonkotsu in Fukuoka, miso ramen in Sapporo, shoyu in Tokyo. A bowl runs 800 to 1,200 yen.
• Tempura — lightly battered seafood and vegetables, best at a dedicated tempura counter.
• Okonomiyaki — a savoury pancake, with Osaka and Hiroshima styles worth comparing.
• Kaiseki — seasonal multi-course dining, the pinnacle of Japanese cuisine.

Street food and casual bites

• Takoyaki — octopus balls, an Osaka icon, about 600 yen for six.
• Yakitori — grilled chicken skewers, perfect with a cold beer.
• Taiyaki — fish-shaped cakes filled with sweet red bean.
• Onigiri — rice balls from any konbini (convenience store) for around 150 yen, surprisingly excellent.

What to drink

• Sake — rice wine served hot or chilled; ask for junmai for a fuller flavour.
• Shochu — a stronger distilled spirit, often mixed with water or soda.
• Japanese beer — Asahi, Kirin, and Sapporo dominate; a draft is a nama biru.
• Green tea — matcha and sencha are everywhere, often free with meals.
• Highball — whisky and soda, the go-to izakaya drink.

Dining tips and etiquette

• Say itadakimasu before eating and gochisousama after.
• Slurping noodles is polite and shows you are enjoying them.
• Do not stick chopsticks upright in rice or pass food chopstick-to-chopstick.
• Tipping is not expected and can cause confusion.
• Many small restaurants are cash-only and use ticket vending machines at the door.
• An izakaya may add a small seating charge (otoshi) with a starter snack.

Stay connected in Japan

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