Unpacking Japan’s Food Scene
Let me first say: I am not a professional food blogger or restaurant reviewer (although I’m sure I would love that gig!). But I am a self-proclaimed “foodie” and restaurant aficionado. If you know me, you know the ritual of dining out — whether with friends or solo — is one of my favorite pastimes. And when I travel, one of the first things I do is restaurant research: Where do I want to eat? Are there cuisines, ingredients, or dishes unique to the region? Where do the locals go? And how can I get the most authentic dining experience?
I think dining out and restaurant culture say a lot about a place. The collection of dining establishments in any given village, town, or city offers a glimpse into its inhabitants — their tastes, their approach to hospitality, the art of food as told through a specific lens, and the community’s desire to create shared experiences. And I love restaurants. Their ambiance created through thoughtful design, the smell of the kitchen wafting into the dining room, the theatrical dance of the bar and waitstaff, the art of quality service from passionate staff, food that tells a story, the soundtrack of curated background music mingling with dozens of conversations… it all combines into one sensory experience meant to be savored and shared. When done well, it’s revelatory. Life-altering, even.
Of course, large, multicultural cities benefit from dedicated global tourism and diverse palates, giving them the potential to earn the title of “foodie destination” within travel circles. But even the humblest of villages can house a Michelin-starred gem. Take Bray, England, for example — this tiny village of less than 10,000 inhabitants is home to Heston Blumenthal’s three-Michelin-starred restaurant, The Fat Duck. (Pro tip: If you want exceptional food without the three-star price tag, check out his pub around the corner, The Hind’s Head.)
That said, the destination in the spotlight — and one of the countries whose food I’m most in love with — is Japan. So let’s unpack the country’s food scene a bit.
Let’s get one thing straight: If you think Japanese cuisine is primarily sushi, ramen, teppanyaki, and the occasional indulgence in Kobe wagyu beef, you couldn’t be more wrong. Japan is the country with the second-highest number of Michelin-starred restaurants in the world. This nation obsessed with detail, craftsmanship, and culinary perfection — the same one that introduced the concept of umami to the West’s flavor vocabulary — is a paradise for food lovers; a smorgasbord of flavors, ingredients, and genres of cuisine.
Beyond the dishes most westerners recognize, there are uniquely Japanese dining experiences like shabu-shabu, the onomatopoeic hot pot dish where you swish raw meat through broth (“swish-swish”) until it’s cooked. Other nabemono (hot pot) options include motsunabe, a stew of animal intestines, organs, and cartilage. There’s also yakiniku (“yaki" = grilled, “niku" = meat), where guests cook their own meats and veggies on a tabletop grill. You’ll find yakitori-ya (grilled chicken skewers), izakaya (Japanese-style pubs), soba-ya and udon-ya (noodle restaurants with seasonal hot or cold variations), donburi rice bowl spots, and the refined, seasonal art of kaiseki—a traditional multi-course meal rooted in Japanese fine dining.
And then there’s okonomiyaki, takoyaki, tempura, onigiri, and karaage. Each region may have its own variation on these or a completely unique specialty — Kyoto, for instance, is famous for its traditional sweets.
Now let’s talk seasonality. On top of having incredible offerings year-round, the Japanese really know how to celebrate nature’s bounty throughout the year. Think sakura-flavored lattes and soft serve in spring; strawberry Kit-Kats, candies, and mochi in early summer; and roasted sweet potato offerings in the fall.
Two other iconic Japanese food destinations worth mentioning:
7-Eleven in Japan is probably my favorite convenience store, but each one has their own specialties.
“Konbinis” (convenience stores) like Family Mart, Lawson, and 7-Eleven. Known for affordable, tasty treats, they offer a range of fresh, ready-to-eat meals. Everyone raves about 7-Eleven’s egg salad sandwich, but don’t overlook the onigiri — rice triangles wrapped in seaweed with delicious fillings like salmon, tuna mayonnaise, kombu, or umeboshi.
“Depāto” (department stores) like Daimaru, Hankyu, and Takashimaya. The produce sections look surreal: hand-pollinated apples, gift-wrapped grape bunches — each the size of golf balls, even $100+ watermelons. If you spot a peach under $10, splurge — it will be the juiciest, quintessentially “peachy” peach you will ever eat. You’ll never forget it.
And if you’re in the country long enough to have your fill of Japanese food, or you simply want a change of pace, you’ll find excellent Korean, Chinese, Thai, French, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish tapas, American diner food, and the occasional Mexican restaurant too.
Have I overwhelmed you yet?
Good. That’s kind of the point.
The sheer volume and variety of food in Japan — across regions, formats, seasons, and cultural mashups — can feel dizzying. But it’s also what makes this country such an incredible destination for food lovers. Whether you, like me, are a self-proclaimed foodie ready to try anything and everything you possibly can while in Japan, or food is simply something to be mildly enjoyed at mealtimes — fuel for the system, as it were — there’s more than enough here to satisfy any palate.
But where to start?
A Rite of Passage
Just landed in Japan? Craving a quick and easy bite? Begin with a rite of passage, the “konbini”.
Do a quick map search for “7-Eleven,” “Family Mart,” or “Lawson”, Japan’s most ubiquitous convenience stores. Head to the nearest one and step inside. You’ll be greeted by a cheerful jingle and shelves filled with bento boxes, snacks, drinks, and more. Skip the familiar items (like spaghetti or a sushi roll) and experiment with something new: melon-pan, onigiri (the tuna mayo is one of my favorites), or even packaged deep-fried squid. Feeling thirsty? Try one of these:
Pocari Sweat or Aquarius for hydration
Cold jasmine or oolong tea to aid digestion
Chu-hai, Japan’s favorite canned cocktail — white peach and grapefruit are my go-tos
(And yes, it’s legal and socially acceptable to drink in public in Japan. Just don’t eat while walking or on the train as it’s considered rude.
Restaurants – What to Look For
A Japanese restaurant displaying both Noren and Chōchin
Now that you’ve satiated your appetite and hopefully had some time to get your bearings, it’s time to get serious about our next meals. Whether you’ve pre-identified some contenders or have decided to explore and wing it, here’s what to watch out for as you make your way through your destination:
Noren – These split curtains hanging outside an establishment across its entrance means it is a restaurant, and the restaurant is open.
Chōchin – These red paper lanterns typically hang outside of restaurants and bear the restaurant’s name or cuisine type.
Plastic or wax food replicas – A lot of restaurants advertise their menus with very accurate, realistic replicas of each dish, painstakingly crafted out of wax or plastic. This is particularly helpful to foreign visitors — if you can’t read the menu or don’t know what you want, you can even walk outside and point to the dish that caught your eye.
And of course, Google Maps and Apple Maps are fantastic resources for accurate hours, translated menus, and reviews. I do recommend doing some research before your trip, but if you’re tight on time, all it takes is a quick search of your area and I’m sure something will catch your eye.
To Reserve or Not to Reserve?
Like elsewhere in the world, some restaurants accept walk-ins; others — especially fine dining establishments — may require reservations. A quick online check will typically clarify. If you don’t speak Japanese, try Google Translate to make a reservation or ask your hotel concierge for help.
Another fabulous resource I just discovered is Tabelog — Japan’s number one restaurant listing and reservation site. Tokyo alone has over 136,000 restaurants listed.
The Dining Experience – What to Expect
While many Japanese restaurants offer Western-style seating at tables or counters, you may encounter zashiki seating — floor cushions or sunken areas on tatami mats which require guests to remove their shoes. You’ll need to remove your shoes, so plan ahead (and wear your cutest socks).
After you're seated, you’ll usually receive complimentary water or tea and an oshibori (wet towel) — warm in winter, cool in summer. When it comes to water, some places have self-serve stations, so if your waiter doesn’t bring any, take a quick look around the restaurant.
If you're at an izakaya or casual eatery with small plates, the expectation is to share amongst the table. If you're dining somewhere more formal, you may order individually.
Ready to order? Great!… but no one has been by to check on us?
Right. That’s because, in Japan, your server is going to leave you alone until they are called! Look around your table. Is there a little button device? If so, press it! If not, just call out “Sumimasen” (excuse me) and a member of the waitstaff will be right over to take your order.
If you aren’t confident in Japanese, pointing to the menu and holding up your fingers will indicate which dish and how many (you’ll likely want more than 1 skewer of negimaki or yakitori). If you want to try ordering in Japanese, use this structure:
[Dish] wo [Number] kudasai.
(e.g., Negimaki wo mitsu kudasai = “Three negimaki, please.”)
If you learned to count in Japanese before you came, you may notice I didn’t say “san” for “three”. That’s because there’s a different counting system typically used for ordering at restaurants:
1 - hitotsu
2 - futatsu
3 - mittsu
4 - yottsu
5 - itsutsu
6 - muttsu
7 - nanatsu
8 - yattsu
9 - kokonotsu
10 - tō
What I love about izakayas and casual eateries is that because the dishes are so small and shareable, it’s easy to try a lot of things. So if you’re hungry, why not order a little of everything to try. One note of caution, though: As said in a previous post, just because a restaurant serves dishes like tori sashimi (raw or lightly seared chicken), does not mean it’s safe for you or your untrained western stomach. Even the Japanese sometimes get sick when eating these dishes — it just happens to be a cultural norm for them. The last thing you want is a surprise trip to the hospital in a foreign country (trust me, from personal experience). Unless it’s fish you’re eating raw, I recommend making sure the meat you are ordering is cooked.
Wrapping Up & Paying
Depending on the restaurant, the waiter will either keep a tab on what you order and present it when asked (as you might decide you wish to keep ordering), or bring the bill and place it face down at the table once you’ve placed your order. Don’t worry, they aren’t trying to rush you. They’re just bringing it out of convenience.
If they didn’t bring it and you’re ready to pay, call your waiter and say: “O-kaikei kudasai” (Check, please). Then:
Bring the bill to the cashier to pay—transactions aren’t done at the table.
Many places accept cards, but some don’t. “Cash is king” in Japan, so make sure you always have plenty on hand.
And one last thing—don’t tip. Tipping isn’t part of the culture, and staff are paid a livable wage. If you leave money behind, someone will likely chase you down to return it as they will assume it was left mistakenly.
Well, there you have it — the basics, anyway. As you begin exploring and unpacking this incredible country for yourself, I encourage you to be curious and adventurous with your food choices. There’s so much to try, and this country does food so well. I promise you’ll be rewarded with a full heart and full stomach.
Coming Up Next — I’m unpacking my year in Japan. My experience, how it shaped me as a person, a traveler, and a gay man.
