5 foods you must try in Japan (no cliches!)

There are already so many lists out there that all recommend the usual suspects when it comes to foods you must try in Japan: sushi, ramen, okonimiyaki, soba, yakitori, onigiri, you probably know them all. So how about 5 foods that you must try while in Japan? They are not necessarily traditional Japanese foods, but either inspired by foreign cuisine or straight-up foreign cuisine but loved by the Japanese locals. Dishes you also wouldn’t easily find at home. Meals that make for a nice bit of variation on your holiday in Japan, as you may want to switch things up a bit between all the tasty Japanese meals you will undoubtedly have. Check out these 5 culinary surprises in Tokyo Japan, plus some great places to enjoy them!

Yoshoku teishoku

Yoshoku (洋食) can literally be translated as ‘western food’. Not surprisingly, this type of cuisine originated in the Meiji Period when Japan opened itself up to foreign influences after centuries of near-isolation. For the first time, many Japanese people came into contact with foods like dairy, meat, and vegetables like cabbage. They liked these new additions to their diets, and a new cuisine was born that mixes western foods with Japanese influences.

One of our favorite yoshoku dishes is the teishoku (定食) set meal that usually comes with a little bit of everything: potato salad, pasta, a croquette, a hamburg steak or tonkatsu cutlet, rice, and miso soup. It’s a surprisingly hearty meal that will leave you very satisfied. If you want to give it a go, I am addicted to Puku Puku Tei in Hiyoshi, Yokohama.

Japanese-style pasta

It already came up as a part of a the yoshoku teishoku, but Japanese-style pasta deserves its own mention. Pasta has made a round-trip from Asia to Europe and back to Asia again, and it gets better every time. Eating pasta became popular in Japan after WW2, and they have made some original dishes that can only be found in Japan. Two Japanese-style pasta dishes you should definitely try are Napolitan and Mentaiko-topped pasta.

The Napolitan may be named after a city in Italy, it is very much Japanese. Containing copious amounts of ketchup, almost everyone will love this dish and it is not too difficult to make it yourself. The mentaiko-topped pasta might be difficult to find outside of Japan or make yourself because of the ingredients, so this should be on your to-eat list while in Japan. It’s delectable because of the butter and umami-rich flavor of the mentaiko (codfish roe) and crisp strips of seaweed on top. Tokyo Tarako Spaghetti in Shibuya is the place to try this dish in Tokyo.

Indian food

When you think about a holiday in Japan, Indian food is probably not the first you will think about. But there is a thriving Indian community in Tokyo who brought many great Indian restaurants to the city. There is a concentration of Indian restaurants around Toyocho on the eastern side of Tokyo Station. Some of the best Indian food we have ever had was in Toyocho. Of course, it is more fusion food than very traditional Indian cuisine, but it was so good that I recommend a trek to Toyocho just to have lunch or dinner here.

Kamarupuru was once featured in Netflix series Solitary Gourmet, and it became very popular afterward. Even years later, they still often have a full house and that is because their curries and blue cheese naan are amazing. Especially the combination of a sweet curry with the cheese naan is out of this world.

Korean food

Lately, not only K-pop but also Korean cuisine has became more widespread outside of East Asia. More people now know about Korean staple dishes like bulgogi, bibimbap, and kimbap. With many Korean permanent residents in Japan, it is only logical that there are many awesome and authentic Korean restaurants here. I love the lunch deal at Samgyeopsal & Vegetable Ifuu

A crave-worthy Korean snack is the Korean-style fried chicken. How can fried chicken be that special? If you are wondering this, you clearly haven’t tried Crispy Chicken ‘n Tomato yet. I’m still not sure what it is that they add to make their chicken so flavorful and crispy but it’s good. They are nearly take-out only, so I’d recommend picking up a box and enjoying it in one of Tokyo’s many parks.

Authentic and fusion Chinese

If you only know Chinese food from your local take-away restaurant, you should definitely give authentic Chinese cuisine in Japan a chance. It can’t be compared to the usually MSG-laden adjusted Chinese food you’re used to (although when you’re in the mood for it that’s also pretty tasty), and many dishes are very accessible and mouthwatering. You can go to any Chinatown to easily find real Chinese restaurants, the one in Yokohama is the largest Chinatown in Japan.

The Japanese version of some Chinese original dishes became famous with Chinese tourists, one of the best compliments a fusion dish can get. The most famous Chinese-Japanese food is, of course, ramen, but you should also not skip on the juicy, savory gyoza. These dumplings go amazingly well with a cold glass of beer and it is hard to stop eating them! Ebisunoyasubee in Ebisu is a great, cozy spot to grab some gyoza.

Food during our tours

During tours that last at least 6 hours, we tend to sit down for lunch in a nice local place. The guide usually has something in mind, but if you have special requests, don’t hesitate to mention it to the guide at the start of the tour! Eating a great lunch every day is one of the best parts of your holiday in Japan. And if you want the whole tour to revolve around tasty food, you should check out our 3-hour food tours during which you get to taste many different small dishes that you will surely love.

5 foods you must try in Japan (no cliches!)