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Hey! My name is Lilah and I’m here to talk about some of my experiences with Japanese cuisine & food culture that I’ve had over the last few months living in Japan. The promise of gaining access to delicious street food & konbini snacks every day was actually a big factor in my decision to teach abroad in Japan specifically – Japanese food is easily a top favorite for me. I was especially excited to try the basics like sushi, ramen, matcha, and nori-flavored snacks in an authentic setting, but I have tried so many new things along the way that have surprised me in the best ways!
Exploring Japanese Cuisine & Street Food: Takoyaki, Yakisoba, and Okonomiyaki
Some of my favorite foods I have ever tasted have been from unsuspecting street food stalls in various districts throughout Tokyo & Kyoto. Japan has many dishes that are staples throughout the country, and others that are more specific by region, city, or even a single street! For example, takoyaki (pieces of octopus fried into a ball of dough) or yakisoba (fried noodles & vegetables) can be found in almost any bustling food market in Japan, while other dishes are better known in specific cities: you can find okonomiyaki (a savory pancake) all over the country, but Osaka is considered the best place to try it! There are also endless varieties of novelty foods – so far my favorite has been the “denim” flavored ice cream, donuts, and steamed pork buns on the island of Enoshima.
Japanese Markets: A Food Lover’s Paradise
Japanese markets are unlike any other in the world – often combining street food with fish markets, it often seems like you can turn a corner for hours on end and never run out of new delicacies to sample on the spot or take home with you to enjoy later. Since I personally don’t enjoy cooking very much, this has been the next best way for me to connect with the local food culture and to experience as much variety in my food-tasting journey as possible. Some of my personal favorites from Japanese food markets have been grilled eel skewers, hot yams cooked over coals, and just about any flavor of daifuku (mochi with fruit filling) the vendors happen to be selling – I genuinely am unable to resist buying multiple every time I see one.
The Magic of Konbini: Japan’s Convenience Stores
A Japanese food tour would not be complete without a trip to the konbini – or convenience store. Since recently gaining global popularity for blowing up on social media, convenience stores in Japan have been home to many sought-after instant meals and delicious snacks that foreigners visiting Japan do not have the luxury of enjoying in their home countries. At least in America, ready-to-eat bowls of ramen and plates of pork cutlets & rice that can be heated up upon request behind the counter simply do not exist in America – let alone the dozens upon dozens of options available in the snack aisles, including nori, prawn, and ube flavored goods. My konbini go-tos have to be a sweetened peach tea, matcha-flavored Kit-Kats, and always an onigiri – preferably the umeboshi flavor specifically.
Experience Japanese Food Culture for Yourself
If you are traveling or planning to live in a new country different from your own, I would highly encourage you to begin exploring the food culture as soon as you can – it can be the best way to connect with the people and the places around you!
For more info about TravelBud’s Teach in Japan Program, click here.
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