Is Streetfood safe?

Hi,

I'm traveling from Canada to Japan in a few weeks. It's too late for me to get any Hepitatus shots and I was told I should have gotten some kind of medication called Dukoral which would help when I eat street food.

My doctor told me that I should be ok as long as the food I eat is cooked at the right temperature. What about sushi though? Someone also warned me to stay away from street food. CAn someone shed some light on this?

I was told to drink bottled water only, but isn't that water bottled in Japan?

No worries. Street food is generally safe in Japan, and in some places its some of the best food you can try. Foodborne illness is relatively low, unless you have a particularly sensitive stomach. No need to stick to bottled water, tap water here is as safe as in Canada. Keep in mind that Japan is a developed country on par with or perhaps even surpassing your own ;)

http://travel.gc.ca/destinations/japan

I've never seen street food shops providing Sushi. Sushi is very very delicate food.
You would probably see Okonomiyaki and Takoyaki as typical street food. They are called "flour food" and easy to cook outside. They are mostly safe but sometimes uncooked well(I 've experienced a few times). So I don't east any of street food. I recommend you to buy at Supermarkets, Combini or Mini-supermarkets delicatessen. They are safely cooked and normally cheaper than those street food.

Takoyaki is supposed to be gooey in the middle. Osaka people would be upset if their takoyaki was well done.

Don't worry about the water. You make Japan sound like a 3rd world nation. I don't mean this in a bad way, it's just to reassure you that the level of care and hygiene put into their food (and water) is top notch.

Well..at least my personal experience has been so, and I do have a steel-like stomach; growing up in a developing country.

There's really not much of a street-food culture here in Japan, even compared to Canada. Simply finding street food is a far bigger problem than avoiding it.

And yes, as previous posters have mentioned, Japan is a rich country with the highest life expectancy in the world. You don't have to worry about drinking the water, although there is plenty of bottled water if you prefer the taste.

Japan is a very hygiene-conscious country with the technology and climate to stay that way. In other words, Japan is just as safe as Canada.

In other words, if you're okay with raw oysters in Canada, don't worry about sushi in Japan. If you have second thoughts about oyster cocktails in Canada or raw vegetables and fruits in Canada, you should similarly avoid raw food in Japan, but that's not because Japan is less safer.

The reason they tell you to avoid street food is because a lot of them aren't licensed, and the reason they tell you to avoid raw food is because many types of germs can be killed by heat. But again, that's not unique to Japan. Still, people give you warnings just as information.

By the way, I'm no expert in medicine, but the internet tells me that Dukoral "prevents travellers' diarrhea before it starts." Well, you can still by similar medicine over the counter in Japan. Ask your hotel conceirge or a tourist information center in Japan if the pharmacist doesn't speak your language.

Street food is actually quite rare in Japan, but is very common during festivals and near popular shrines and temples.

The street food in Japan is normally very safe but would not have the same cleanliness of stores. It's basically like food at fairs in your home country.

The food itself is also normally nice but nothing too 'off the beaten track". The most common Japanese street food is Japanese Pancake, fried noodles, fried chicken, chocolate/custard/red bean buns, sweet potato fries, octopus balls, bananas dipped in chocolate and sprinkes along with fruit covered in toffee (such as strawberries).

As someone mentioned above - you might get sick but I think it's about the same as most places you eat. I never got food poisoning in the three years I lived in Japan - but I could as a tourist. It's just the luck of the draw.

Water is also fine to drink - but it's not uncommon to have slight stomach problems because of the water. This is true for all 1st world countries due to basic bacteria which are different in any water source.

I have friends who refuse to eat at ramen yatai because bowls are washed by double dip in hot water instead of proper wash.

How can I tell if they wash their bowls properly or just double dip in hot water?

Someone was telling me that I should go get a shot for radioactivity??!?! Because there's high levels of radiation?

Listen, please don't think I'm mocking the state of Japan. I have a family that are very worried and very conscious of the differences in water or food and stuff.

If you are that concerned, don't eat street food.

If you are concerned about the drinking water in Japan (which is as safe to drink as in Canada), then drink bottled water.

As for the radiation...whomever told you that is a moron.

"I have a family that are very worried and very conscious of the differences in water or food and stuff"

let me guess! they have never left their corner of Canada...

A "shot for radioactivity" is not a thing that exists. The radioactive zone has been cordoned off and you would not be allowed to enter it, and it is only a small area. You will be perfectly safe. Tourism has been increasing back to normal levels since the Fukushima disaster - if you haven't heard any horror stories of people getting sick from radioactive food (which would undoubtedly make global news), you'll be fine. As others have said, treat Japan like Canada: both are first-world countries with safe food and drinking water.

Japan is extremely safe in a every capacity: tell your family to have no worries, and enjoy your trip.
Street food is not abundant: but when it is available, its fine, delicious, and a wonderful side of Japan�fs culture.
Radiation is not a tourist issue: you wont be allowed anywhere near the area, and researching on WHO site etc should allay any fears.
Water in Japan is fine: think of Japan as akin to Canada, USA, Australia, NZ etc no need to limit yourself to bottled water.
Japan is not like lesser developed asian countries, it is a highly developed, intensely hygienic first world country of the highest order: not at all like Bali for example: totally different, even though both are considered Asian countries.
Reassure your family and enjoy your holiday without stress.

flonie,

Whoever is concerned about your trip is probably most concerned about you going away rather than the food you eat, or maybe they're just trying to scare you for being to enthusiastic or something.

The reason I'm saying this is because they seem to be very ill-informed and perhaps have things mixed up with other destitations in the globe. There are indeed parts of the earth where you'll see official warnings about food and water.

But let them take a look into the official website of the Japanese Embassy in Canada.
http://www.ca.emb-japan.go.jp/canada_e/Visa/

Let them look into the unreliable Wikipedia, if that helps. You will see nothing about "shots" against radiation or serious problems about street food or raw food.

Just to answer your questions, however, you can see how bowls are washed, because the stalls are really tiny. You can take a look right there. Although, honestly, I don't really trust detergent, either in Canada or Japan. Those chemicals can often be a lot worse for your health than hot water. Anyway, that's up to you. Plus, most street food comes in disposable plates and bowls.

And as for radiation, let me tell you that people in Japan used to avoid foods from Canada after the Chernobyl crisis, because certain journalists said that the wind brought radiation from the Soviet town to the whole country of Canada. So I'm sorry, but if you're worried about radiation, you've already been constantly contaminated in your own country ever since 1986.

But I believe you're still doing fine, and you will be after your very short visit to Japan.

SO admire you UCO: brilliant

science and evidence have no power against the people who believe a myth, which they have created by theirselves.

How can I tell if they wash their bowls properly or just double dip in hot water?

and you think that local eateries (in canada) are really clean and hygienic?

Because there's high levels of radiation?

question, are you or is your friend who told you to get the shot, Asian by any chance?

by the way,
I don't eat street foods at shrines and temples during festival periods. they are not licensed cooks, and sometimes they are lower-class members of yakuza.
you can eat the same one(the better one) at restaurants.