Must-Try Food in Japan

Hi,
I�Lm heading off to japan in less then 30 days and starting my final preparations.

With been on a low budget trip I can�Lt spend to much for food (20-30 USD per day- without breakfast). And I want to try the whole bunch of Japanese food.

Places to visit will be Tokyo, Osaka, Hiroshima, Nagasaki, Takayama, Koyasan (and the "tpyical side trips"), Narita.

Any suggestions what to try and more imporant any hints where to have it or other cheap restaurant chains?

Thanks

Tina

Okonomiyaki is a must, its just pure awesome. Theres different styles in different cities though.

Anyways, I always ate at little shops, and it was fairly cheap.

Okonomiyaki" is my all time favorite. Other reasonable and yummy foods include; yakisoba, donburi-mono (oyako-donburi, tanin-donburi, etc), udon and soba. You could also try éLŽq‚̉¤�« ("gyouza no ooshou" or simply "ooshou"). They serve Japanese version of Chinese foods.

Ramen is cheap and great. Not the 6 packages for a Dollar stuff you buy in the supermarket in the US.

Try champon in Nagasaki and other places (many noodle restaurants serve). It has big noodles with seafood, meat, fish cakes & vegetables in a delicious soup. Kyushu or tonkotsu ramen(in white soup) is great in Nagasaki, Fukuoka, etc. Ask for "kaedama" noodle only second for 100yen extra, if you are still hungry. You should try once "shojin ryori" monk's all vege. dinner that are so delicious but usually 5,000yen & up. There are so many different dishes that you may want to try everything that should be all less than 1,000yen.

Thanks everyone, that all does sound really yummy.
Where is the best spot to try the famous japanese beef? I will be heading to Takayama for the spring festival and I did read somewhere that you can buy it there on some stalls aswell. is that true?

On my other trips to China/Australia it was always possible to buy cheap sushi & lunch packs after a certain time for a discout price. Does that match for Japan aswell and if where to find that offers?

Supermarkets usually give discounts on sushi, bento and other perishable foods during the night.

Street vendors often have cheap yummy food. I get delicious yakitori and takoyaki right outside the grocery store near my house. Also, try shabu shabu if you can, it's fun and delicious. You can find all sorts of neat things to try at the grocery stores also, if you don't want to pay restaurant prices for every meal, oh and the 100 yen teriyaki burgers at the train stations are disgusting, but I love them. :)

You should try Hida Beef in Takayama. It can be quite expensive (2000-4000yen per person) but you can also get it at a ramen restaurant which is cheaper (I think about 1000yen). Ask your hotel for recommendations. The ramen restaurant is on the main road near the river (the train station side of the river), not sure what its called but its a black building and very popular. Your hotel should be able to give you some good hida beef restaurants anyway.

Okonomiyaki in Hiroshima is a must. Check out Hassei and get a seat at the counter (you can find it in Lonely Planet).
Hida Beef in Takayama! Can be expensive, but it's worth it. You can try it in an izakaya or get it as sushi for a taste.
Shabu Shabu.
Sushi at Tsukiji fish market, Tokyo.
Tonkatsu is a favourite dish of mine.
Visit an izakaya for lots of different tastes. I recommend Shirube in Shimokitazawa, Tokyo.
Noodles, yakitori and tempura of course.
Too much good food in Japan. :)

The restaurant AusEz mentions has great Hida Beef sushi! And ramen. Get both. :)
On the corner of the main street and the river. Station side.

Kansai (especially Osaka) is known as the Kitchen of Japan. Real food lovers here.

Before you go, check out http:www.engmenu.com

You can totally eat for cheap in Japan. There are lots of little noodle bars for lunch and dinner. For breakfast we would hit up some of their pastry shops. Such good pastries and different flavors too such as a honeydew bun. Yum. I have a terrible sweet tooth so I went for all the different candies and treats. Loved the various flavors of kit kats which are very hard if not impossible to find in the U.S. Sushi or fish or any kind of course is a must but this might be one area to spend a bit of money on - getting sick is a trip killer.