Food cannot be missed in Japan

I will be travelling to Kyoto - Osaka - Tokyo, therefore would appreciate if you can list down the food outlet / restaurant and kind of food not to be missed in Japan. After this visit not sure when will be back to Japan again. Thanks

...but things that we dont get at japanese restaurants here in Australia that I look forward to in japan include okonomiyaki, takoyaki, good ramen (I mean good ramen), more variety with sashimi, green tea ice cream, pickles (properly made), the beef on the grill (cant remember what it is called, it is more korean anyway). Then when I need some fat and carbs, I crave mossburger, the best burgers in the universe!

Could you kindly provide the name of the restaurant in Tokyo, kyoto and osaka, that is recommended. Thanks

Hi Mlee,

I would possibly suggest that you grab a copy of a Japan guide book, like Lonely Planet Japan. This has suggestions on different types of restaurants in each area of each city.

For recommendations on the web wikitravel usually has a few mentioned for each suburb, for example:-
http://wikitravel.org/en/Shinagawa

www.bento.com also has a huge range of options depending on what you like.

I also like exploring and going to a restaurant that looks interesting and/or busy. We've found many favourites by just wandering near the hotel/station and then eating wherever looks the best! Tokyo is obviously a huge place, so if you can perhaps narrow down where you are staying it might make suggestions easier.

We like eating different foods each night, so a few on your list could be:-
Udon/Soba, Okonomiyaki (in Osaka), Yakitori, Sushi (Tsukiji fish markets Tokyo), Takoyaki (snack in Kyoto/Osaka), Sukiyaki/Shabu Shabu, Yakiniku, etc.

Pious, not sure where you are in Australia, but there are a number of Japanese restaurants on the Gold Coast and Brisbane that serve all of the items you listed, Takoyaki, Okonomiyaki, Green tea Ice cream, pickles and a reasonable variety of sashimi including for example uni (sea urchin). Maybe we need a new thread, favourite Japanese restaurants in Australia :)

Enjoy your trip Mlee!

yeah there are, but (on the gold coast) I havent found here the range of fish in sashimi (including eel, squid, octopus, blackfish etc) that I get in japan (here it is pretty much salmon, tuna, snapper, maybe kingfish), the takoyaki isnt as nice as you get at stalls in japan, I havent seen okonomiyaki at all, the ramen is pumped full of msg, I get plenty of different pickles in Japan (esp Kyoto) and I like the soft serve green tea ice cream, not the normal stuff. For actual restaurants in Kyoto, there is a great one at the end of Shinmonzen street overlooking the "river", it has beef on the first floor, italian on the next, very reasonably priced, also heaps of retsurants in pontocho alley, also the japanese restaurantinside the Hyatt is good. There is a great one next to a pottery shop up near Kiyomizudera. All told though, I dont think I've had a bad meal in japan.

Hi Pious,

Casual dining bar Tora (part of Teppan Ryu) at Mermaid Beach have okonomiyaki on the menu:-
http://www.teppan-ryu.com/

Our current favourite is Wassam (0755388836) in the Chevron Renaissance building (upstairs) and they have sashimi which last time had salmon, tuna, sea urchin, squid, and I think kingfish. The sea urchin may be a special request. You could probably ask for octopus too. They also have a dish called takowasabi which is sashimi octopus with a wasabi liquid mixture. Their takoyaki balls are really nice too!

Feel free to share any of your Gold Coast favourites too! :)

(Sorry for the slight hijack)

that sounds pretty good, might give it a go (not particularly fussed with sea urchin, I have to say). I've done the usual - Shogun (too noisy - how many people have to sing Jimmy Barnes at Karaeoke, for god's sake?) Benehanas (sp?), Donto Sapporo (some things are very nice), recently went to the one at Royal Pines which was pretty good actually, but ultimately my favorite places are in Japan, just the tiny 6 table type, where your choice is limited to 4 or 5 variations of one dish, but really it is all enhanced coz we do a lot of walking there and get the hunger up, and the people are so nice. I think my favorite meal ever was just tofu served in a wooden bucket of hot water at the place inside Kiyomizudera, with a bottle ofbeer, during a lantern festival.

If you come to Japan in winter, challenge FUGU!

I recomend trying Tonkatsu. Even if you have had it at home before it is nothing compared to the stuff in japan.
Im from Australian (SA) too and all the tonkatsu here is terrible compared to japan, but before i went i assumed that was how it should be.

challenge supponƒXƒbƒ|ƒ“turtle

Hi Mlee,

I'm not sure if you're still in Japan, but there are so many great restaurants to try.

œ@Varieties of tempura, from red ginger to gigantic kakiage:

http://translationbykako.com/2010/11/12/5-tempura-food-you-must-try-in...

œ@Chestnuts flavored Pepsi called ''Mont Blanc'':
http://translationbykako.com/2010/10/25/strange-pepsi-flavor/

œ@Potato-mayonnaise pizza, egg-shrimp pizza, etc.
http://translationbykako.com/2010/10/23/strange-but-delicious-japanese...

œ@Mos burger's rice hamburger
http://translationbykako.com/2010/10/07/strange-but-delicious-japanese...

and lots more on my blog at
www.TranslationByKako.com :-)

Enjoy your trip!

Best Regards,
Kako