Food culture
First trip to Japan? 10 dishes to try
Where to begin
If it's your first trip, these ten dishes are the heart of Japanese eating. Tap any to read what it is, how to eat it, and where to try it.
- Sushi — Edomae nigiri at a counter; dip the fish, not the rice.
- Ramen — order at the ticket machine and slurp.
- Tempura — lace-light, fried piece by piece.
- Wagyu — marbled beef as yakiniku or sukiyaki.
- Soba — nutty buckwheat noodles, hot or cold.
- Tonkatsu — golden panko pork cutlet.
- Okonomiyaki — the savory pancake you grill yourself.
- Unagi — charcoal-grilled eel over rice.
- Yakitori — charcoal chicken skewers with a beer.
- Matcha & wagashi — whisked tea and seasonal sweets to finish.
Eat with your needs in mind
Vegan, vegetarian, halal and gluten-free travellers can enjoy almost all of these — see our dietary guides for how, and filter the directory to find the right venue.
Places we’ve confirmed
Sushi Dai
Omakase course of Edomae sushi (chef's choice)
The legendary 5 a.m. counter inside Toyosu Market where visitors queue for hours to watch a master build an omakase of the day's finest catch.
- Pescatarian
- Solo
- Date
Nakiryu
Tantanmen (spicy sesame ramen) and clear shoyu ramen
A pocket-sized Otsuka counter whose Michelin-celebrated tantanmen and clear shoyu draw lines of pilgrims for one of Tokyo's most coveted bowls.
- Solo
Tempura Tsunahachi (Ginza)
Edomae tempura set fried in 100% sesame oil
Founded in 1924, this beloved tempura institution fries seasonal seafood and vegetables in pure sesame oil piece by piece — the accessible Ginza branch sits atop Matsuya department store.
- Date
- Business
Gyumon Halal Wagyu Yakiniku
A5 halal-certified wagyu grilled over shichirin charcoal
Inside a creaky two-storey wooden folk house a short walk from Shibuya, A5 halal-certified wagyu sizzles over shichirin charcoal — with a prayer room upstairs.
- Halal
- Date
- Business