Japanese food
Japanese dishes, explained
From the first piece of nigiri to the last sip of matcha — what each dish truly is, the story it carries, how to eat it like a regular, and exactly where in Tokyo to taste it at its best.
Sushi & raw fish
Noodles
Grilled & fried
TempuraSeafood and vegetables in a lace-light crisp.
YakitoriCharcoal-grilled chicken skewers, nose to tail.
Wagyu beefJapan's marbled beef — yakiniku, teppan or sukiyaki.
Unagi (grilled eel)Charcoal-grilled freshwater eel, glazed and tender.
IzakayaJapan's pub — small plates, sake and good company.
OkonomiyakiThe savory pancake you grill at your own table.
MonjayakiTokyo's gooey griddle classic — scrape and savor.
TakoyakiMolten octopus dumplings, straight off the griddle.
GyozaPan-fried dumplings, crisp-bottomed and juicy.
YakinikuGrill your own wagyu, plate by glorious plate.
KaraageJapan's juiciest fried chicken — crisp, light, addictive.
KushikatsuSkewered, breaded, fried — and never double-dip the sauce.Hot pot & simmered
KaisekiJapan's seasonal tasting menu, course by course.
SukiyakiA hot pot of thinly sliced beef simmered tableside in sweet soy warishita, dipped in raw egg before eating.
Shabu-shabuA hot pot of paper-thin beef or pork swished through kombu broth for seconds, then dipped in ponzu or sesame sauce.
OdenWinter's comfort pot of daikon, egg and fish cake.
Miso soup & washokuThe soulful bowl at the heart of every Japanese meal.
NikujagaMeat and potatoes, simmered sweet — Japan's home cooking.Rice & comfort
TonkatsuGolden panko-crusted pork cutlet — Japan's crunch.
Japanese curryA thick, mildly spiced curry sauce served over rice — Japan's own comfort-food curry, eaten from homes to specialist shops.
Gyudon (beef bowl)A bowl of rice topped with thin-sliced beef and onion simmered in sweet-savory soy dashi — Japan's fast, beloved everyday meal.
KatsudonPork cutlet and egg over rice — a winner's bowl.
Onigiri (rice ball)The humble, perfect rice ball — Japan in your hand.
Natto (fermented soybeans)Sticky fermented soybeans — Japan's bold breakfast superfood.
Bento (boxed meal)A whole meal, composed beautifully in a box.
OmuriceKetchup fried rice under a blanket of soft omelette.
