Welcome to Japan!
In Japan, great food is not limited to fine dining. Even inexpensive meals are made with care and taste wonderful.
Everyday Delights: Convenience Store Food
You can find delicious food everywhere — even a simple rice ball (onigiri) from a convenience store can be surprisingly good!
I also make onigiri at home. They are perfect as a quick lunch when you are short on time, a packed lunch for kids playing sports, or a small snack between meals. You can use whatever fillings you have at home.
What makes onigiri so delicious, despite their simplicity, is the quality of the ingredients — good rice, high-quality salt, and nori (seaweed).
Popular fillings among Japanese people include ume boshi (pickled plum), kombu (kelp), and mentaiko (spicy cod roe), while foreign visitors often love tuna-mayo and salmon.
Home-Style Favorites
Some of Japan’s most beloved dishes, like curry rice and miso soup, are considered “mom’s home cooking.” Every family has its own flavor. You can easily find curry roux or miso at supermarkets, convenience stores, or even drugstores.
Curry rice might look a little unusual or even slightly messy at first, but it is so delicious that you can’t help eating a lot. It’s a flavor that children love as well.
Casual Dining: Family Restaurants
If you want to enjoy Japanese comfort food easily, family restaurants (“famiresu”) are the best choice.
At nationwide chains such as Denny’s, Gusto, and COCO’S, you can enjoy popular Japanese-style dishes like omelet rice (omurice), hamburg steak, and ginger pork at reasonable prices. The menus are extensive and varied.
Reliable Chains for Every Taste
Chain restaurants also offer consistent quality:
Pork cutlet dishes (tonkatsu, katsu curry, katsudon): Wako, Matsunoya, Katsuya
Beef bowls (gyudon): Sukiya, Matsuya, Yoshinoya
Tempura bowls (tendon): Tenya
You can also enjoy gyoza and ramen at casual Chinese-style chains like Bamiyan or Gyoza no Ohsho.
Ramen: A Japanese Soul Food
Ramen is one of Japan’s soul foods. Japanese people love ramen, and you can find ramen shops everywhere.
The flavor of the broth, the thickness and style of the noodles, and the toppings vary from shop to shop. Be sure to discover your favorite ramen!
Gyoza: The Perfect Ramen Companion
Gyoza are Japanese-style dumplings, typically filled with minced pork, cabbage, garlic, and seasonings, then pan-fried until crispy on the bottom while soft on top.
They are often enjoyed alongside a bowl of ramen, making a classic and satisfying combination. The crispy texture and savory filling perfectly complement the rich broth of ramen.
Udon: Customizable Japanese Noodles
Udon is versatile — it can be served hot in a soup or cold with a dipping sauce. Its simple yet satisfying flavor makes it a beloved staple of Japanese cuisine.
At Marugame Seimen, a popular udon chain,you can customize your noodles and toppings to your liking. There is also a wide variety of freshly fried tempura to enjoy alongside your noodles.
Soba: A Traditional Japanese Noodle
Soba is another essential Japanese dish. These buckwheat noodles are enjoyed throughout Japan, but the flavor of the broth differs between regions.
In Kanto (Tokyo area), the soup is usually soy sauce-based, dark, and has a rich, savory flavor.
In Kansai (Osaka area), the broth is lighter and more delicate, often made with a subtle combination of dashi (fish stock) and soy sauce.
The taste also varies depending on the origin of the buckwheat. My personal favorite is soba made from Azumino buckwheat in Nagano Prefecture, which has a fragrant, rich taste.
Soba can be enjoyed hot in soup or cold with a dipping sauce, making it a versatile and beloved part of Japanese cuisine.
Yakitori
My personal recommendation is yakitori — grilled skewers of chicken and vegetables. You can enjoy many small dishes, perfect for sharing with friends over drinks.
Japanese-Style Meat Dishes
Japanese people often enjoy thinly sliced meat, as seen in sukiyaki and yakiniku, both of which are excellent ways to experience Japanese-style dining together.
A Taste of Luxury
For sushi or unagi (eel), I recommend enjoying them at a fine restaurant for a truly special experience.
Osaka Specialties
If you visit Osaka, don’t miss okonomiyaki, yakisoba, and takoyaki — they taste best in their hometown!
Okonomiyaki is a savory pancake made with cabbage, meat, or seafood, cooked on a griddle and topped with a sweet sauce and mayonnaise.
Yakisoba is stir-fried noodles seasoned with a rich, tangy sauce — simple, flavorful, and loved by everyone.
Takoyaki are small round dumplings made of batter with pieces of octopus inside, cooked in special molds, and topped with sauce, mayonnaise, bonito flakes, and seaweed — a fun and iconic street food in Osaka.
Enjoy Japan’s Everyday Comfort
There are so many delicious and inexpensive dishes to enjoy in Japan.
Try as many as you can — each bite is part of Japan’s everyday comfort and charm.
