Noodles
ラーメンRamen
Wheat noodles in a savory broth (soy sauce, miso, salt or pork bone) topped with items like chashu pork, egg and scallion.
View guide30 DISHES · 5 DESTINATIONS
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Japanese dish.
A practical, plain-English guide to what to order, what to say, and how to eat it.
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Noodles
つけ麺Tsukemen (dipping ramen)
Thick noodles served separately from a concentrated dipping broth.
View guideSeafood / Rice
寿司Sushi
Vinegared rice topped with raw or cooked seafood and other items.
View guideSeafood
刺身Sashimi
Thinly sliced raw fish served without rice.
View guideFried
天ぷらTempura
Seafood and vegetables lightly battered and deep-fried.
View guideFried
とんかつTonkatsu
Breaded and deep-fried pork cutlet served with shredded cabbage, rice and miso soup.
View guideRice bowl
親子丼Oyakodon
Chicken and soft egg simmered in sweet-savory broth over rice. The name means 'parent and child'.
View guideRice bowl
牛丼Gyudon
Thin-sliced beef and onion simmered in sweet soy broth over rice.
View guideRice / Curry
カレーライスJapanese Curry Rice
Mild, thick curry with vegetables and meat over rice. Katsu curry adds a fried pork cutlet.
View guideSavory pancake
お好み焼きOkonomiyaki
Savory pancake of cabbage batter with pork or seafood, topped with sauce, mayonnaise and bonito flakes.
View guideSavory griddle dish
もんじゃ焼きMonjayaki
Runny batter with cabbage and toppings cooked on a griddle, eaten straight from the pan with a tiny spatula.
View guideStreet food
たこ焼きTakoyaki
Wheat-batter balls with octopus inside, topped with sauce, mayonnaise and bonito flakes.
View guideFried skewers
串カツKushikatsu
Skewered meat, seafood and vegetables battered and deep-fried, dipped in a shared sauce.
View guideGrilled skewers
焼き鳥Yakitori
Skewered chicken parts grilled over charcoal, seasoned with salt (shio) or a soy-based glaze (tare).
View guideGrilled meat
焼肉Yakiniku
Bite-size beef and other cuts grilled at the table.
View guideHot pot
すき焼きSukiyaki
Thin beef simmered at the table with tofu and vegetables in a sweet soy broth.
View guideHot pot
しゃぶしゃぶShabu-shabu
Thin slices of meat swished in hot broth and dipped in ponzu or sesame sauce.
View guideHot pot
もつ鍋Motsunabe
Beef or pork offal simmered with cabbage, chives and garlic in a soy- or miso-based broth.
View guideGrilled fish / Rice
うな重Unagi (grilled eel)
Eel glazed with sweet soy tare and grilled, served over rice in a lacquered box (unajū).
View guideNoodles
うどんUdon
Thick wheat noodles in dashi broth or served cold with dipping sauce.
View guideNoodles
そばSoba
Buckwheat noodles served hot in broth or cold with a dipping sauce (zaru soba).
View guideDumplings
餃子Gyoza
Pan-fried dumplings filled with pork, cabbage and garlic/chives.
View guideRice / Convenience store
おにぎりOnigiri
Rice ball wrapped in nori with fillings like salmon, tuna-mayo, kombu or pickled plum.
View guideEgg
卵焼きTamagoyaki
Rolled Japanese omelet, either lightly sweet or savory with dashi (dashimaki tamago).
View guideFermented food
納豆Natto
Sticky fermented soybeans with a strong smell, usually eaten with rice at breakfast.
View guideEgg
茶碗蒸しChawanmushi
Savory steamed egg custard with hidden items such as chicken, shrimp, shiitake or ginkgo nuts.
View guideDessert / Street food
たい焼きTaiyaki
Fish-shaped waffle cake filled with red bean paste, custard or chocolate. It contains no fish.
View guideDessert
大福Daifuku
Soft mochi (rice cake) filled with sweet red bean paste. Ichigo daifuku adds a whole strawberry (seasonal).
View guideGrilled meat
ジンギスカンJingisukan
Lamb and vegetables grilled on a domed skillet, a Hokkaido specialty.
View guideCurry
スープカレーSoup Curry
Sapporo-style curry served as a thin, spiced soup with large pieces of chicken and vegetables, with rice on the side.
View guide