Japan Guide: Eating Out

Eating Out

Lots of restaurants will advertise if they have an English menu, and they'll offer it to you if they have one if they recognize you look foreign. If they don't, there's almost always lots of pictures, and you can just point.

No tipping, and taxes are usually included. Both of these are big bonuses in my book, I like that these are the customs in Japan and wish that the US would adopt these practices.

Sometimes hosts will ask you if you want to sit in smoking or non-smoking sections of the restaurant.

If servers don't come to your table and you need to place your order, get more drink or pay your bill, it's normal to call them over. Use the phrase, "Sumimasen," which means excuse me, and they'll come right over.

Most restaurants are very specialized in a certain kind of food. For example, tatsu (fried) places will have mostly tatsu, and not sushi or ramen. If you want good ramen, you need to go to a ramen place. For a truly Japanese dish, I recommend

Partially eaten okonomiyaki

okonomiyaki, if you can find it. They refer to it as a savory pancake, but it's so much more than a pancake, with noodles and cabbage inside, and the delicious and distinctive okonomiyaki sauce they smother it in (along with mayonnaise).

My favorite dish, however, is yakiniku, and also a little bit difficult to find. I used to eat it at school when I studied at Hiroshima Shudo University, and it appealed to my limited palate because it is very simply beef and rice, but whatever magic they sauce it with, it's delicious. I found it also at a restaurant in Miyajima.

A suitable and quite delightful proxy can be more easily located at, of all places, a uniquely Japanese burger franchise called MOS Burger, home of the yakiniku burger. Speaking of burgers, I also recommend eating McDonald's in Japan just once, if you have the chance, so you can experience that.

One note about sushi: when you go to sushi in America, much of the fish is cooked and has fun names like California roll or Dynamite roll. Most of the sushi in Japan, in our experience, is raw. Some may be broiled or seared but may not be fully cooked. I'd advise to keep you mind open, if you're going to try raw fish, what better place to do it than in Japan where they really know what they're doing?

As far as ice cream, sodas and desserts, there are lots of unique flavors that Westerners aren't generally used to, like bean curd. Fish-shaped Taiyaki is a delicious treat you can get at street vendors, especially if you can find chocolate filled ones. Teas and waters, too, especially in the vending machines
or convenience stores, have some wild flavors. My favorite was the orange flavored water, and Jaiman really enjoyed the apple flavored tea as well as the melon soda. 

 

More Japan Guide

Getting There / What To Bring 
Training It - The Best Way to Get Around in Japan (Trains) 
Where to Stay
Eating Out
Things To Do 
Key Phrases