Learn Japanese with JapanesePod101.com! You and your friends are visiting your first restaurant in Japan and you sit down with a menu. You scan the menu, but you’re facing a host of Japanese dishes with names you’ve never seen before. You and your friends decide to play Fear Factor, ordering a host of Japanese foods to try. You’re pretty sure you’re not lucky enough to get something predictable and ordinary like Japanese ramen, sushi, or tofu. More likely, you think it might be fermented seafood, cow tongue, or raw horse. You’re hoping not to get the short end of that stick!
Learning Japanese with JapanesePod101.com is the most fun and effective way to learn Japanese! In this Japanese All About Lesson, learn about what foods you should try—and possibly what foods you shouldn’t try—in a Japanese restaurant. We’ll cover basic rules of Japanese etiquette, the top five dishes you simply must order, and we’ll also recommend the top five foods the brave souls among you might want to brag about trying just once. Visit us at JapanesePod101.com where you will find many more fantastic Japanese lessons and learning resources! Leave us a message while you are there!













This entry was posted on Monday, August 17th, 2009 at 6:30 pm and is filed under All About . You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
47 Responses to “All About #7 - Top 5 Japanese Dishes You Have to Try and Top 5 Dishes for the Really Brave!”
Monday at 6:30 pm
Hey everyone! Have you tried any of the foods on the “foods for the brave” list?? Do you want to??
Monday at 9:46 pm
I’ve tried natto…almost puked. Of the rest on that list, the only one that sounds appealing would be the nama tamago. Although I am curious about food safety related to that…
Monday at 10:45 pm
おはよう
レッスンありがとう
あたしは日本人がどっさり生の食べ物 (豚肉と魚) を食べらただろうを思った, だから食べ物 はべたべただった.
これがだけ神話 です…あたしはほっとする !! (笑).
漫画 に テレビ で, あたしはたくさん 日本食をみみにした : « だんご » を呼ばれる.
これがほんとうにありますか ?
Tuesday at 12:52 am
I tried natto when I first arrived in Japan … and just managed to keep it down.
I don’t know why, but a year later its become okay. That’s handy because Ibaraki people are very proud of their natto and sometimes its unavoidable.
If you can get hold of natto coated in batter and fried its an easier introduction.
Nama Tamago (生卵) tastes fine, its just the idea of eating raw egg that still makes it a little difficult.
Shiokara (鹵辛) was a challenge.
The version I was given was described to me as “fermented fish intestines” and tasted about as good as that sounds.
Basashi (馬刺身?, horse sashimi) was quite tasty.
Just try not think of cute little ponies while eating it.
Other more foreigner-friendly suggestions would be okonomiyaki (お好み焼き) and
ochazuke (お茶漬け, rice with green tea).
One more for the brave would be Habu Sake; Okinawan shochu liquor with a snake it in.
Happy experimenting!
Tuesday at 1:28 am
It has been a few years since I have been to Japan, but catching the first train in the morning to Tsukiji was always part of my routine on my first day in Japan. I always found I was wide awake because of the time difference. My favorite breakfast was Tempura Soba at a small stand on the main street toward the subway station. (interestingly, I could never convince any native Japanese people to join me)
As for yakitori, I enjoyed going to izakayas in Shomben Yokocho near Shinjuku station.
Some of my other favorites (not in order) were: beef bowls (at Yoshinoya), Tonkatsu (anywhere), Tempura bowls (anywhere), okonomiyaki (I don’t remember where) and Onigiri (from a convenience store).
You also should try McDonalds in Japan, MOS Burger and get a pizza with the local toppings (I seem to remember that squid and corn were popular toppings - I bet Jessi-san can recommend other local toppings)
Tuesday at 1:38 am
It seems you would have a problem if you don’t eat seafood or don’t like spicy stuff
Tuesday at 2:50 am
I have eaten Nato, and did enjoy but would not prefer it. My favorite was Kobe beef and Okonomiyaki. Great food was Soba and Udon; Shabushabu. I went to Japan last summer.
Tuesday at 6:46 am
My friend and I are planning on going to Tokyo, Japan for a few weeks in a couple months. We plan on eating everything we can get our hands on!, before we go broke that is! LOL
Tuesday at 9:30 am
私も豚骨ラーメンあまり好きではないですが、福岡県へ行った時に博多駅周辺の屋台で博多ラーメンを食べました。あのラーメンは本当に美味しかったです!博多ラーメンは日本一と言っても過言ではないと思います。
Tuesday at 9:40 am
Sarahさん,
I always wondered about that too! But apparently it’s not a big concern…? I think it’s pretty safe to eat raw eggs here.
Sabby Brannさん,
おいしいですよ!
「だんご」はsweet dumplingのことです
http://www.zundamochi.jp/image/syouhin/item/dango-up2.jpg
Julianさん,
I’ll have to try that if I can find it!
Natto that has been battered and fried does sound like it’d be easier to eat
テッドさん,
I personally like tuna on my pizza
Corn and squid are also popular, like you mentioned, and I’ve also seen seaweed, mayonnaise, potatoes… the list goes on!
Yes, I think everyone should try a pizza in Japan with the local toppings
Salivia Bakerさん,
For seafood, I would agree, but you’ll be fine in Japan even if you don’t like spicy food - there isn’t that much of it. I can’t eat anything spicy but I have no problems
Israelさん,
I also love okonomiyaki!!
Danielさん,
Sounds like a great idea!! You can actually find a lot of cheap meals in Tokyo too, so you can rely on those if your budget gets tight
Tuesday at 10:16 am
I just feared that I had to starve in Japan because one of my rules for food is “I don’t eat anything that ever lived in water” The only thing from the list I thought I might is is Udon or Ramen. Okay I admit I wanted to try it ever since I saw the movie Tampopo
Well I am all for sour food like red currant (Sugoi oishii) then for spicy
Tuesday at 10:18 am
highbridgeさん,
博多ラーメン美味しいですよね!私は「一風堂」という博多ラーメンチェーン店が好きです
Tuesday at 11:22 am
Salivia Baker -san
If you love sour food, try “umeboshi” (plums which have been pickled in salt and dried in the sun)
And Japanese fruits are good too, such as strawberries, apples, pears, grapes, oranges(If you like sour food, try Natsu-mikan) and Japanese persimmon.
Tuesday at 12:24 pm
Sounds oishii. If I ever travel to Japan *look in my empty wallet* I will try some. Thank you for the tip, Naomi-san!
Tuesday at 4:38 pm
All those sound good, but the pizzas here made me sick. If they have normal American ingredients, I can handle them.
Love basashi, okonomiyaki, takoyaki, tonkatsu ramen, and a few others that I have no idea what they are.
Natto has become better since there’s no smell. Most fish and seaweed stuff I can do without though.
Tuesday at 5:11 pm
http://www.youtube.com/user/cookingwithdog
Here is a link so you can try to make your own Japanese dishes. Unfortunately, you don’t get to hear much Japanese because the host of the show I believe is a French poodle speaking in English with a French accent. Yeah I know, but I’ve seen one show and it’s good despite that quirk.
Tuesday at 5:44 pm
I love tonkotsu ramen. Miso was my favorite until I went to Fukuoka, now I’m a tonkotsu fan. I used to think it smelled terrible, but now when I get hit with that stench, I get hungry.
I also really like umeboshi. I think regular ones are a bit harsh, but the hachimitsu (honey) umeboshi is delicious.
I don’t know why everyone hates natto. I find it delicious. Sure it doesn’t smell great, but tonkotsu, bleu cheese, pickles, or some of my other favorite foods.
Bashi is sadly delicious. I say sadly because I tried it wanting to hate it and never eat it again, but instead I really enjoyed it. Made me feel guilty because I like horses.
There are too many good foods here. I love yakitori and okonomyaki. Monjayaki is also delicious, despite how terrible it looks.
Tuesday at 6:13 pm
I can relate to Salivia’s rule for food … if it lives in the water I don’t eat it! The mere smell of seafood or seaweed makes me want to throw up. So when I went to Japan I was very worried that I would starve! However, I didn’t starve either time! On one occasion, to be polite, I actually ate a piece of raw tuna … yes, RAW, and FISH. One of my proudest moments … I didn’t die and I didn’t embarrass myself by being sick!!!! I also didn’t feel very well for the rest of the night!
I remember the first time I had umeboshi … one of our exchange students gave it to me as a gift and I bit into it with gusto!!! He thought it was a great joke.
I must admit, I loved the okonomiyaki that I had in Miyajima. And Japanese cakes are something to die for. And the fruit is so luscious and big and delicious!!! And rice and pickled vegetables for breakfast seemed quite normal after a while!
Tuesday at 10:13 pm
Ya..
Food and Gaijin is one combination I have grown to dislike. I just had dinner with a Holland guy and his japanese wife at a fantastic Italian restaurant. Only he eats salad with no dressing, pasta with no cheese (HOlLand my god) and its just the same ol thing with gaijin tastebuds.. Its not like you can order your own food either, in Japan your share the dish…
oh well… don’t get me started on the ketchi gaijin who won’t order a drink either… pathetic… Jpan tabimono is about 1000x better than than any Gaijin food… hence the 5 star restaurants and cooking shows..
Thursday at 2:03 pm
raw egg is fine to eat. eggs, as far as i know, are extremely pure. if they were not, an egg could never transform into a chicken. the danger is from the outside. the shell of the egg can contaminate food.
but have you ever had chicken sashimi? it’s served with onions, ginger paste, garlic paste and soy sauce. it’s very good, but the skin is very hard to chew. it’s also very unnerving as it goes against everything i have learned before coming to japan.
Tuesday at 3:59 am
I try Natto everytime I go to Japan, and I still hate it. maybe the 5th time will be a charm.
Tuesday at 9:28 am
僕は肉食べないけどそれ以外ほとんど何でも食べれる:(魚の)寿司、納豆、イクラ、マグロの目、踊っている蛸等だけど同僚と昼食する時、もし生卵がでたら食べられない、、、ご飯と生卵、なにが美味しい?本当に知りたい。
Tuesday at 2:47 pm
ご飯と生卵、私も食べられません。
I can’t eat raw egg on rice.
Rob-san, can you try natto with less smell which is called “niowanatto” when you come to Japan next time!
Thursday at 12:13 am
How about:
kiku (chrysthamemum) - flowers, boiled for 30 seconds, with vinegar added - eaten with soy sauce - really delicious - very popular in Tohoku
sanzai soba - soba noodle soup with mountain vegetables
misonameko - brown sticky mushroms with miso made from wheat, not beans - also Tohoku
mimi ga - pig’s ears - Okinawa - OK for me, my wife loves
pig’s feet - Okinawa - actually don’t want to even try
really delicious yaki tori - nankotsu - chicken neck or chest bones, with some meat - far more delicious than it sounds
Thursday at 3:27 pm
Are there a lot of options for vegetarians in Japan? How could I politely ask for vegetarian meals? I think meat is “niku” right, so “Niku wa tabemasen” or “niku nuki desu ka?”
Thursday at 4:55 pm
Vincentさん,
“Niku wa taberaremasen” or “niku wa dame desu” mean that you don’t eat meat. To ask whether meat is in something, you can ask “Niku wa haitte imasu ka?” But be careful though, as vegetarianism is still a fairly unfamiliar concept in Japan, and
it can be somewhat tricky to get a purely vegetarian meal unless you are eating at a vegetarian restaurant. A safe-looking soup may not have actual pieces of meat in it( meaning the staff might reply to the previous question with a “no”) but the broth could be made with meat or fish extract. It depends on how strict of a vegetarian you are, but you’ll need to be very specific. There are several vegetarian restaurants (in Tokyo at least) - here is a pretty extensive site on them:
http://www.vegietokyo.com/index.html
I hope that helps you somewhat!
Thursday at 4:56 pm
Andrewさん,
Those all sound interesting!! Sanzai soba sounds good and healthy
Thursday at 7:42 pm
Biliken-san, Mayumi-san
もったいない!!!!!!!!!!
Tuesday at 9:30 am
Japan has so many good foods that it’s hard to pick the best. For me, I’d have to say sashimi is number one. Then perhaps soba, shabushabu, a good ramen. The best ramen I’ve had was the local Master’s speciality of sesame/miso ramen, an unusual but great combination.
I’ve tried natto, but can’t figure out why I’d eat it again. Forget about the smell, to me it just tastes like over cooked baked beans. . . But you gotta try it once!
Wednesday at 10:03 pm
This one is for Peter who is always struggling with the explanation of KAITEN SUSHI (Conveyor Belt Sushi, “Revolving Sushi”) …
http://youtube.com./watch?v=lX7LIuftjy8
Friday at 11:26 pm
Yamanchu-san,
Sesame/miso rame sounds really nice! I love sesame!
Eismann-san,
Thank you for sharing such a fun video with us!
Monday at 8:32 pm
I pulled this quote from an internet article on the “discovery” of ginkgo biloba by a German in Japan. This was a digression, but is very appropriate in this discussion of Japanese food:
Digression - I’ve always been impressed by the huge biological range covered by Japanese cuisine. It’s not at all fanciful to imagine a meal including: angiosperms (cabbage), gymnosperms (ginkgo nuts), pteridophytes (fern shoots), algae (seaweed), vertebrates (fish), molluscs (squid), echinoderms (sea urchin), arthropods (crab). That’s eight phyla, or major divisions!
Tuesday at 10:30 am
Bob1さん,
Hmm, interesting when you think of it that way! Thanks for that!
Tuesday at 4:40 pm
Hey everyone!
What is the difference between ゆうはん(夕飯) & ばんごはん
and ごちそう which in English all mean dinner??
Thanks
Wednesday at 11:00 am
ATKH -san
ゆうはん and ばんごはん are the same. They both means evening meal.
ごちそう means feast.
I hope this helps.
Tuesday at 10:51 am
Sunday at 1:20 am
In Sweden we have a northen swedish dish called “Surströming” which means fermented Baltic Herring. This dish is just like Kusaya, I haven’t try it yet, but I heard that when people at it, you can even feel the smell although its from another building!!
It is very funny that Japan had a similare dish.
Even Korea has one called Hongeohoe!
Somebody who have tryied “surstömming” ?
Monday at 11:20 am
I
Monday at 11:22 am
@florentzia89
I haven’t, sounds interesting though.
Monday at 11:29 am
I have a simple question a out fruit, how do you say (in romanji and Kannada please) kiwi, peach, apple, banana, and lettuce in Japanese? I know strawberry is ichigo!
… from Tokyo mew mew… kawaii, nya~
-Harumi^_~
Monday at 11:30 am
Sorry, its kana. Not Kannada.
Monday at 11:56 am
Yamaimo-don is another challenging dish for the brave
( although I like it ). It’s pretty slimy and supposedly has an irritant in it.
Tuesday at 1:49 am
This message is for Natsuko Kawamoto
Konnichiwa Kawamoto san, I hear your perfect english and your knowledge of the Japanese culture.
I finished writting a novel -in spanish, to be translated into English- The caracters are Japanese and live in Japan. I had to learn a lot in order to make it more real, but I would like to consult you. I wonder if you could read it sometime before it gets published and discuss with me whatever aspect you think should be discussed… Of course, if you can, we will have to talk of your honoraries. Please let me know.
Thank you!
Alex
Tuesday at 1:04 pm
I LOVE RAMEN^_^ *slobber*
speacially spicy
thats the first thing i will try i only had instant stuff*tears*
Monday at 12:01 am
Shabu Shabu is my favorite by far.. a little to fatty for me. Now Sushi… I probably eat three times a week. I always run out for kaiten zushi at lunch… it’s quick, cheap and yummy.
Sunday at 5:05 pm
But I love wasabi
Saturday at 2:40 pm
I love Soba n Udon..:) especially cold Soba..Natto is no no no for me..but my girlfriend loves that very much. She even said if i want to learn how to speak japanese i have to eat natto..lol~ what a ‘not a good way’ to ask me to learn language..lol~
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