Japanese Food to Try: Famous Dishes, Regional Eats and How to Think About Meal Budgets

Japanese food is so broad that many Thai travellers do not know where to start. A good answer is to split it into three layers. The first layer is the basic dishes found in every city, such as sushi, ramen, tonkatsu, tempura, udon and soba. The second is regional food, such as Osaka's okonomiyaki, Sapporo's soup curry and Hyogo's Kobe beef. The third is the full experience meals, such as omakase and high-end yakiniku. This guide uses that split so you can plan meals without relying on restaurant names that change quickly.

Famous dishes to try

Sushi ranges from conveyor-belt places that are easy on the budget to omakase where the chef serves one piece at a time. Ramen differs by city. Tonkatsu is breaded fried pork, eaten with shredded cabbage and sauce. Tempura is vegetables and seafood in a light fried batter. Udon has thick, soft noodles, and soba uses buckwheat noodles. Yakiniku is grilled meat that you cook yourself on a table grill. Wagyu and Kobe beef are well-marbled and highly prized, so read the menu carefully for grade and origin.

Where to eat

Areas that gather many restaurant types make choosing easier. In Tokyo, Shinjuku, Shibuya and Ueno have plenty of places around the stations, and the outer market near Tsukiji sells seafood and street snacks. In Osaka there are Dotonbori and the Namba area. Kyoto has Nishiki Market and the Gion district, and Fukuoka has yatai street stalls by the river. Eating around big stations is convenient because there are many options and menus are easy to check, while quieter local neighbourhoods are calmer but you need to check opening hours first.

Types of restaurants worth trying

• Teishoku set-meal shops: a main dish, rice, soup and sides in one set, usually good value and ideal for lunch.
• Conveyor-belt sushi: good for trying many things without ordering plate by plate and without strong Japanese.
• Standing noodle and udon-soba shops: quick, budget-friendly and often inside or near stations.
• Yakiniku and shabu-shabu restaurants: good for groups or families, but check whether it is all-you-can-eat or ordered by the plate.
• Omakase and kaiseki restaurants: the full experience, usually needing advance booking and notice of foods you cannot eat.

Cafes and sweets

Japanese sweets go well beyond matcha ice cream. There are wagashi, traditional confections made from red bean, glutinous rice and rice flour, mochi with various fillings, soft serve often made with local milk, and sweet breads from bakeries. Traditional cafes serving tea and sweets suit an afternoon break, while modern cafes in Shibuya and Harajuku focus on elaborate desserts. Check for seating and opening hours, because popular places often have queues.

Shopping and souvenirs

Popular souvenirs include boxed sweets, green tea, sauces and seasonings, and nut sweets and chocolates with local flavours, all available at big stations and airports. Department-store food floors and food markets are another source of good-quality items, often with tastings. If you plan to bring food back to Thailand, check Thailand's food import rules and the airline's rules about liquids and fresh items in advance.

Günstig

Meal budgets depend more on the type of restaurant than on the city. Standing shops and convenience stores are the lowest range, teishoku and conveyor-belt places sit in the middle, and yakiniku, omakase and kaiseki are at the top. Many restaurants offer lunch sets that cost less than the dinner version of similar dishes. Prices change with season and shop, so do not rely on figures from old articles; check the menu at the entrance or the restaurant's website before going in, and allow for service charges at some places.

Halal and vegetarian options

Halal travellers should take care, because broths, sauces and stocks often contain pork, and seasonings such as mirin and sake are used frequently. Restaurants that label themselves halal exist in big cities, but check with the restaurant itself and for current certification. For vegetarians, there are dedicated restaurants in big cities and temple restaurants serving shojin ryori, but ordinary menus often use bonito stock, so ask clearly and consider an allergy or diet card in Japanese made with a translation app.

Japan-eSIM-Tarife ansehen

When eating alone or in small groups you may need maps to find restaurants, menu translation, reviews and a translation app to ask about ingredients. Having mobile data all the time helps, and an eSIM lets you start using it right after landing.