Nobody does it better than Japan when it comes to cuisine specialties. Though Tokyo has it all and Kyoto is known for its traditional cuisine, there are plenty of other sites to see along the road. Do your taste buds tingle? The greatest locations to visit in Japan for foodies are listed below.
Shimoda – Seafood haven
Shimoda is a little town by the sea, located at the bottom of the Izu peninsula. It’s about a four-hour trip from Tokyo. This town is a peaceful break from the busy city life. But, there’s more to it! Shimoda is famous for its amazing seafood.
In Shimoda, you can find many fish markets. These markets are filled with all kinds of fresh seafood. The local restaurants here have a special focus on serving squid and baked fish. They are delicious! There’s also a special fish called kinmedai. It’s a type of snapper with golden eyes that’s crispy when cooked. This fish is slowly becoming popular around the world.
Hokkaido – Known for its dairy products, particularly cheese.
Hokkaido is the northernmost part of Japan. Its capital city is Sapporo. This city is very cold, but it’s also very fun, especially in winter. Sapporo is famous for its dairy products, which are some of the best in Japan.
Even though Japan isn’t really famous for cheese, Hokkaido makes some of the world’s best cheese. One of the things you must try here is the Hokkaido cheese tart. It’s like a cheesecake, but smaller and tastier.
The cheese tart is really yummy. It has a sweet, soft cheese filling inside a crispy, buttery crust. It’s probably one of the tastiest desserts you haven’t tried yet.
Morioka – Wanko soba, aka little tiny bowls of soba
Soba noodles, made from buckwheat, are common in Japan. But, in the city of Morioka in Iwate Prefecture, they do things a bit differently. Here, they have a special dish called wanko soba. It’s like a fun game during dinner time!
In the local language, wanko means bowls. So, in Morioka, soba is served in lots of small bowls. If you visit a soba restaurant there, a waitress will be there to help you. She will wait for you to finish your bowl, and then she will fill it up again with fresh, hot noodles.
The game is to eat as much as you can. When you feel full and can’t eat anymore, you just cover your bowl. That’s the sign that you’re done.
Osaka – Takoyaki Octopus balls
Osaka is a city in Japan, and some people think it’s cooler and more laid-back than Tokyo. One of the best things about Osaka is its famous food called takoyaki. In English, takoyaki means ‘fried octopus balls’. It’s a perfect snack for any time!
Takoyaki is like fast food. You can eat it on the go, after having a drink, during a drink, or anytime you feel like it. It’s made in a special way.
First, they take a crispy batter and mix in small pieces of chewy octopus. Then, they shape this mixture into small balls, about the size of a golf ball. After that, they fry these balls until they’re nice and crispy.
Finally, they top the takoyaki with a special sauce and mayonnaise. The result is a delicious snack that’s crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, and full of flavor.
Okinawa – Umibudo, little salty sea grapes
Okinawa is an amazing island in Japan. It has some of the most beautiful beaches in the world. Plus, people here live a really long time, so they must know some secrets to a good life!
One of the special foods you can try in Okinawa is called umibudo. In English, umibudo means ‘sea grapes’. It’s a type of seaweed that’s really popular as a snack. Umibudo looks like tiny green beads. When you bite into them, they pop and release a salty flavor that tastes like the sea. It’s a unique and tasty experience!
Kobe – Of course, kobe beef.
Kobe beef is a famous type of beef from Japan. It’s known all over the world and is a favorite dish in Japan. Kobe beef comes from a special kind of Japanese cow called wagyu. This beef is soft, tasty, and has little bits of fat mixed in.
There are several ways to eat Kobe beef. One way is in a dish called shabu shabu. This is a soup with boiling meat. Another way is in sukiyaki, which is a Japanese hot pot dish. You can also have it in teppanyaki. This is where the chef grills the meat right in front of you.
Yokohama – Ramen
Yokohama is a city in Japan, not too far from Tokyo. It takes about 40 minutes to get there. Even though it’s close to the capital, many people don’t know much about it. But if you’re in Tokyo, you should definitely visit Yokohama!
One of the cool things about Yokohama is that it has a lot of food museums. In fact, it has the most food museums in the whole country! One of these museums is all about ramen, a type of noodle soup. Yokohama is a great place to try ramen. Some people even say it’s one of the best places in the world for ramen! This makes sense because the first ramen shop in Japan was started in Yokohama.
Nikko – Yuba, weird but delicious tofu skin
When you visit Nikko, a city in Japan, there’s a special food you should try. It’s called yuba. Yuba is a lot like tofu. It’s made from the skin that forms on top of heated soy milk. Even though it might sound strange, it actually tastes really good!
One of the best things about yuba is that it can change its flavor. Just like tofu, yuba can take on the taste of whatever dish it’s in. But, yuba is even more interesting because it has a chewy texture. The people who live in Nikko have a favorite way to eat yuba. They like to put it in a bowl of hot noodles.
Fukuoka – Famed for its fugu, which is both tasty and notorious.
Fugu is a special kind of fish that’s famous in the food world. The best place to try it is in Fukuoka, a city in Japan. Fugu is a type of blowfish that’s really tasty. But, it can be dangerous if it’s not cooked right.
In Fukuoka, you can find fugu at a good price. There are different ways to eat this fish. You can have it in a hot pot, which is a kind of soup. You can also try it as sashimi, which is raw fish sliced into thin pieces. Or, you can have it fried.
