Dining

Surrounded by oceans, Japan’s consumption of fish is among the highest in the world, however contrary to popular belief there is more to Japanese cuisine than raw fish.  The typical Japanese cuisine consisting of rice, miso soup, fish and pickled vegetables, which was once commonplace in Japan, has been replaced with tasty meals consisting of chicken, beef and seafood dishes. Rice is still commonly served with most meals in Japan. Along with the large variety of Japanese dishes, foreign cuisine is also readily available which includes the enormous amount of fast food restaurants which can be found in all parts of Japan. It is not uncommon to see more than one McDonalds store in the same street.

Restaurants

Japan can be an expensive place to eat, however, with a little knowledge of the types of restaurants you can enjoy a tasty meal for as little as 600yen. Ordering in a Japanese restaurant can be quite daunting to the foreigner who speaks little or no Japanese. Most restaurants in Japan display wax models of the food they serve which can assist with the ordering process. When entering a Japanese restaurant you will be greeted with ‘Irasshaimase’ which means welcome and will be handed a hot towel ‘oshibori’ and a cup of tea or a glass of iced water.

Inexepensive places to eat are known as ‘shokudo’ and can be found near train stations and tourist areas and usually serve a variety of Japanese and western foods. Look for the wax food models usually displayed outside the restaurant.

‘Izakaya’ is the place to go if you are after a casual meal and a cold beer or sake. This is like our pub however instead of bar stools be prepared to be seated on the tatami mats on the floor. In this lively atmosphere you can order small menu items such as ‘yakitori’ - chicken skewers, sashimi (raw fish) or western meal items like salad and hot chips. This is usually an inexpensive place to eat in Japan. Look for the red lanterns in front of these establishments.

Other affordable Japanese restaurants can be found in department stores, underground malls of railway stations and in office building basements. Noodle stands, coffee shops, fast-food outlets and vending machines are other inexpensive options and can be found just about anywhere in Japan.

For a true Japanese experience be sure to purchase an ‘Obento’ lunch before leaving Japan. An obento is a boxed lunch popular with people travelling on the bullet train. An obento lunch can be purchased from most convenience stores, railway stalls and on the bullet train. Why not enjoy an obento lunch in one of the many parks and gardens in and around Japan. There are a variety of obento lunch boxes available many consisting of rice, meat, vegetables, sushi and pickles.

Eating Japanese Style

Most foreigners nowadays are quite familiar with using chopsticks however if you are invited out to dinner there are some rules to remember;

  • Don’t spear food with chopsticks as if they were a fork
  • Don’t place your chopsticks upright in your rice.
  • Don’t pull the dishes towards you using the chopsticks.
  • Don’t wave your chopsticks around over food, trying to decide what to eat next.
  • You may lift the rice bowl from the table, but not right up to your mouth.
     

Drinking Japanese Style

There are a variety of places to drink in Japan from the inexpensive Izakaya to the well known ‘Hostess Bars’ or cocktail lounges. Beer, sake and whiskey are widely available in most drinking places with the sale of imported wines gradually increasing.

  • When in a group do not begin to drink until everyone is served.
  • Pour for each other but not for yourself.
  • When raising your glass to drink call ‘Kampai’ meaning cheers.
  • If you drink sake, and someone offers a drink from his/her carafe, drink what remains in your cup before holding it out.