Washoku（和食） & Yoshoku（洋食）
Roughly speaking, we can divide Japanese food in 2 categories: Washoku and Yoshoku
- Washoku is general term for traditional Japanese food. Washoku includes: Sushi, Tenpura, Sukiyaki, Shabu shabu etc.
- Yoshoku is a general term for Western style food. Japan opened the country after long closed country policy during Edo and new food came into Japan. Menu includes Omlette Rice, Croquette, Cutlet, Curry, Hushed-beef, Humberg steak, Spagetti and etc. Now these dishes are part of Japanese daily diet.
Here are list of Japanese food that many visitors liked
Sushi（鮨、寿司）
Sushi probably is one of the most famous Japanese quisine. Nice thing is, there are affordable sushis and high class sushi. If this is first time for you and want to try on your own first, I recommend Kaiten Zushi. (Sushi on belt conveyer but today, you can order from tablet menu,) This way, you can try different kind of sushi and get to know sushi. Kaiten Sushi is casual and family oriented so you can go with people who doesn’t like sushi very much. Many placee often have noodles or fried food as well. If you liked what you had, maybe you can try nice sushi restaurants.
Tenpura（天ぷら、天婦羅）
Tenpura is another popular food. It’s deep fried seafood and vegetable in vegetable oil. (Some place have different blend of oil such as sesame oil) If you are vegetarian, many place have vegetable tenpura as well. Since this is deep fried, those people who do not like raw food would enjoy.
Sukiyaki（すき焼き）
Sukiyaki is prepared in hot iron pan with beef, tofu, vegetables in sugar and soysauce based sauce. It is really tasty and have been a popular dish since Meiji era. (19C -) Japanese people usually dip Sukiyaki in raw egg, but if you are not used to having raw egg, you can cook the egg in pan. That’s also tasty. I like putting udon noodles in the end. So good.
Shabu shabu（しゃぶしゃぶ）
Shabu shabu is you put thinly sliced beef (paper thin!) in hot pot lightly, and dip in sauce (usually ponzu, citrus flavored vinegar and soy sauce and /or sesame sauce that is slightly sweet) and enjoy. You will also cook vegetables and tofu in the same hot pot and dip and enjoy along with beef.
Unagi （鰻）
Unagi is eel. They are cooked usually on charcoal with special sauce (sugar and soy sauce base) It is one of the delicacy and as it is extremely nutritious, we often have them during summer. It is a special treat for us. There are different types of Unagi and in Nagoya, there is Unagi meal called “Hitsumabushi（ひつまぶし）” You can enjoy in 3 different way-1. As it is, 2 With condiments, and 3 with broth.
Katsu （カツ）
Katsu is deep fried meat. Pork cutlet is called “Ton-katsu” and beef cutlet is called “Gyu-katsu.” They are usually served with cabbage because it helps digestion. They are popular food in Japan. Katsu on top of rice is called Katsu-don and that is also popular.
Ramen（ラーメン）
Ramen is everywhere. There are so many ramen shops, the other day, I found a ramen guide book (only for Tokyo area) explaining different broth and different style. At many ramen shops, you need to buy tickets at vending machine before you enter the shop and many local shops only accept cash.
Okonomiyaki（お好み焼き）
Okonomiyaki is casual and fun! It is like pancake in a way it is made with flour and egg but with sauce. You can choose toppings so in a way, it is like pizza. Okonomiyaki is really famous in Osaka and Hiroshima: their styles are different. Okonomiyaki in Hiroshima has fried noodles inside. They are both good. If you have chance, please try both and see which you like better.
Japanese Curry（カレー）
Japanese Curry is a little different from ethnic curry. It is no exaggeration to say that curry is now Japan’s national dish. Curry was introduced to Japan in 19th century, after Japan opened up to outside world. As Western food boomed, Japanese restaurants, which until then had been popular with the common people, began to lose their popularity. Of course, this also had an impact on soba noodle shops. So soba shops adopted the Western food trends and created curry udon, curry nanban (soba noodle) which are served with dashi broth. These are now standard items on the menu at soba shops, but they were invented against the backdrop of these food culture trends.
Set & Course menu terms
Teishoku（定食） is casual set menu. Teishoku includes Rice, pickels (or salad) and miso soup. eg. If you choose Humberg Teishoku, it is Humberg (main dish) with rice, pickles (or salad) and soup.
Donburi/Don（丼）is main dish over rice bowl. e.g. Katsu-don, Ten-don, Gyu-don etc.
Gozen（御膳） is also used for set menu often in Japanese restaurants.
Bento （弁当）is literally a lunch box and at Japanese restaurants, they are set menu in box lunch setting.
Kaiseki Ryoroi （懐石料理）is a formal course menu. We often have this kind of course menu at nice Japanese restaurants and ryokans. Kaiseki Ryori often include: appetizer, simmered dish (like simmered vegetables), fried dish (like tenpura) main dish, rice and soup, and dessert (like fruits of the season) They come separately and rice and soup comes at very end because with this kind of menu, people often enjoy drinks. If you would like rice and soup earlier, you can ask so.
Shojin Ryori （精進料理）is a vegetarian menu developed in Buddhist temples. Traditionally, Buddhist monks had this menu based on Buddhist belief. The ingredients used is plant-based, without meat or seafood, and includes vegetables, cereals, seaweed, beans, nuts and berries. Over the course of its long history, ‘modoki cuisine’ has developed, using plant-based ingredients to imitate meat and fish. My favorite is “Sesame Tofu (Goma Dofu 胡麻豆腐）” This is actually not a tofu but more like sesame jelly.
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