Japan is a unique holiday destination with its beautiful natural landscapes and strong cultural identity. You can also enjoy some of the most delicious cuisines on this East Asian island.
Japan is a country full of binaries. It’s unique and captivating. It is a country that combines the modern and traditional, with beautiful natural landscapes and buzzing cities. Its food is known for being healthy and consists of fresh, seasonal ingredients. 13 mouthwatering dishes that are not sushi have been selected by us
1.Takoyaki
These battered and fried spheres of goodness are popular street food in Japan. They’re typically filled with chopped-up octopus, but don’t let that scare you away — once one touches your taste buds, you won’t even care what’s inside.
2 .Tsukemono
A traditional Japanese meal is not complete without pickled vegetables, known as tsukemono. Takuan, umeboshi, and cucumber are all popular varieties of Japanese pickles, which serve to cleanse the palate and add color to the plate.
3 . Mochi
The gummy consistency of this sweet rice cake might be strange at first, but once you try it you’ll want to eat it daily for the rest of your life. The flavors, colors, shapes, and filling options are endless — our personal favorite is strawberry daifuku, mochi filled with red bean paste and a juicy strawberry.
4 . Kaiseki
This traditional method of Japanese cooking comes in the form of a lengthy multi-course meal, so prepare your pocketbook before making reservations. Kaiseki is all about authenticity, fresh, local ingredients and painstaking attention to detail.
5.Udon
Step away from the ramen and dive into a bowl of udon. The thick, doughy udon noodles and hot flavorful broth are comforting as all get out. You can also order udon cold, which makes for a totally different noodle experience.
6.Nabe
The best part about nabe is the experience of making it. The process starts with a piping hot bowl of broth. Then, you add whatever veggies, proteins, dumplings, and noodles you want. Cooking the food yourself means you can make it just the way you like it — plus, it’s super fun.
7.Onigiri
Onigiri is rice balls wrapped in nori (dried seaweed), but unlike sushi, the rice is not vinegared. Some onigiri are filled with seafood or vegetables, while others have seasonings mixed into the rice. They are considered a simple and quick snack in Japan, and many onigiri aficionados mold their creations into little characters or animals. To be honest, we’re a bit obsessed.
8.Okonomiyaki
If putting everything delicious into a batter and frying it up into a crispy pancake sounds good to you, okonomiyaki needs to be in your future. Many okonomiyaki establishments will bring you the batter and a bowl of ingredients which you then mix and cook yourself. Others will do the work for you — all you have to do is enjoy.
9.Candy
The Japanese take the art of candy to a whole new realm of creativity. Their KitKat flavors are off the wall, everything is crazy colorful, and some sweet treats come in miniature toilets. If you can’t find any in your neighborhood market, Japan Crate will mail you a monthly box of the weirdest sugary treats Japan has to offer.
10.Sashimi
A super fresh plate of sashimi is the ultimate way to start off any Japanese meal. Salmon, tuna, squid, and pufferfish (pictured above) are all popular sashimi varieties. If you want to branch out from seafood, however, beef and horse sashimi are also considered delicacies.
11.Tonkatsu
This breaded, deep-fried pork dish is impossible not to love. It’s crusted in panko bread crumbs, which give it a crispy outer layer. It is typically served with rice, cabbage, and tonkatsu sauce, which is similar to a thick Worcestershire sauce. Chicken katsu is similar and also very popular.
12.Curry
If there’s one thing that can make tonkatsu even more delicious, it’s a generous helping of Japanese curry. This particular variety of curry is salty and very flavorful. It is most often eaten over rice, with tonkatsu, or in a bowl of udon.
13 .Kakigori
This refreshing and delicious dessert consists of finely shaven ice topped with flavorful syrups. Sweet azuki beans, ice cream, custard, fresh fruit, and mochi balls can be piled on top for an even sweeter experience. In the case of kakigori, bigger is always better.