Japan Travel / LIVE IN JAPAN

If you are keen on trying Japanese food, try some tradition, some Tokyo specialty refers back to the Edo times (“Edo mae”), in reference to Edo Bay (which is Tokyo Bay now) which supports the city delicacies with its local seafood. Have you tried any of these before?

Sushi and Sashimi

  • Nigiri-zushi (sushi in its basic form, a piece of fish on a ball of rice) originated as fast food in Tokyo. Now you can enjoy it during your trip to Tsukiji Market, or at any conveyor belt sushi.
  • Sashimi, raw fish. Either it is Maguro (Bluefin Tuna), Hotate (Scallops), Katsuo (Bonito / Skipjack Tuna) to Ika (Squid), you can find it there, just 2 steps in Tsukiji Market and you will see a counter. Enjoy it with wasabi and shoyu.

Japanese Hot Meals

  • Tempura (deep fry), before the Edo period, people only used vegetables for tempura. Then cooks started to try deep fry seafood in tempura batter, it developed to a whole new level, more varieties were created. Now it’s a must-try food in Tokyo. Try to look at tempura specialty shops.
  • Soba (buckwheat noodles) has been popular since the Edo period. Soba is usually served with a traditional thick sauce to dip noodles in. It was easy to cook and fast to consume, relatively became fast food in Tokyo and Japan nowaday. Standing Soba counters can be found at any station.
  • Chankonabe (hot pot). Do you know that this dish is widely consumed by sumo wrestlers? Mainly contain vegetables, fish stock, and chicken (sometimes beef), chankonabe is considered as healthy and rich in protein. At Ryogoku, around Kokugikan Sumo Station, you can find specialty shops run by ex-sumo. 
  • Monjayaki, look like Okonomiyaki, another Japanese dish but different in their batter. A pan-fried batter (flour and water mixed) hot grill with cabbage and pieces of seafood/meat. Visit Tsukishima, “Monjayaki street”.

Wagashi, sweets

  • Ningyo Yaki is a cake shaped like dolls, filled with red bean paste. Dolls may also be shaped like a pagoda, a bird, turtle, or shape of a local attraction.
  • Dorayaki consists of 2 layer pancakes filled with red beans or custard cream. This is the favorite snack of Doraemon, and sometimes, you can even find his face there.
  • Anmitsu, agar jelly top with red bean paste, mochi balls, and seasonal fruit, served with black sugar syrup.

There are more type of Japanese food that you should try! Let us know which food that you think ressemble Japanese culture!

Oh hey, how about let our local host families give you a short tour around?

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